Blogger, Artist, Social Media, Web Designer, Photographer- I blog about nouns-people, places and things, even when it's negative I try to put a positive spin on it. @tinawinterlikfb https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.com
⚠️ The Time Is Now – Kill These Bills. Respect Indigenous Rights. 🪶
June 27, 2025 – Tkaronto | Unceded Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Wendat Lands
"They treat us like we don’t matter. But we do. We always have."
Idle No More Toronto, Idle No More Ontario, and grassroots Indigenous communities have issued an urgent Call to Action. Our Treaty and constitutional rights are being bulldozed by a wave of provincial and federal legislation aimed at fast-tracking resource extraction while ignoring the inherent rights of First Peoples.
🔥 These Bills Must Be Repealed:
Ontario Bill 5
Nova Scotia Bill 6
Quebec Bill 97
Alberta Bill 54
British Columbia Bills 14 & 15
Federal Bills C-5 and C-2
These laws are not neutral. Behind slogans like “Elbows Up” lies a Trojan horse—a plan to turn Canada into a global energy and mining superpower at the cost of Indigenous lands, water, culture, and sovereignty.
✊ Youth Are Standing Up — Will You?
Our youth are leading the charge, and they are no longer asking for change—they are demanding it.
“I’m worried someone’s going to get hurt. But I don’t want anything to pass through our lands without our consent.”
– Lashaunda Waswa, Neskantaga Council
We support the Here We Stand youth-led campaign and all the Elders, land protectors, and water defenders taking peaceful, determined action near Queen’s Park and across the country.
🗓️ JULY 1, 2025 – RALLY & MARCH in TORONTO
📍 Location: Behind Queen’s Park, NW side beside Okiniwak Encampment 🕑 Time: 2:00 p.m. 🎯 Purpose: Kill Bill 5 and all similar bills. Protect our future. Reclaim the land.
Come stand with us. Bring your voice. Bring your heart. Bring your resistance.
“I blog about nouns — people, places, and things.
Even when it's negative, I try to put a positive spin on it.”
Today, I’m pausing to acknowledge something big:
This blog has reached 1,000,000 views.
It’s not just a number — it’s a reflection of years of writing, creating, witnessing, documenting, surviving, and sharing. Over 2,400 posts later, through personal storms and global ones, I’ve stayed committed to speaking from the heart.
There were times when I didn’t know if it mattered. Times when the world felt too heavy, or too loud. But I kept blogging — for those who needed connection, for those who were searching, and honestly, for myself too.
This blog has never been about chasing clicks or followers. I turned off comments when things got ugly, and I’ve kept it that way — not out of fear, but self-respect. Not everything needs to be a debate. Sometimes, it’s okay to just speak and let it land where it will.
So, to the quiet readers, the kind souls, and the passersby who stopped for a moment and found something here — thank you.
I don’t need applause. I just needed to be heard.
And 1 million times… I was.
🌪️ The Story You Might Have Missed: Tropical Storm Alvin’s Hidden Toll
By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
While much of the mainstream media focused on political drama or celebrity scandals, a critical environmental story unfolded quietly across Latin America. Tropical Storm Alvin, the first named storm of the 2025 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, may have seemed like "just another tropical event" to some—yet it left real impacts in its wake, especially in El Salvador and Chiapas, Mexico.
Alvin never made landfall. It spun in the Pacific Ocean with maximum winds of 60 mph, then quickly weakened. The storm officially dissipated by May 31. But like many modern climate-related events, its precursor system caused far more damage than the storm itself. And unless you're scouring multiple sources or know where to look, you probably didn’t hear about it.
🌧️ El Salvador: Injuries and Coastal Destruction
On May 27, the coast of El Salvador—particularly areas like El Majahual—was battered by strong winds and torrential rain linked to Alvin’s early formation. Over 50 people were injured, homes were damaged, and coastal flooding took a toll on infrastructure. This wasn’t front-page news.
Emergency responders were dispatched, and communities are still recovering. But without international headlines or viral social media posts, many will never know what El Salvador endured.
🌀 Chiapas, Mexico: Flooding and a Tragic Death
In Chiapas, over 90 mm of rain fell rapidly, flooding at least four municipalities. Tragically, one person died, and others were displaced. For those living on the edge—where a heavy rainstorm can wash away everything—this was a major event.
And yet again, it barely registered in North American media.
💧 Ripples Across the Pacific: Arizona, California, and Climate Signals
Although Alvin remained offshore, its remnants carried tropical moisture into the U.S. Southwest, affecting Arizona and parts of California. Rain and higher humidity disrupted usual patterns. Meteorologists noted this was highly unusual pre-monsoonal behavior, possibly tied to long-term climate changes.
These storm systems are warning signs—harbingers of instability in our environment. But their stories are being lost in the noise.
🔇 Why the Silence?
Why aren't we hearing more about this?
Media consolidation means fewer voices and limited global coverage.
Climate fatigue makes editors wary of “just another storm” stories.
