Unsung Heroes of Covid: Young Workers Who Were Used and Abused

💔 Unsung Heroes of Covid: Young Workers Who Were Used and Abused 💔

Five years ago, a generation of youth were thrust into impossible circumstances. They were asked to keep businesses running — bakeries, cafes, retail stores — while the world shut down around them. They showed up through illness, exhaustion, and fear. They were exploited, overworked, and often abused. 😢

They weren’t “heroes” in the movies; they were teenagers and young adults with dreams, bills, and responsibilities, doing work that was undervalued. Some lost loved ones 💔. Some were pushed beyond their limits. And for what? So society could have its bagels 🥯, its coffee ☕, its convenience.

Many didn’t graduate 🎓. Many were denied CERB 💸 or had it clawed back. Many have been left with mental health struggles 🧠, debt 💳, and little recognition. And yet, their labor, sacrifice, and endurance have largely been erased from the conversation. ❌

It’s time to remember them. It’s time to hold schools, governments, and employers accountable 🏛️ for the failures of the system. It’s time to acknowledge the cost borne by youth who did not choose to be on the front lines — and ensure they are supported now, with access to education 📚, mental health care 🩺, and fair work opportunities 💼.

These young people are not statistics 📊. They are unsung heroes, and their story matters. 💪✨

Two Thieves and a Country on the Edge

Two Thieves and a Country on the Edge

(By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita)

---

Meet Joe.
Joe’s 49, lives in East Van, and lost his job during COVID. After EI ran out and the rent chewed up his last few bucks, he found himself standing in a grocery store aisle—staring at a loaf of bread and peanut butter. He hadn’t eaten in two days.

Joe grabbed them.
Walked out.
Security stopped him.
Police were called.
Joe was charged with theft under $5,000.

In court, the judge said,

“You should have used the food bank.”

Joe was fined and given a criminal record.
Now no employer will hire him.
He spiraled deeper into poverty. Still, he never stole again.

---

Now meet “Amy.”
Amy lives in a posh South Surrey townhouse, drives a high-end SUV, and receives shipments of stolen yoga wear—hundreds of Lululemon items—into her garage. She’s not stealing herself. She’s coordinating a network of people who do.

In a single year, she moved over $175,000 in luxury retail goods.
She sold the items for cash, cosmetics, and gift cards.
Police raided her home. They found it all:

• Bags of stolen goods,
• Thousands in cash,
• Evidence of a retail crime ring.

But here’s the twist:
No criminal charges.
Just a civil forfeiture claim.

Amy hasn’t gone to court.
She hasn’t even had to stay in the country.
In fact, she might be in Dubai right now, drinking champagne and posting:

“#Blessed #BossBabe 💅💸”

---

What kind of justice is this?

In the same week we learned about her case, we also heard:

• About a Vancouver building inspector who lived in a multi-million dollar mansion while pocketing bribes and approving unsafe developments.
• That non-profit CEOs are making $250,000+ while the shelters and food banks they run fall apart.
• That over 16,000 people have died in BC from toxic drug overdoses—and still, we criminalize the sick and poor instead of holding the rich accountable.
• That all over the world—from Mexico City to Europe—people are smashing glass in protest against gentrification.

And here?
We smile politely and wait for change.
But it’s not coming—unless we make it.

---

Are you looking south at the U.S. and thinking, “At least we’re not that bad”?

Guess what—we’re on the same path.

The corruption is overflowing.
The cracks are already here.
If we don’t want to become another L.A., Portland, or San Francisco,
then BIG CHANGE is needed now.

---

Here’s what I’m asking:

• Call out the double standards.
• Support journalists and advocates exposing this injustice.
• Demand consequences for luxury crime, not just poverty crime.
• Stop protecting those who profit off misery, whether they wear suits or yoga pants.

Because Joe is real.
Amy may be fictional—but she exists under different names, in real homes, in our own city.

And unless we fight back now, they will keep stealing from us—not just clothes,
but homes, futures, and lives.

---

✍️ Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
#JusticeForAll #NotJustTheRich #HousingIsAHumanRight #StopTheRot #EndOverdoseCrisis #ExposeCorruption #GentrificationKills #LululemonLoot #TwoTierJustice

SOLD OUT! BC ED.

🎓 Sold Out: How BC’s Education System Became a Pipeline for Profit, Not Progress

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

There was a time when going to college or university meant you were investing in your future—learning, growing, and gaining the skills to contribute to your community. Now, in British Columbia, that dream feels like a cruel joke.

Over the last few decades, our post-secondary institutions have morphed into something unrecognizable: cash machines disguised as schools, prioritizing profit over purpose.

---

💸 Education for Sale

Let’s call it what it is. Our universities and colleges now rely heavily on international student tuition—charging three to five times more than they do local students. This isn’t about building a better BC; it’s about keeping bloated budgets afloat.

And the government? Instead of properly funding public education, they handed over the steering wheel to the market—and now everyone’s paying the price.

---

📉 Locals Shut Out, Futures on Hold

As someone who has lived, worked, studied, and raised a family in BC, I’ve watched the job market change dramatically. Even with credentials and years of experience, I couldn’t get hired. Neither could many of the young people I know—born and raised here, trained and willing to work.

Meanwhile, thousands of international students were steered into generic business admin programs by recruiters promising an easy path to permanent residency. But what kind of system pushes people into overpriced diplomas with little job demand while locals can’t even get work in home support, care work, or the creative industries?

