REPORT TO COUNCIL

SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CULTURAL COMMUNITIES

March 7, 2001

INFORMATION File: 3055-1/RTS: 1862

Council: March 27, 2001

1. Annual Report

This annual report covers the period April 2000 to December 2000.

The Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities was appointed by Council as directed by a resolution of Council on March 29, 1994. A current member list is attached.

The Committee's mandate as approved by Council on February 3, 1998 is:

To act as a conduit towards forging and enhancing cohesive values in Vancouver's diverse communities and to promote harmony through cultural communities involvement.

Goal 1:
· To promote and increase welcoming and inclusion of all cultural communities in neighbourhoods and communities of Vancouver.
Goal 2:
· To facilitate the communication between cultural communities and the City of Vancouver.
Goal 3:
· To promote sensitivity, fairness and effectiveness of City policies, action plans, strategies, services, programs and systems that impact cultural communities.

Significant Activities

Cultural Harmony Awards
· The Committee planned the 6^th Annual event held on Friday September 29, 2000 at the Cultural Harmony Grove. Council approved the following awards:.

Individual: Teresa Whitehouse
Organization: First Lutheran Church

$2,000 in sponsorship was obtained from ICBC for the 2000 Awards.

Significant Issues and Topics:

Civic Rental Policy
· Representatives from the Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities participated in the Civic Rental Policy Task Force and initiated an umbrella clause for rental policies. The policy has now been implemented in all community centres, and VanDusen is under consideration.

The Committee thanks Susan Gordon, Vancouver Parks & Recreation, for her diligence and guidance in developing this policy.

Committee Relationships with Council, Park Board and School Board Liaisons
· The Committee initiated a segment on the agenda whereby the liaisons can introduce or discuss issues of relevance to the Committee and its mandate and afford opportunity for discussion and information exchange.

From the Vancouver School Board, Janis Jones, Manager of Multiculturalism & Anti-Racism, provided and reviewed a summary report and five year strategy document related to multiculturalism and anti-racism entitled "Out of the Past and a Leap into the Future".

Decorative Lighting
· Representatives from the Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities took part in the Task Force to discuss ways to celebrate cultural festivals through City lighting. This process is on-going.

First Nations and Municipal Government
· Pat Wotherspoon, Assistant Director of City Plans, provided background and a brief outline of the City's role in aboriginal issues through LMTAC (Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee).

Public Involvement Review
· Michael White, Planning, and Baldwin Wong, Social Planning, provided an update on three programs: Community Visions, Public Involvement Review, and Multi-Cultural Outreach. The Committee provided input into the updates and proposals of these three programs.

Racist Graffiti
· Rowan Birch, Streets Administration Engineer, responded to questions concerning the City's role in anti-graffiti activity. It was agreed that Streets Administration will provide quarterly reports to the Committee (including number of incidents, types of incidents {racist and other}, trends, and geographic location).

Reports/Correspondence Submitted to Council:

Issues are still on-going therefore no reports submitted.

Future Directions

The Committee suggests the in-coming Committee pursue the following issues and events during 2001, subject to any direction which Council chooses to provide:

Events:
· International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Issues:
1. Cultural Harmony Awards - continue process with staff responsible for this event to review: a) appropriateness of event date

b) corporate/community sponsorships
c) communication/publicity

2. Civic Rental Policy - follow up with Task Force
3. Decorative Lighting - follow up with Task Force
4. Review name and mandate of the Committee to better reflect its meaning and purpose and develop an action plan
5. Elections and Translators - follow up with Director of Meeting Services & Elections
6. Other relevant issues as they arise

The Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities appreciates contributions from Rajpal Kohli, EEO; Baldwin Wong, Social Planning, and Diane Clairmont, City Clerk's Office, in developing, facilitating and implementing projects undertaken by the Committee.

(Signed) "Suzanne Allard Strutt"
Suzanne Allard Strutt, Chair, 2000
Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities

(Signed) "Paul Stevenson"
Paul Stevenson, Chair, 2001
Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager notes that the Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities as reported in their Annual Report has had a busy year. This report is submitted to Council for INFORMATION.

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