Economic interests may discourage reporting that challenges tourism, development, or fossil fuel reliance.
And frankly, disasters in the Global South don’t get the same coverage as those in wealthier nations.
This is censorship by omission—and it's just as harmful as suppression. When the suffering of marginalized communities is ignored, when the warning signs of climate disruption are buried, we all lose.
🔥 The Bigger Picture: Climate Chaos Is Here
Whether it’s rising ocean temperatures fueling earlier and stronger storms or rainfall patterns becoming more erratic, climate change isn’t future tense—it’s happening now. Storms like Alvin might not destroy cities, but they chip away at the margins, damaging those least able to recover.
The Pacific hurricane season has only just begun, and Mexico's National Meteorological Service expects up to 18 named storms and 10 hurricanes. Alvin is just the start.
🌱 What Can We Do?
Share stories like these—lift up the voices of those affected.
Hold media accountable for what they choose to prioritize.
Support grassroots responders and local reporting.
Advocate for climate action that considers justice and equity, not just emissions targets.
📣 Let’s Talk About It
Have you experienced censorship or media silence around environmental disasters? What stories need to be told in your community?
Drop a comment. Share this post. Let’s break the silence together.
I've been thinking about making a post on collecting art since Invaluable has been working on a similar project. Initially I was hesitant, but I decided that if I pursued it from an angle of social justice and indigenous issues, it could make a difference.
Now those of you that follow me on Google +, Facebook, Twitter, Linked & Instagram know that I am super busy usually blogging about Social Justice, Climate Change, Environmental and Indigenous issues.
I created a project specifically to raise awareness about pipelines, tankers and oil spills and how they can impact our lives and all the animals and marine life as well as forest creatures should a spill occur in their home.
And as I blogged about the threat of a oil spill happening right here in Vancouver BC Canada, I was in turmoil of how I could get people to listen and engage. I also needed an outlet to vent my fear and frustration, using Art Therapy I channeled my energy into #SaveMyCoast and digitally added the impression of an oil spill on each painting. It is a glimpse of what could happen if we don't take action and stop them.
It took me a while to think and research what I would suggest to people to collect and this is my opinion. Collect art that raises awareness about #SocialJustice #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalIssues #Indigenous issues. Help bring attention to these serious issues of our time. By collecting them you help preserve them and hopefully they will live on long after you have gone. In the present time, you create conversation and we need to have more conversations about these critical issues that we face and that will impact our children and children's children.
Now Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun: Unceded Territories http://moa.ubc.ca/portfolio_page/lawrence-paul/
Creates strong messages with his art and it speaks the #TRUTH and I would suggest people collect his work.
From this article in the Guardian, they make a VERY GOOD POINT, why was her art overlooked?
"Artemisia Gentileschi turned the horrors of her own life – repression,
injustice, rape – into brutal biblical paintings that were also a war
cry for oppressed women. Why has her extraordinary genius been
overlooked?" https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/oct/05/artemisia-gentileshi-painter-beyond-caravaggio
"“This is the ring you gave me and these are your promises!” yelled
Gentileschi as she was tortured in a Rome courtroom in 1612. Ropes were
wrapped around her fingers and pulled tight. The judge had advised
moderate use of the sibille, as this torture was called, for
she was after all 18. Across the court sat the man who had raped her. No
one thought of torturing him. Defiantly, Gentileschi told him her
thumbscrews were the wedding ring he’d promised. Again and again, she
repeated that her testimony about the rape was reliable: “It is true, it
is true, it is true, it is true.” "
This painting and the testimony struck a very strong cord with me. The #TRUTH will find a way...sort of like #NATURE finds a way. Well that's my opinion.
So if you are going to collect art, please let it be powerful, let it be for #TRUTH, let is be about #SocialJustice #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalIssues #Indigenous and #Women's Issues, such as for #MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women).
Let the artist vent and heal through art therapy, let #Truth be heard and shared and let it live on, long past your lifetime so that hopefully in to future, there will be justice, social, environmental, climate.
Watch this video about Cultural Appreciation- There is so much to be learned and it's important to learn and acknowlege the TRUTH in art, culture and to acknowledge Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation and the Fine Line that exist between them.
My time has flown. Seems like it was Canada day just last year. ha! ha! Next year will be 150. My how it's changed through this time. For the worse and for the bettter...a constant changing paradigm
Seriously though, this is a day that has so many intricacies all wrapped around it, I don't know quite where to begin.
I have a learned a lot in the last year about so much...my Indigenous heritage, Politics, Social Justice, Climate Change...and not just what they are about but was drawn into communities so passionate and hurting so bad, trying to make real change.
There have been dark times for sure. I think that now there's going to be light. It's coming, I can feel it, I can't explain it.
Some very interesting and exciting developments have occurred recently. We had the 3 Amigos Summit here and they made some strong claims on Climate Change, Women Rights and Diversity that I sincerely hope for humanities sake they follow through on.