It's not about racism or resentment—it's about a system built to fail us all while enriching the few.

---

🏢 Schools Turned Corporations

Colleges used to serve their communities. Now they serve the economy:

• Kwantlen Polytechnic University expects to lose $49 million in revenue because of international student permit caps.
• SFU is bracing for a $40+ million shortfall over two years.
• UBC, BCIT, and others have already frozen hires and are preparing to cut.

Not because they can’t function—but because they became addicted to international tuition.

---

🏠 The Housing and Jobs Crisis

This international student boom isn’t just about education—it’s impacting housing, jobs, and fairness.

• Rent skyrockets in cities like Surrey and Burnaby.
• Students live in overcrowded, often unsafe conditions just to survive.
• Employers get cheap, desperate labour while long-time locals are sidelined.
• And communities like Vancouver’s Little India are struggling as populations shift without support.

---

😡 We Deserve Better

We need:

• Affordable, funded education that prioritizes community needs.
• Pathways for locals into caregiving, trades, tech, and creative work—not just dead-end gig jobs.
• Transparent immigration and education policies that don’t exploit people for profit.
• And leadership that actually listens to those of us who've been ignored for too long.

I’m tired of seeing friends, neighbours, and youth in this province get pushed aside while a handful of institutions and landlords get rich.

---

🛠 What Now?

We need to tell the truth—loudly and often. Share this post. Talk to your MLA. Ask hard questions at school board meetings. Demand accountability from colleges and universities. We’re not just customers. We’re citizens, workers, parents, and students who deserve dignity and a future.

This isn’t just about education. It’s about justice.

---

📝 Written from the heart by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
Follow me at tinawinterlik.blogspot.com, zipolita.com, or on Instagram.

---

20 Years Later: Still No Justice for Students Scammed by Private Colleges in BC

 20 Years Later: Still No Justice for Students Scammed by Private Colleges in BC

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

In the early 2000s, I enrolled in a private college program in Vancouver through SINA Executive Training. The course promised to teach web design and how to build an online shopping cart—skills that were in high demand at the time. Like many others, I was encouraged to join through an employment support program. The government covered part of the tuition, but I still had to cash in $5,000 from my RRSPs to pay the rest—totaling around $11,000.

I believed I was investing in my future. But what I got was a scam, emotional abuse, and no accountability.

One of the instructors, named F*, harassed me constantly. The environment was toxic and unsafe. I tried to hold on, but eventually I had to get a doctor’s note for my mental health due to the harassment. Instead of receiving support, I was kicked out—dismissed by the very people who promised to help me succeed.

I didn’t finish. I didn’t graduate. There was no certificate. No celebration. Just shame, frustration, and deep disappointment.

Then the Dot-Com crash hit. Jobs dried up. No one was hiring web designers. I’d lost my money, my employment insurance, and eventually my apartment. With nowhere left to go, I made the difficult decision to leave Canada and go to Mexico to try to heal.

But I carried that pain with me. And I’ve carried it for over 20 years.

Recently, I saw in the news that Granville College and Pacific Link College—both based in BC—have been ordered to refund students for misleading practices. And while I’m glad those students are finally being acknowledged, I can’t help but ask:

What about the rest of us?

What about those of us who were robbed by private colleges long before social media or widespread public complaints? What about the ones who were pushed into these programs through government employment programs and promised a future that never came?

We were set up to fail, and then abandoned.

This isn't just about me. This is about a pattern of systemic abuse in BC's private education sector that has gone unpunished for decades. And it’s about government complicity through EI-linked training programs that force vulnerable people—like single parents, unemployed workers, or newcomers—into unsafe, low-quality "career training" with no real protections.

I am speaking up now, because I won’t stay silent any longer.

Too many of us have suffered in silence. And it’s time to demand:

• A full public inquiry into private training institutions in BC.
• A restitution fund for students scammed before regulations were enforced.
• A full review of EI-funded training programs and how they pushed people into financial ruin.

If this happened to you too, you are not alone.

Let’s unite our voices. Let’s demand justice—not just for the students getting refunds now, but for those of us who were left behind.

---

✍️ Written by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
Survivor, Artist, Advocate
📍Vancouver & Beyond
  @zipolita

---

Plugged In and Tapped Out-Conclusion

Thank You for Joining the Conversation

Thank you for following our series on British Columbia’s energy challenges and the impact of climate change.

We’ve explored the risks of shrinking water supplies, the hidden costs of AI and data centers, the dangers of relying on imported power, and the urgent need for local renewable solutions.

Now it’s time to take what we’ve learned and keep pushing for a sustainable, resilient energy future.

Resources to Learn More and Get Involved

• BC Hydro – Updates on BC’s power generation and conservation programs.
• BC Climate Action – Government plans and resources on climate change.
• Indigenous Clean Energy – Supporting Indigenous-led clean energy projects.
• CBC BC News – Local news and analysis on energy and environment.
• Renewable Energy BC – Industry news and advocacy.

Feel free to share this series, discuss these issues with your community, and stay engaged.

Together, we can help shape a better future.

