I bumped into Shiz on the bus yesterday, and among other things we chatted about The Great Room open house, and the projected BC budget surplus. Of course, Shiz is not one to be content just talking. Last night she emailed me to let me know she'd fired off a note to Premier Gordon Campbell:
Premier Campbell,
I'm a British Columbian and a Vancouver resident, and I care deeply about the downtown East side of Vancouver. It's time to do what is right, rather than what is popular, and put the entire budget surplus into use for improving the quality of life for the men and women of the DTES.
Please listen. Everybody wants money and we could easily justify giving to a number of causes, but the needs of these people outweigh our extras and conveniences. The people of British Columbia want to stand up and make a difference in the DTES. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu says, "In our world we can survive only together. We can be truly free, ultimately, only together. We can be human only together, black and white, rich and poor, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Jew." It is time to be human together with our brothers and sisters in the DTES.
Thank you for your time.
My email will be going out today. How about yours? Not a resident of BC... or Canada? I don't think that really matters. Tell Gordon you've heard of the Downtown Eastside, and you've heard of his extra cash.
Thanks for the inspiration, Shiz.
Recent Comments