LOBBY GROUP DOESN'T GET IT

Community Alliance refuses to deal with Downtown Eastside's real problems.

Bryce Rositch and other members of the Community Alliance of Gastown and
Chinatown businesses paint themselves as victims of an organized campaign
to silence them in the continuing debates about drug policy. (No defence
for ugly tactics in debate on drugs, Vancouver Sun, Dec. 22). But the
alliance's internal documents show it to be an aggressive, highly
politicized lobby group that's not averse to throwing its weight around and
using bullying tactics against elected officials.

The Alliance has long been on record as opposing more social housing or
social programs in the neighbourhood -- a sure formula to phase out the
low-income community as gentrification advances. No wonder Rositch & Co.
have reaped the enmity of so many in the neighbourhood.

Rositch, a Gastown architect, and other alliance leaders, showed their hand
Aug. 3 when they met behind closed doors with the mayor and a group of city
councillors. Documents obtained by community groups through the Freedom of
Information Act reveal the alliance's threatening and elitist posture, even
with their allies in the business-friendly Non-Partisan Association (NPA),
the majority party on council.

"Our demands are not negotiable," said the alliance in its confidential
written follow-up notes to council.

This business lobby opposes social programs aimed at reducing the
tremendous carnage of the drug scene and the damage it does to the Downtown
Eastside community at large. This put them at odds with all three levels of
government, Vancouver police and health and social agencies.

Undaunted, alliance members warned councillors they'd work to unseat them
if they didn't toe the line. This is no idle threat, since several Gastown
business activists are well placed in the NPA leadership.

"We will deal only with direct policy makersÉ We will not be drawn into
trying to solve the problems," declared the alliance. "We state again that
it is our desire to work with the mayor, city councillors and the city
manager. But if we cannot work with you, we will work against you."

Alliance leaders want to make decisions for the entire community, but they
won't talk to other residents. They prefer to lobby behind closed doors or
promote their views in stage-managed news conferences and interviews.

Most of the business leaders (excepting Rositch) live outside the Downtown
Eastside. If they're so concerned to reduce the drug scene in the
neighbourhood, why are they not campaigning to establish services and
affordable housing in their home communities for local drug users?

Rositch complains that he gets personal abuse from residents. Well, lots of
people have got into arguments, been called names, even lost friends in the
past couple of years. It's something that unfortunately happens when you
get involved in a controversial issue that doesn't have any obvious,
totally perfect solution.

However, he has had his version aired sympathetically in the news media,
and he has had closed-door meetings with city councillors and regular
sitdowns with the police. The alliance also enjoys the undivided attention
of city planners and engineers who are assigned specifically to minister to
them.

That doesn't sound very much like being silenced. It sounds more like a
pretty loud voice.

Rositch's biggest complaint is the food lineup in front of his place of
business every Monday at 4 p.m. The lineup was established by a loose group
of younger people (under age 35, a growing demographic in the
neighbourhood) employing a perfectly familiar and legal tactic from the
days when civil rights crusaders used to leaflet segregationist businesses.

I've recently visited the lineup three times. It's an orderly operation, no
different from many other food giveaways in the neighbourhood. There is
actually no leafletting or interfering with passersby or customers, just
feeding hungry people.

The alliance's law-and-order approach to the drug problem has already been
tried. In the past decade, there've been more arrests at the corner of Main
and Hastings than at any other locale in Vancouver, maybe in Canada. And
just look south of the border to see how successful the "war on drugs" has
been.

For many months, city workers have been trying to reduce confrontation and
get the sides to sit down and talk. But what is there to say to someone who
doesn't want to discuss solutions, and will only deal with "direct policy
makers"?

The test will come in January, when the city, with the support of the
provincial and federal government and health authorities, unveils its
package of initiatives for a comprehensive approach to the drug problem. If
the alliance decides to take part in the process constructively, then there
might be something to talk about.

The train is leaving the station, Mr. Rositch. Are you getting on board?