Law Foundation Cuts Funding

It was announced yesterday that the Law Foundation has cuts its funding to DERAdvocacy.

In the National Post on Monday it said that criminal charges could be laid against those that did wrong at DERAHousing. This is not what I heard at the court application hearing on May 18th 2010 when Sabrina asked the Court if the signed confidentiality agreement meant that no one would be prosecuted. The lawyer for BC Housing confirmed that if the terms of the confidential agreement were met no one would be prosecuted. I suspect Rich Coleman didn't get it right when he spoke to Brian Hutcheson, the reporter.

In an interview with the National Post, provincial housing minister Rich Coleman said a criminal investigation of DERA on matters "such as fraud" could be forthcoming. "We're not precluded from taking [further action]," said the minister.
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PIVOT and Carnegie Governing Boards

Ancillary to what is happening at DERA, two events should be noted. Although I was very vocal in the community about DERA and its non-compliance to the rule of law since the summer of 2009, Julie Rogers was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the PIVOT Legal Society. The only qualification that Julie had for the PIVOT Board of Directors was her directorship with DERA. And then if that was not bad enough, Pat McSherry was elected recenty to the Board of Directors of the Carnegie Centre. Pat McSherry is a director of DERA and her contribution to any discussion at any board meeting was "wait until a problem happens." The function of a Board is to make sure that problems do not happen. Not only was Pat a director she was also the Secretary. Because of her laziness she allowed a hired employee to look after her legislated duties (see Society Act). Pat was elected a few weeks ago to the Carnegie Board so everyone knew in the DTES that she was a party to the destruction of DERAH and still she was elected. Both Julie and Pat as well as every director of DERA/DERAH should be barred from ever being a member of any Board. Both should be held $accountable for what they did and in this case did not do. This just shows what type of Boards the decision makers and funders listen to. If there was even a whisper that a Board was or had members that were dysfunctional, funders should run. But then funders are just employees so why should they care.
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Response The Vancouver Sun June 12 2010

This response has not been published by the Vancouver Sun.

Rich Coleman's office neglected to say in its report to the Sun June 12 2010 that there is an outstanding application before the Courts by a DERAHousing Director, Audrey Jane Laferriere, to be added to the BC Housing action. Although Mrs. Laferriere is a director of DERAHousing she was not privy to the litigation. She questions the legality of the confidential agreement since both the judge and the lawyers for BC Housing knew of her non-involvment. How can an agreement be ratified without all the directors knowing about it.
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Audrey Jane Laferriere,
Director of DERAH (April 2009),
778-329-1250
audreylaferriere@yahoo.ca

So sad, Mr. Green

In response to Mr. Green's response to the Vancouver Sun about DERA June 12 2010.

I am very sad that Jim Green is sad that the original DERA does not exist. It can again as DERAdvocacy is still there maybe not for long but it is not lost yet (the only part that is affected by the receiver-manager is DERAHousing) so why doesn't he and the other "leaders" of the DTES get involved. They were rumours for years of mismanagement and yet DERAdvocacy and DERAHousing were allowed to flounder. The blame for the failure of DERA Housing and the eventual failure of DERAdvocacy (by the domino effect) is the community. No one else. Anyone that lives in the DTES is a member of DERAdvocacy. And it is not too late for the community to organize.
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The NATIONAL POST and the DTES

Brian Hutchinson of the National Post is doing daily articles on the DTES this month. If you have any comments or information that you have wanted to report but were afraid to or did not know where to go so do it now. Brian's sources are kept confidential unless you want your name in print. Up to now there has been no where to address concerns so this is an opportunity that we all should take advantage of. The housing non-profits and the government agencies in the DTES have been very good at "don't ask, don't tell" and it is time "we ask" and "we tell."

Type in your computer address bar: National Post and there it is. If not type in Woodwards Project in the search window. And his blog is DTES gossipy (when in National Post type in search window Woodwards blog).

Brian Hutchinson

bhutchinson@nationalpost.com
604-742-8882 phone
604-682-3628 fax

This week

I am involved with a medical emergency and I won't be able to address any issues for at least a week.