Rainy Day, Empty Condos, and a Protest Few Can Attend

🌧️ Rainy Day, Empty Condos, and a Protest Few Can Attend

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

It’s a cold, rainy, miserable day in BC — the kind of day where your bones feel the dampness, and your heart feels heavy too. I’m thinking about all the people out there without shelter. The ones walking through puddles with no dry place to go. The ones trying to stay warm under awnings or bus stops. The ones with nowhere safe to sleep tonight.

Today was supposed to be a protest in Victoria. People were planning to gather, raise their voices, demand change. But this weather will keep many away. Especially those with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or no means to get there.

And the irony? This is exactly what we're fighting for. A right to live with dignity. A place to call home.

---

🏚️ From $630 to Couchsurfing: My Story

I used to live in a modest apartment in Vancouver. In 1997, rent was $630.
By 2003, it jumped to $825.
In 2007, $900.
And when I moved across the street in 2019? $1,414.

I haven’t been able to afford a place here since.

I rented in Mexico for a time. I stayed with my sister for a year. Now I’m couchsurfing — like so many others pushed out by rising rents, renovictions, and a system that values profit over people.

---

🏗️ Renovictions: Legal Theft

This week, a Hamilton landlord was fined $100,000 for illegal renovictions — displacing tenants under the guise of repairs, only to jack up rents afterward. The court acknowledged the “devastating” impact.

But in BC, this has happened for decades — both discreetly and out in the open. In my building, the renovations kept coming, tenants kept leaving, and the rents kept rising.

Where is our justice?

---

🏙️ 2,000 Empty Condos, and Social Assistance Can't Cover Rent

We have over 2,000 empty condos in this city, yet people sleep in doorways. The shelter portion of social assistance is $375 — not even enough for a single room, unless you’re in a derelict SRO not fit for any living being.

Is this not a crime against humanity?

---

💔 This Isn't Just Bad Policy — It's Cruel

We’ve allowed housing to become a commodity, not a human right. The result? Generations of people priced out, displaced, or left to fend for themselves in the cold.

And when a protest comes — the one day people try to speak out — the weather reminds us just how vulnerable we really are.

So even if no one shows up in Victoria today, we still need to speak out.

I see you. I hear you. I am you.

We won’t be silent. Not today. Not ever.

---

✊🏽 What You Can Do:

• Share your story. Online, in letters, at community meetings.
• Support or join tenant unions and housing advocates.
• Demand real action: Vacancy control, livable assistance rates, social housing, and empty home penalties.
• Speak for those who can’t make it to protests — because their voice matters too.

Stay dry. Stay safe. Stay strong.

—
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

#HousingCrisis #BCPoli #EndRenovictions #RaiseTheRates #AffordableHousing #DignityForAll #Zipolita #TenantRights #HomelessnessCrisis #ActivismMatters

Plugged in and Tapped Out-Part 5

Solutions on the Horizon: Renewable Energy and Community Power

The good news? There are promising solutions emerging to address BC’s energy challenges.

The provincial government’s recent calls for renewable energy projects show an awareness of the problem and a commitment to action. Wind farms, solar arrays, and small-scale hydro projects are all part of the mix.

More importantly, many of these projects involve partnerships with First Nations communities, bringing local knowledge and stewardship to energy development.

Community Power: Taking Control Locally

Community-led renewable energy initiatives offer a powerful way to build resilience and keep energy dollars within BC.

By investing in decentralized, clean energy sources—like rooftop solar panels, small wind turbines, and microgrids—local communities can reduce dependence on distant dams and power plants.

It’s a model that strengthens communities, creates jobs, and helps protect the environment.

But these efforts need support: policy backing, funding, and public awareness.

Plugged in and Tapped Out- Part 4

Facing the Heat: Rising Demand and Our Energy Crunch

Hotter summers are becoming the new normal in British Columbia. With heat waves increasing in frequency and intensity, more people are turning to air conditioners and cooling systems to stay safe and comfortable.

This surge in cooling demand is putting extra pressure on an already strained electricity grid.

Remember: BC’s hydroelectric system depends on water—water that’s becoming less reliable every year due to shrinking snowpacks and droughts.

The Perfect Storm: More Heat, Less Power

Here’s the challenge:

• More heat → higher electricity use for air conditioning and cooling
• Less water → less hydroelectric power available to meet that demand
• More AI and tech growth → even greater power needs

Without smart planning and investment, we risk blackouts, higher power costs, and an unstable grid.

It’s clear: we need to adapt our energy system to the new climate reality or face serious consequences.

COME TO RALLY!! End Forced Poverty

  End Forced Poverty: It's Time to Change B.C.'s Disability and Social Assistance System

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

In British Columbia, people with disabilities are being forced into poverty by government policy. To receive disability benefits, they must first endure the hardship of living on Social Assistance, which is far below the poverty line. This system is not only cruel — it's broken.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

• Social Assistance (Income Assistance) for a single person: $935/month
• Disability (PWD) support: $1,535/month or less, depending on circumstances
• Canada’s poverty lines for 2024:
  • MBM (Market Basket Measure): $2,066.88/month
  • LICO (Low Income Cut-Off): $2,448.33/month

This means even people who receive disability benefits are living $500–$900/month below the poverty line. And it’s even worse for those stuck on Social Assistance while waiting for PWD approval — many are homeless or living in unsafe, degrading conditions.

