REPORT TO COUNCIL

SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CULTURAL COMMUNITIES

MAY 14, 2003

INFORMATION

1. Annual Report

This annual report covers the period January 2002 to December 2002.

The Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities is appointed by Vancouver City Council under the auspices of Vancouver City Council, resolution March 29, 1994. A list of current members is attached.

The Committee's mandate 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 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 8th Annual event held on November 5, 2002 in Council Chamber, with the tree planting ceremony at the Cultural Harmony Grove on November 14, 2002. Council approved the following awards:
Individual: John Halani
Organization: A Step Ahead Foundation

International Day for the Elimination of Racism - March 21, 2002

Significant Topics

Municipal Election

Anti-Graffiti
· The Committee submitted a report to Council dated March 6, 2002 and was represented by Lorraine Gerard, Vice-Chair, at the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting, April 25, 2002. The report made suggestions relating to guidelines for anti-graffiti contractors and the establishment of an anti-graffiti interdepartmental working group;
· Michael Twynstra, Property Use Inspections, provided an overview of the role of the department and how they work with citizens of diverse cultures.

Civic Youth Strategy
· Debbie Anderson, Child and Youth Social Planner, and Nadim Kara, Social Planning, presented the new directions and pilot model approved by Council on April 23, 2002. The Committee noted there may be special strategies required when working with immigrant youth with low English language skills.

Police Chief
· The Committee forwarded a letter dated May 3, 2002 to the Mayor, as Chair of the Vancouver Police Board, suggesting the need for the individual selected as the new Police Chief to embrace the values of diversity and inclusivity.

Vancouver Public Library Rental Policy
· Eric Smith, Acting Director, VPL, presented their revised policy relating to renting library space to the public. The Committee suggested guidelines for booking staff to ensure the Library is not being used for inappropriate meetings. This was a successful result of the 1999 initiative by this Committee to revise civic rental policy.

Impacts of Provincial Budget
· Anne Kloppenborg, Social Planning, made a presentation to the Committee relating to the impact of provincial budget cuts on social services and housing in Vancouver. The Committee forwarded a letter dated June 12, 2002 to Mayor and Council asking to be kept informed of any potential impact to cultural communities resulting from the Provincial government's Core Services Review and provincial budget cuts;
· Further to 2001 correspondence regarding the impact of budget cuts on the Provincial Hate Crime Team circulated among this Committee, the Mayor's Office and the Office of the Solicitor General, the Committee forwarded an additional letter dated May 22, 2002 to the Mayor as Chair of the Vancouver Police Board. This letter supported continuation of the Provincial Hate Crime Team.
Special Events
· Muriel Honey, Film and Special Events Office, met with the Committee and provided a proposed schedule of special events. The neighbourhood "Block Party" brochure was distributed by this Committee to various community groups with the Cultural Harmony Award/Community Outreach package.

Downtown East Side Revitalization
· Wendy Au, Community Project Manager, presented an overview of the DTES revitalization strategies to the Committee including multicultural outreach, First Nations outreach and the Chinatown revitalization initiatives.

MOSAIC - Special Housing Report
· From MOSAIC, Eyob Naizghi, Executive Director, Sherman Chan, Director of Settlement Services, and Elizabeth Briemberg, Past President, shared their Special Housing Report, dated April 2002, with the Committee. The report focused on the problem of substandard housing available to many immigrants and refugees.

Community Outreach
· The Committee forwarded a letter, dated July 31, 2002, to various cultural and ethnic community groups introducing the Committee and inviting them to contact the Committee as a conduit to the City;
· Subsequently, the Committee heard a request, referred by Communications, from Dr. Devendra Goel and Mrs. Pushpa Sharan to provide translations in Hindi in addition to Punjabi translations already provided by the City.

Vancouver as a Sustainable City
· Mario Lee and Wendy Gibbons, Social Planning, presented an overview of the City's plans for maintaining a sustainable and diverse city.

Future Directions

Committee members will be actively involved in the Advisory Body Task Force review currently being conducted. Following completion of this review, the Committee will develop a future work plan.

(Signed) "Erwin Nest", Chair

  

(Signed) "Lorraine Gerard", Vice-Chair

  

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager thanks the Committee members for their contribution to the work of the City and commends them for the ways in which they have worked to establish connection with City staff. Specifically, the Committee has provided valuable advice and assistance on issues such as the Anti-Graffiti Program, the Civic Rental Policy, and the Cultural Harmony Awards and has been actively involved in the Advisory Body Task Force review process to determine the future role of the Advisory Committees.

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Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities
Membership as of February 6, 2003

COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Erwin, Nest, Chair
Rejoice Anthony
Lorraine Gerard, Vice-Chair
Avtar Gosal
Jackie Haywood
Emma Mamisao-Isaac
Munna Prasad
Aranzazu Recalde

LIAISONS
Councillor Jim Green, City of Vancouver
Commissioner Loretta Woodcock, Vancouver Park Board
Trustee Allan Wong, Vancouver School Board

STAFF LIAISONS
Rajpal Kohli, Equal Employment Office
Baldwin Wong, Social Planning

MEETING COORDINATOR
Diane Clairmont, City Clerk's Office

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© 2002 City of Vancouver