"I hurt my back, knees, hips. I burnt my body out early. I started picking rocks early on the farm. Every spring you’d pick rocks. I’m from Ontario—St. Mary’s, Mitchell area.

"I’d never been to B.C. But once I got here I never left. I’d been all over Canada. I mean, all over Canada. I haven’t been to the Yukon yet; that’s the only one place I haven’t made.

"I was panhandling at Granville and Hastings for a couple years. I was sitting there, panhandling, when somebody walked up and told me about Megaphone. I like it because I’ve got a big mouth and you get to talk to people. You got a reason to approach people—you’re not asking for money, you’re selling them stuff. You’re giving them a service. And a lot of people like the paper.

"I like the stories in Megaphone. There’s all kinds of stuff you don’t see in normal papers—like the guy who was getting roughed up by the cops, you don’t see that in the news or nothing. And people should know about that.

"You make more money with the paper—and the extra money helps. If you read the paper and you know what you’re talking about, you can sell.  Selling makes me feel better, but I always feel good. I don’t let myself get down. 

"I like my customers. Having regulars means you have a bit of a regular income. Sometimes it can be sporadic. But you build up your regulars and it’s a good thing."

Patrick Doyle sells Megaphone at Granville and Hastings 

Selling Megaphone gives vendors the opportunity to change their lives. Your donation helps us provide our vendors with training and supplies.