The System Is Designed to Fail

Before anyone can access disability supports in B.C., they must go through Income Assistance first. That means:

• Living on just a few hundred dollars a month
• Being unable to afford safe housing, decent food, or medical care
• Proving your suffering, over and over, through paperwork and assessments
• Facing wait times that stretch months or even years

This system deliberately traps people in poverty — all to prove they “deserve” help.

We Say: No More.

We’re calling for immediate changes:

1. End the requirement to go through Social Assistance before qualifying for Disability
2. Raise PWD and Social Assistance rates to match the poverty line (MBM or LICO)
3. Ensure access to safe, subsidized housing for all low-income and disabled individuals
4. Reform the application process to be trauma-informed, transparent, and dignified

Join The Rally May 29th!

BC Legislature 

We're rallying for change:

• Rally, Music, Cake & Postcard Campaign
• May 29th – Details to come!
• Help us demand the eradication of government-imposed poverty for people with disabilities in B.C.

We deserve better. Poverty is not a personal failure — it's a policy choice. And together, we can change it.

---

#RaiseTheRates #PWDJustice #EndPovertyBC #DisabilityRightsAreHumanRights #ZipolitaSpeaks

Why we Must Say No to Burnaby Refinery Sale

Why We Must Say No to the Burnaby Refinery Sale to a U.S. Corporation

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

The proposed $9.1 billion sale of Parkland Corporation — including the Burnaby Refinery — to American oil giant Sunoco is more than just a corporate merger. It’s a red flag for the people of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canada as a whole. This isn't just about economics; it's about sovereignty, jobs, environmental accountability, and our energy future.

What’s at Stake for Vancouver and BC?

The Burnaby Refinery is one of the few remaining refineries in Western Canada, and it supplies roughly a quarter of BC’s fuel needs. If we allow ownership to fall into foreign hands, we risk losing local control over fuel pricing, supply stability, and environmental regulation. American shareholders may prioritize profits over people — cutting corners, outsourcing jobs, or even shutting down the refinery if it's deemed "non-core" to their portfolio.

Union Warnings and Job Security

Unifor, the union representing refinery workers, has sounded the alarm. Workers fear job losses, reduced investment in infrastructure, and a disregard for local expertise. These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re families, communities, and livelihoods. The refinery supports hundreds of good-paying union jobs — jobs that could vanish if cost-cutting measures come into play.

A Pattern of Corporate Takeovers

We’ve seen this story before: a Canadian company is acquired, promises are made, and then slowly the services are downsized, Canadian leadership is replaced, and local accountability disappears. When American investors, like Engine Capital LP, call the refinery a “non-core asset,” it’s a clear sign: our resources are being sold off piece by piece.

Environmental and National Security Concerns

In the midst of a climate crisis, foreign corporations may not prioritize Canada’s environmental goals. The Burnaby Refinery had been making strides toward low-carbon investments — will that continue under Sunoco’s leadership? Moreover, in a world of rising geopolitical tension, maintaining local energy resilience is crucial. Selling off vital infrastructure weakens our autonomy.

The Bigger Picture — Selling Canada Short

This isn’t just about one refinery. It’s about a systemic issue: the hollowing out of Canadian industries for short-term shareholder profit. Foreign ownership of critical infrastructure undermines our democracy, environmental standards, and economic security.

What Can We Do?

1. Raise Awareness: Share this post, talk to your friends, and challenge the narrative that this sale is “just business.”
2. Contact Your MP and MLA: Demand they take a stand against the sale. This deal should be subject to national security review.
3. Support Local Workers: Stand with Unifor and other groups fighting for job protection.
4. Pressure Regulators: Write to the Competition Bureau and the Investment Review Division. Demand transparency and public interest protections.

Conclusion: We Deserve Better

Vancouver and Canada deserve to keep control over our energy infrastructure. We deserve secure jobs, environmental accountability, and an energy policy that puts people and the planet before profits.

Let’s stop this sale. Let’s keep the Burnaby Refinery Canadian.

Enough Is Enough: The System Is Broken and We’re All Paying the Price

 

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Another brutal attack. Another headline. Another person in crisis. And again, the system shrugs. The accused in the recent unprovoked attack on a tourist on Vancouver’s seawall didn’t just “snap out of nowhere”—he was failed, repeatedly, by a system that claims to care.

He was released after a domestic violence incident. He violated his release conditions. He was off his meds, and his own mother was begging for help. Instead, he was sent back to her care—without support, without supervision, without compassion. And now a stranger is left with a broken face and trauma that may last a lifetime.

What more do we need to see to admit the system is not just cracked—it's shattered?

People with mental health issues are suffering. Their families are suffering. And now, total strangers are getting pulled into these cycles of crisis. Police, courts, health services, housing—they’re all operating in silos, ticking boxes instead of saving lives. This isn’t justice. This isn’t care. This is negligence wrapped in bureaucracy.

Enough is enough. This has to be a turning point.

If we truly care about community safety, about human dignity, about preventing tragedy instead of reacting to it, we have to start making real changes—today. Here's where we start:

---

5 Ways to Flip the Script and Stop the Cycle

1. Mandatory Mental Health Monitoring Post-Release
   Anyone released on bail with a known mental health diagnosis must be automatically connected to a care team and receive supervised follow-up. No gaps. No exceptions.

2. Create Crisis Support Housing with Wraparound Care
   Families should not be the last line of defense. We need housing solutions that include on-site mental health workers, security, and trauma-informed staff—safe for the individual and the community.

