David Eby - Blog

A friend of mine from the DTES passed away a couple of weeks ago. I was in denial about the whole situation; I got the flyer for his memorial ceremony and then didn't go. Blocked it out. Sorry Dwayne.

Dwayne Koe was a great guy, a proud Inuit man named Haluk, who faced struggles few of us can imagine. He was one of our two plaintiffs in the litigation to keep the Main Street tent city open. His co-plaintiff, Noah, passed away months ago. Both of them remained homeless or near homeless until their last days.

Dwayne is an example of a guy who would have hugely benefited had the province implemented the Frank Paul Inquiry recommendations around sobering centres and identifying and treating chronic, street involved alcoholics. He would probably be alive today if those recommendations had been implemented. They have not been.

So what we're left with are memories of Dwayne's guitar playing and improvised songs at every major housing protest, every Curtis Brick memorial. At the last one I recall, and the one mentioned most frequently online, he sang a song called "We are One." He's left some carvings too, here's his "Drummer Singing with a Shaman" carving, currently selling online for $695.


Here are his words to UN Special Housing Rapporteur Miloon Kothari during the Rapporteur's visit to Vancouver: "Its not people, it’s the system. Because of the residential school system, I have suffered. My dad’s been there, my mom’s been there. When I was eight years old I watched my dad kill my mom because he felt powerless. When people talk about shame, I feel it every day."

Despite that inter-generational trauma, Dwayne managed to be cheerful, happy and loving, a man who died far too soon and who carried a burden few of us can imagine. We miss you already Dwayne.