under pressure: brazil, canada, and the fight for our future
“This is our last dance…” — David Bowie and Queen, Under Pressure
Have you seen the video of the enormous crowds in Brazil, with David Bowie and Queen singing Under Pressure?
I watched it and felt something I haven't felt in a while: a sense that ordinary people still have the power to stand together, raise their voices, and demand something better.
After Canada's last federal election, I have been feeling sad about the direction our country is taking. I worry that people are being influenced by one-sided messaging, political spin, and misinformation circulating through WhatsApp and social media. When people hear only one version of a story, how can they make a fully informed decision?
Democracy needs more than an election every few years. It needs people who ask questions, check facts, listen to one another, and think beyond the next headline. It needs a public that understands what is at stake.
And it needs us to remember that our neighbours are not our enemies simply because they vote differently.
looking beyond our borders
A friend in Mexico recently mentioned BRICS, and it reminded me how much the world is changing.
BRICS originally stood for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The group has since expanded to include other countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Canada is not a member.
BRICS is a forum for economic, political and diplomatic cooperation. Although there have been discussions about alternatives to the US dollar in international trade, BRICS does not currently have a single shared currency used by all its members.
What interests me is the bigger question: how will countries cooperate in a changing world, and will those relationships improve life for ordinary people?
Economic power means very little if people cannot afford a home, feed their families, access healthcare or imagine a future for their children.
Those are the things I want our leaders to be talking about.
today, young people are taking canada to court
Here in Vancouver, fifteen young Canadians are beginning a landmark climate trial against the federal government.
In La Rose v. His Majesty the King, they argue that Canada's actions on climate change violate their constitutional rights. They are asking the court to hold the government accountable and require a science-based Climate Recovery Plan.
Their case has taken years to reach trial.
Think about that. Young people have had to fight for seven years just to get their arguments heard in court.
They are asking questions that affect every generation: What kind of planet are we leaving behind? Who bears the consequences when governments fail to act? And do young people have a right to a safer future?
Today, people are gathering at the Vancouver Art Gallery to watch the proceedings, and a rally is planned for this evening.
I had considered going downtown myself, perhaps even taking some of my paintings. But the weather is cold, and my paintings are already taking part in the Eastside Culture Crawl. So today, I will be supporting these young people from home.
You don't have to be physically present at every demonstration to care about what is happening.
You can share information. You can tell someone about the case. You can listen to the young plaintiffs. You can refuse to look away.
solidarity is not just a word
I think about those crowds in Brazil, the young people standing up in Canada, and people everywhere who are worried about their homes, their livelihoods, their rights and their children's future.
We may live in different countries and speak different languages, but many of our concerns are the same.
We want clean water, breathable air, safe communities, affordable housing, dignity, and a future that isn't sacrificed for somebody else's profit.
We want governments to listen before the damage becomes irreversible.
And we need to be careful about the information we share. A video can inspire us, but we should also investigate its context. A message repeated thousands of times doesn't automatically become true. Before forwarding political claims, let's ask who created them, what evidence supports them, and what might have been left out.
That applies to every political party, including the ones we support.
Democracy is not about surrendering our judgment to a politician, a billionaire, an algorithm or a viral WhatsApp message. It is about exercising our own judgment.
the world is watching
I am an artist, a writer and a blogger. I have spent years using words and paintings to encourage people to think about the world around them.
My Water Is Life paintings celebrate the living things we have a responsibility to protect: mermaids, whales, otters, waves, forests and hummingbirds.
Art cannot solve every problem. But it can remind us what is worth protecting.
So, to the people in Brazil raising their voices, to the young Canadians walking into court today, and to everyone working toward a fairer, more peaceful and sustainable world:
You are not alone. Keep asking questions. Keep speaking up. Keep imagining something better.
And to everyone watching from home, as I am today: don't underestimate the power of paying attention, sharing reliable information and standing in solidarity with people who are trying to make a difference.
Perhaps that is what the music is reminding us.
We are under pressure. The question is what we choose to do with it.
Let us choose compassion over contempt, facts over misinformation, cooperation over division, and a future worth leaving to the next generation.
From Vancouver, with solidarity for everyone working toward a better world.
— Tina Winterlik / Zipolita
Emily's 2nd Act | Art, words and a little hope
Learn more:
#Brazil #BRICS #Democracy #ClimateJustice #YouthClimateAction #LaRosevCanada #UnderPressure #Misinformation #WaterIsLife #Emilys2ndAct
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