3. Integrated Court-Mental Health Response Teams
   Judges, lawyers, and police should be required to consult with mental health professionals before issuing bail or release conditions for at-risk individuals.

4. Real Accountability for Violations of Release Conditions
   Breaching bail—especially after a violent offense—must trigger immediate review and intervention, not another release slip and crossed fingers.

5. Community-Led Oversight and Advocacy
   The public must have a voice. We need watchdogs, not just in media, but within the system. Survivors, family members, and mental health advocates must be part of policy-making and review boards.

---

We say we’re a compassionate society. But compassion means action—not after another person is hurt or killed, but before the damage is done. Let this case not be another forgotten headline. Let it be the beginning of real change.

Because next time, it could be your mother. Your daughter. Your friend. Or you.

#EnoughIsEnough
#FlipTheScript
#MentalHealthJustice
#CommunityCareNow

OPEN LETTER: There Has to Be a Better Way

 OPEN LETTER: There Has to Be a Better Way

To:
Hon. Josie Osborne, Minister of Health
Premier David Eby
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Psychiatrists and Medical Professionals across British Columbia
Indigenous Leaders and Healers
Directors of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Centres
And to the People of British Columbia,

We write this letter out of grief, frustration, and an unwavering hope for change.

Our province is in crisis. We see the same names and faces cycling through the system—arrested, released, hospitalized, discharged, only to end up back on the streets, in the courts, or dead. Families are shut out by privacy laws. Doctors make rushed decisions. The system loses track. And the public, traumatized by repeated tragedies, is told to move on.

Enough is enough.

This letter is not an accusation. It is a plea—and a proposal. We believe that with compassion, collaboration, and the courage to admit what’s not working, there is a better way.

1. Emergency Stabilization with Oversight

We propose a system where people in severe crisis from addiction or psychosis can be compassionately placed in involuntary care for a short, medically necessary period—just long enough to withdraw safely, eat, rest, and be assessed. This care must be trauma-informed, culturally safe, and reviewed by independent oversight. No more releasing people to die on the streets because no one wants legal liability.

2. Restore Family Rights

Families—especially parents—are often barred from helping their adult children, even when it’s clear their child is in danger. At the same time, children as young as 12 can make life-altering decisions without a parent’s consent, and often without proper follow-up. This contradiction in the law is harming families and putting lives at risk. We need flexible, compassionate policies that include loved ones in care decisions when a person is clearly unable to make them alone.

3. Accountability in Psychiatry and Medical Practice

Psychiatrists and doctors are among the highest-paid professionals in the province, yet many people in crisis get 15-minute assessments and are sent away. There is no consistent follow-up, no continuity of care, and often no communication between providers. This cannot continue. We call for mandatory follow-up plans, cross-agency communication, and accountability for premature discharges and poor outcomes.

4. Honour Indigenous Knowledge and Healing

Indigenous communities have been disproportionately affected by addiction and mental health failures. Yet they also hold some of the most powerful models of healing. We must embed Indigenous knowledge, leadership, and culturally rooted approaches in every part of our mental health system—not as an afterthought, but as foundational practice.

5. Long-Term Care and Purpose

Once stabilized, people need housing, purpose, and community. We must provide real pathways to recovery: transitional housing, supported employment, skill-building, peer support, and reconnection to culture and identity. A society cannot call itself compassionate if it discards people after the crisis ends.

---

We ask you—our leaders, our healers, and our fellow citizens—to rise to this moment with vision, compassion, and the urgency this crisis demands.

Let’s rebuild a system that doesn’t just patch wounds—it prevents them, heals them, and honours the lives at stake.

With respect and determination,
Tina Winterlik (aka Zipolita)

For all the families, communities, and lives we refuse to give up on.

HBC in BC History

 AI helping me

The Indigenous perspective on the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) in British Columbia is deeply rooted in the history of colonialism, displacement, and economic exploitation. While some Indigenous nations engaged in trade with HBC and adapted to new materials and technologies, the long-term impact of the company's presence was largely destructive to Indigenous ways of life, sovereignty, and well-being.

HBC and the Fur Trade: Economic Exploitation

From the late 1700s to the mid-1800s, HBC trading posts in BC—such as Fort Langley (1827), Fort Victoria (1843), and Fort Kamloops (1812)—became central to the fur trade economy. Indigenous communities, including the Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Interior Nations, initially engaged in trade as an extension of their own economies, exchanging furs for metal tools, guns, blankets, and other goods.

However, HBC's monopoly over trade resulted in economic dependency. Traditional Indigenous economies, which had been based on subsistence and sustainable trade networks, were disrupted. Overhunting led to the depletion of beaver and other fur-bearing animals, and by the mid-19th century, Indigenous trappers were forced into wage labor or reliance on HBC stores for survival.

Disease, Smallpox, and Population Collapse

The introduction of European diseases, especially smallpox, had a catastrophic impact on Indigenous nations. The most devastating outbreak in BC occurred in 1862, wiping out an estimated 60–90% of some Indigenous populations. Oral histories and some historical records suggest that HBC traders and settlers were complicit in knowingly spreading disease. While direct evidence of HBC distributing infected blankets is debated, the company benefited from Indigenous depopulation, as it facilitated colonial expansion and land acquisition for British settlers.