Do you know there's a Canada in Mexico. There is. This is it!! Mexico needs our help right now. Good courageous indigenous and non-indigenous uniting against social injustice. Just as we have here but there it is much more dangerous and 9 people were killed in Oaxaca last month and many people have gone missing. Just as here...our Missing and Murdered Women. Women through out the world must have human rights and social justice.
Can we unite and reach out in what every way you can and help the good people of Oaxaca. There have been many blockades, IF you can get gas the prices are skyrocketing and you can only pay cash. I've heard the food, water everything is getting very expensive, people are starting to hurt and it should not be this way.
"For residents of remote regions of Oaxaca, where state-run Diconsa
stores have been running low on supplies, relief came today in the form
of the first airlift: a Mexican Air Force Hercules C130 aircraft carried
18 tonnes from Puebla to the Oaxaca tourist destination of Huatulco for
distribution to rural areas. Two flights per day until Saturday will deliver a total of 108 tonnes of food supplies.
Land transport is being employed between Guerrero and Oaxaca to
transport another 600 tonnes, a supply that is expected to keep Diconsa
stores stocked for two weeks.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From David Suzuki's Fb page We are all connected deep down to the birds, bees and butterflies.
Welcome back, monarch butterflies! After a 4,000 km trip from Mexico, monarchs have begun arriving in Canada – and our pals at The Weather Network say the forecast is for a butterfly-filled summer!
The 3 Amigos Summit
Today, our 3 countries team up to build a cleaner future for people across the continent. Read more: #NALS2016https://t.co/v2GCwtidJY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Barack Obama, and President
Enrique Peña Nieto share a common commitment to a competitive,
low-carbon and sustainable North American economy and society.
The Paris
Agreement was a turning point for our planet, representing
unprecedented accord on the urgent need to take action to combat climate
change through innovation and deployment of low-carbon solutions.
North
America has the capacity, resources and the moral imperative to show
strong leadership building on the Paris Agreement and promoting its
early entry into force. We recognize that our highly integrated
economies and energy systems afford a tremendous opportunity to harness
growth in our continuing transition to a clean energy economy.
Our
actions to align climate and energy policies will protect human health
and help level the playing field for our businesses, households, and
workers.
In recognition of our close ties and shared vision, we commit
today to an ambitious and enduring North American Climate, Clean Energy,
and Environment Partnership that sets us firmly on the path to a more
sustainable future.
Beautiful Oaxaca, this is the place we must protect.
First Nations chief finds common ground with Mexican politician at Three Amigos summit
Issues that affect Indigenous people similar in both Canada and Mexico, says North Wilson
"North Wilson said it is clear the issues that impact Indigenous
people in Canada are similar to those that affect Indigenous people in
Mexico. "
"The issue of violence against Indigenous women was discussed
between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Barack Obama and
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
The leaders agreed the three countries must respond to the
"alarmingly high levels of violence" Indigenous women and girls suffer,
and a continental working group on the topic will meet in Washington
later this fall."
'There is a willingness now to see that Indigenous people are important in this country.'
- Sheila North Wilson, MKO grand chief
North Wilson believes the discussions at the Three Amigos
summit will improve conditions for Indigenous people from the three
countries.
Today's Victory with the Federal court rules against Northern Gateway because they did not consult First Nations is glorious!! See below but with that I would like to mention a few things.
1) Where we were 2 years ago
2) Where we are now
3) Where will we be 2 years from now.
Look what we did. So happy but imagine what we CAN do!
1) Send Bernie a Father's Day Card 2) Organize "something"- for June 26 #StillSanders 3) Share, Share, Share everything you can about the election fraud
Pour la journaliste canadienne, le gouvernement français pratique la «
stratégie du choc » en utilisant l'état d'urgence pour réduire au
silence les militants du climat. Mais « les gens n'acceptent pas de se
taire ». Premier épisode de son vidéo blog spécial COP21 pour Mediapart.
If you are wondering what all the fuss is about, Naomi explains it brilliantly!! Have a listen.
We did it! This weekend’s Global Climate March broke records as the largest climate mobilisation in history! This is the movement our world has been waiting for.
From São Paulo, to Sana’a, to Sydney, over 785,000 of us marched at 2,300 events in 175 countries united in one voice calling for a 100% clean energy future to save everything we love.
Great photos here. https://avaaz.org/en/climate_march_report_back_loc/
Great Turnout Everyone! Thank You to Everyone who worked so hard. Thank you for your heartfelt speeches. I LOVED the drumming so much. It gave it so much meaning and I felt it truly brought us together. Thank you for sharing today. I am just editing here a bit as I wrote this quickly earlier. It was wonderful to connect! Let's keep it this wonderful momentum going!!
#EarthtoParis #PARIS THIS IS FOR YOU!! #COP21can #COP21 #ClimateMarchYVR #ClimateMarch
Friends of Mother Earth!#ClimateMarchYVR #EarthToParis #ClimateMarch
