Protest over poverty, violence in Vancouver downtown east side as Jean visits

from The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER - Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean faced heckling and swearing from anti-poverty protesters who dogged her walk through Vancouver's troubled Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.

Most of the angry words were directed at city councillor Elizabeth Ball, who accompanied Jean, but some of the heckling and at least one obscene swear word appeared directed at her.

The Queen's Canadian representative, who was closely surrounded by her own security and a city police escort, smiled stiffly through the two-block walk to a private meeting with Mayor Sam Sullivan.

Many residents of the downtrodden neighbourhood and activists are angry at Sullivan and his governing party, who they say are focusing on the 2010 Olympics while ignoring the poverty, drugs, violence and lack of affordable housing in Canada's poorest postal code.

Jean is also scheduled to hold a roundtable discussion with a big-city mayor's meeting in Vancouver.

The Governor General is touring British Columbia all week.