Land Theft and Dispossession

HBC was instrumental in facilitating the British Crown's claim over Indigenous lands in BC. The company held immense power, acting not just as a business but as a governing force. When the British government established the Colony of British Columbia in 1858, HBC’s trading posts became colonial administrative centers, reinforcing European land claims. The creation of reserves and the denial of Indigenous land rights can be traced, in part, to the economic and political structures HBC helped establish.

For example, Fort Victoria, originally an HBC outpost, became the center of British colonial rule on Vancouver Island. The Douglas Treaties (1850–1854) were signed with some Indigenous groups under coercive and misleading terms, securing land for settler development while promising hunting and fishing rights that were later ignored.

HBC Blankets: A Symbol of Trade and Trauma

HBC’s multi-stripe wool blanket is an iconic product, but its legacy is deeply tied to Indigenous suffering. While many Indigenous nations traded for these blankets, and they became part of cultural and ceremonial practices, they are also associated with smallpox and colonial trade exploitation. Today, some Indigenous artists and activists reclaim HBC blankets as a form of resistance, incorporating them into art that critiques colonial history.

Modern Indigenous Perspectives and Resistance

Today, many Indigenous scholars and activists view HBC as a symbol of colonial oppression. The sale of the downtown Vancouver HBC store to an Indigenous-led development group was seen as a moment of reclamation, highlighting the resilience of Indigenous governance. However, there is still deep frustration over how HBC and other colonial institutions have profited from Indigenous lands and labor while offering little in return.

A Bus Stop, A Chocolate, and A Crisis in Vancouver

 Yesterday at the bus stop, I saw a glimpse of two very different Canadas. One full of hope, one full of despair. One that welcomes newcomers with opportunities, and one that leaves its own people dying on the streets.

It started with a missed bus. Frustrated, I decided to walk to the next stop rather than wait 15 minutes. My bag was heavy, or I might have walked farther. When I got there, a man was sitting on the bench. I checked my phone and told him the next bus was in seven minutes.

He thanked me and gave me a little piece of chocolate. A simple gesture of kindness.

I tried to guess his language—Russian? No, he spoke French and Arabic. We chatted, and I told him about my winters in Mexico, how I haven’t been able to go back this year. He told me about Spain, a country he’s visited every year for the past two decades. We talked about his children—one in Dubai, one here in Canada. He’s only been here three years, working toward Permanent Residency.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man at the bus stop struggling. He was about to pull his pants down right there, on Burrard Street. My first thought was to call 911, but then I realized—he wasn’t just some drunk guy causing a scene. He was deeply addicted, desperate, and trying to get to the hospital for his medication.

It was horrifying. A man in the heart of Vancouver, in broad daylight, so sick that he couldn’t even control his body.

The man I was speaking to looked on in shock. “You never see that in my country,” he said.

I told him: “You didn’t used to see this here either. Not until about six years ago. But Big Pharma got everyone hooked, and now 14,000 people have died—just in BC.”

He had no idea.

I told him the number for all of Canada: 50,000.

He was stunned. And yet, the suffering continued right in front of us. The man in crisis got on our bus, struggling, sick, fighting for survival in a city where people rushed past, eyes averted, pretending not to see.

The man I spoke with still loves Canada. He sees opportunity, security, a new home. But I see something else. I see a system that’s been gutted, a city where locals can’t afford to live, where people are stepping over bodies on the sidewalk while celebrating hockey games, concerts, and international events.

I used to say, “Good for you!” when people told me they were getting their PR. I don’t say that anymore. Not when so many are losing their jobs, their homes, their dignity.

Is there hope? I don’t know. But yesterday, at that bus stop, I saw the two Canadas collide. And I don’t know how much longer they can exist side by side before something breaks completely.

When Asking for Help Feels Like Hitting a Wall: A Look at Coast Mental Health's Approach

 

When someone reaches out for help with mental health challenges, they often do so in a moment of desperation. They may have exhausted their personal resources and are looking for an organization that can provide meaningful support. That’s why it can feel so disheartening to receive a response like this one:

> "Please note that Coast Mental Health does not provide psychiatric, counseling, or other clinical services such as referrals or evaluations, nor can we force clients into our programs involuntarily."

While the response is polite and provides alternative contacts, it’s clear that this organization, despite its name, doesn't offer direct mental health services like counseling or psychiatric care. Instead, it defers responsibility to other agencies or programs.

The Problem: What Happens When Someone Refuses Help?

The response also emphasizes that participation in their programs is voluntary, which raises a critical issue: what happens when the person in need doesn't want to seek help? Many families and friends face this challenge when a loved one resists treatment or refuses to acknowledge their struggles. Being told, "We can't force clients into our programs," might be a legal reality, but it leaves advocates feeling powerless.

Even their suggestion to "take a look at our website" feels impersonal and detached. What if someone doesn’t have the digital literacy or mental clarity to navigate a website? What if the family member is desperate for a solution right now, not a list of possibilities?

Where Does This Leave Families?

Coast Mental Health does direct people to resources like the Access and Assessment Centre (AAC) or their own Clubhouse and Resource Centre. But the onus is still placed on the person struggling to take the first step.

For families, the question becomes: what do you do when someone refuses or is unable to advocate for themselves? Are there truly no systems in place to assist people who are in denial about their mental health challenges?

Rethinking Support Systems

This response from Coast Mental Health highlights a broader issue in the mental health system: the lack of proactive, hands-on support for families trying to navigate complex and resistant situations. Organizations need to consider how they can better empower families and advocates—not just by directing them to other resources but by working with them to find solutions that address the nuances of each case.

It’s not enough to provide a phone number or a link. True help comes from collaboration, compassion, and a willingness to walk with people through the process—not just point them to the next door.

Your Voice Matters

If you’ve ever felt let down by the mental health system, share your story. Together, we can push for changes that make help more accessible, empathetic, and effective for those who need it most.

My Platform If I was Running for Premier

 If you were running for Premier and wanted to present a platform that prioritizes ending homelessness, community well-being, mental health, environmental sustainability, and education, here's a breakdown of a potential plan based on your vision:

1. Immediate Housing for All:

Housing First Model: Prioritize immediate housing for every homeless person, with a focus on affordable, accessible housing solutions. Create emergency shelters that transition to permanent housing quickly, with wraparound support services.

Reallocate Resources: Redirect funds from luxury real estate developments to social housing initiatives. Discourage the construction of ultra-luxury towers and large estates, instead focusing on developing mid-rise, community-centered, eco-friendly buildings.

Vacancy Tax Expansion: Implement stricter vacancy taxes on underutilized properties, particularly targeting speculative investments in housing.

2. Mental Health Care and Institutionalization:

Care and Safety: For individuals with severe violent mental illness, create humane, secure care institutions where they receive specialized treatment. Their rights must be protected, but they will be placed in environments where they cannot harm others. Focus on rehabilitation and therapy over punishment.

Community Mental Health Programs: Dramatically increase funding for mental health services that are preventative and accessible in communities, providing immediate care to prevent conditions from worsening.

3. Empowering Art, Gardening, and Sustainable Living:

Local Food Systems: Encourage urban and rural gardening, community farming, and local fisheries. Provide incentives for people to grow food locally, reducing food insecurity and promoting environmental sustainability.

Arts and Culture Promotion: Fund community art programs, public art installations, and arts education. This could help to heal trauma, improve mental health, and foster a sense of community.

Sustainable Living: Promote green living by encouraging the use of bikes and sustainable energy sources. Support initiatives where human energy powers devices like bikes powering washing machines, creating practical, green solutions that contribute to environmental goals.

4. Wealth Hoarding as a Social Issue:

Wealth Tax: Implement a progressive wealth tax, particularly targeting excessive real estate holdings and large financial portfolios. Use these funds to provide more equitable services and reduce income inequality.

Public Education Campaign: Launch a campaign highlighting the societal harm of wealth hoarding and the benefits of redistributing resources. Focus on wealth inequality as a systemic issue that leads to social and mental health problems.

5. Addressing Alcoholism, Alzheimer’s, and Related Diseases:

Public Health Education: Develop campaigns to educate the public on the links between alcohol consumption, mental health, and Alzheimer’s. Provide support to families dealing with these issues through better access to healthcare services and counseling.

Addiction Services: Create addiction treatment programs that are accessible and non-punitive, focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

6. Support for Women and Addressing Domestic Abuse:

Mental Health and Abuse Intervention Programs: Set up specialized support systems for women living with men suffering from mental illness or abusive behaviors. Provide safe spaces and shelters, but also offer therapy and rehabilitation services for abusive men.

Paid Gender and Mental Health Education: Offer financial incentives for both men and women to attend educational programs focused on gender relations, mental health, and personal development. Create a mandatory course on healthy relationships for all high school students.

7. Transforming Education:

Free and Accessible Education: Implement a policy where students are paid a living wage to attend school, making education truly accessible for all and encouraging lifelong learning.

Expanded Curriculum: Incorporate more psychology, anthropology, and social sciences into the education system so that young people develop a better understanding of the world, human behavior, and societal systems. Teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Green Technology Programs: Encourage students to engage in green technology and sustainability projects. Create initiatives where students can invent solutions to environmental problems while earning credits or paid internships.

8. Economic Protection and Foreign Ownership:

Land Ownership Limits: Restrict the sale of land to foreign investors to ensure local communities maintain control over their real estate markets. Enforce stricter laws on foreign ownership of housing and businesses.

Support Local Employment: Implement policies that require businesses to hire local residents over foreign workers, with an emphasis on training programs to ensure locals have the skills needed for those jobs.

9. Green Energy and Sustainable Innovation:

Energy from Exercise: Support innovation in green energy, including the development of equipment like stationary bikes that generate electricity. This promotes healthy living while contributing to energy sustainability.

Green Geniuses Program: Create incentives for local inventors and engineers to develop green technologies that can be implemented across communities, schools, and public spaces.

10. Crime Prevention and Community Safety:

Rehabilitative Justice: Focus on restorative justice practices that rehabilitate offenders rather than relying on punitive measures. Create community-based programs where ex-offenders can contribute positively to society.

International Relations and Security: Given the issues raised by international espionage and crime, strengthen the vetting of foreign nationals entering the country, particularly in business and political roles, to prevent infiltration by criminal elements.

Your platform could offer a bold, community-centered approach to tackling homelessness, wealth inequality, mental health, and environmental sustainability while prioritizing education, women's rights, and public health reform. This kind of visionary approach would stand out by addressing the root causes of many societal issues in a holistic manner.

Check Out these Red Hot Chili Politcs!! #ChristyDontCare

Red Hot Chili Politics from Thomas Warden on Vimeo.
I was inspired to write a #BCpoli parody of the classic song 'Under the Bridge' by RHCP hoping for it to go viral, raise awareness, and increase voter turnout.

[Verse 1]
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a premier
Sometimes I feel hate for my goverment
In the province I live in, province of hells angels
Funny thing is that, they care more than her

Food drives on her streets cause we can't afford groceries
Got piles of bills cause she's raised all the rates
Site C subsidys and she flooded the valley
We should be worried, food security

[Chorus]
Do you think I should have to hear, my mothers care will pay
Unable to be right there, living paycheck to pay
I don't ever wanna feel, my government don't care
It's too little and it's too late, empty promises on voting day yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 2]
It's hard to believe, that there's​ still support there
It's hard to believe, her speech from the throne
At the least she should be gone, under investigations
Illegal donations, crim'nal activity

[Chorus]
Do you think I should have to hear, my mothers care will pay
Unable to be right there, living paycheck to pay
I don't ever wanna feel, my government don't care
It's too little and it's too late, empty promises on voting day yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh, no, no, no, yeah yeah
Love me, I say, yeah yeah

One time

[Verse 3]
Under the bridge downtown, the oil tankers went
Under the bridge downtown, they're filled with bitumin

Under the bridge downtown, I hope they do not spill
Under the bridge downtown, resident orcas killed

#ChristyDontCare
#John2017

https://vimeo.com/215421028

Good Morning Moon!

I want to share with you my AMAZING MOON photos that I took this morning.

Do you ever wonder...

Do you think that at one time the Moon was Earth and we just jumped ship to a bigger planet...and that all those craters are dried up lakes and oceans..

I was super surprised my camera could even take these photos. Got to love autofocus because this is hand held, not tripod. I love my camera. I won it you know. Thanks Canon.

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Peace Keepers & Genocide- #SavetheSalmon #SavethePeople

Eviction Notice for Fish Farms!! Save Our Wild Salmon!! 

Save Our Wild Salmon in BC 

 


https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/12/to-savethewhales-in-opwhale-anonymous.html
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/12/when-all-are-one-and-one-is-all.html 
http://savemycoast.blogspot.ca/
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/06/did-not-consult-first-nations.html

Salmon Mural- Author Unknown- Photo: Zipolita

Salmon Mural- Author Unknown- Photo: Zipolita

Salmon Mural- Author Unknown- Photo: Zipolita

Salmon Mural- Author Unknown- Photo: Zipolita

Salmon Mural- Author Unknown- Photo: Zipolita

BC NEEDS LAW THAT BANS COMMISSIONS FROM HER PARTY!!

BC NEEDS LAW THAT BANS CHRISTY CLARK FROM TAKING COMMISSIONS FROM HER PARTY!!

The Premier at first refused to answer why she won't ban taking $300,000 from the political donations sent to the BC Liberal party by saying it's not a commission.

Whatever you call it, it should be illegal.

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/brian-hutchinson-everything-stinks-about-christy-clarks-mysterious-salary-top-ups 


On Wednesday, following a Globe and Mail report that Clark receives tens of thousands of dollars in annual payments from the B.C. Liberals for nebulous “work she does for it,” the B.C. Liberals admitted it has paid her $277,000 — or about $50,000 a year — since she became premier in 2011.

The party payments are in addition to the $195,000 Clark receives in salary each year, for her duties as a B.C. MLA and premier. That money comes from the public purse.

 ------------------

Christy Clark's salary top-up challenged by NDP in conflict complaint


Christy Clark, who already earns $192,000 from taxpayers as premier of B.C., also receives up to $50,000 extra each year from her party, a longstanding B.C. Liberal practice that the opposition is now challenging.
The B.C. NDP has filed a complaint with the province's conflict of interest commissioner about the allowance, which is raised through political contributions including donations that come from private meetings with Clark.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/christy-clark-s-salary-top-up-challenged-by-ndp-in-conflict-complaint-1.3555525

------------------
Les Leyne: Is Christy Clark’s extra pay a conflict of interest? -

 http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/les-leyne-is-christy-clark-s-extra-pay-a-conflict-of-interest-1.2241516

Heckling and jokes marked some other exchanges, but the NDP are making serious inferences about linkages between fundraising and personal benefits.
Eby said Clark is “taking a cut of every donation made to the B.C. Liberal Party” and also using the taxpayer-funded caucus budget for a lawyer to defend herself against the conflict complaint.
In his complaint to Fraser, he said her party allowance varies depending on party financing, making it a “commission-like payout” that is a personal financial benefit “directly related to high-cost backroom and dinner parties.”
That raises a reasonable apprehension of conflict of interest in her role as premier, adjudicating the interests of the donors who pay to attend her dinners
- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/les-leyne-is-christy-clark-s-extra-pay-a-conflict-of-interest-1.2241516#sthash.FZOfiSfb.dpuf

 ------------------

NDP files complaint about B.C. Premier Clark's ‘top-up’ to salary

He added: “These people are buying access to decision makers.”

Horgan said average citizens in B.C. are likely offended to learn that Clark is receiving a “top-up” from the party to supplement her salary of $195,468.

Although the Liberals have not specified how much Clark is being paid by the party, there has been speculation that it's as high as $50,000 a year 

http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2016/04/27/ndp-files-complaint-about-bc-premier-christy-clark-top-up.html