Justice Denied by Design: When Winning Isn’t Enough

Justice Denied by Design: When Winning Isn’t Enough

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

You do everything right.
You experience discrimination. You feel unsafe, disrespected, degraded — maybe even traumatized. You file a complaint through the proper human rights channels. You follow their rules. You wait. You hope.

And then — you win.
The Human Rights Tribunal agrees:
Yes, you were discriminated against. Yes, the harm was real. They issue a ruling in your favour. Maybe you’re granted compensation. Maybe a policy change. Maybe just an apology.

But then comes the gut punch:
Nobody makes them follow the order. Not in BC. Not federally. Not anywhere in Canada.

---

🧱 BC Human Rights System — Justice on Paper

In British Columbia, if you file a complaint through the BC Human Rights Tribunal, and you win — it’s still not over.

If the person, company, or government agency refuses to comply with the ruling, you have to go to the BC Supreme Court to get it enforced. You have to spend more time, more emotional energy, and possibly more money just to make your win real.

No enforcement support.
No public lawyer.
No government follow-up.

---

🏛️ Federal Human Rights System — Same Story, Bigger Scale

At the federal level, if your issue is with a national employer or agency — like Canada Post, the RCMP, Air Canada, or a telecom giant — you go through the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). If they agree your case has merit, it gets referred to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

And again: if you win, you still might not get justice.

If the respondent ignores the Tribunal’s ruling, you’re forced to go to Federal Court to enforce it.

Another court. More stress. More delay. No help.
Meanwhile, the discrimination continues. The harm deepens. And you’re left to fight alone — again.

---

💸 Who Really Wins?

Here’s the bitter truth:

• The Tribunal employees get paid.
• The Commissioners get paid.
• The system looks good in reports.

But the victim — the person who went through all the pain and the process — gets paper justice and a mountain of new barriers.

“It’s like winning the lottery — and then being told you have to build the bank yourself to get the money out.”

---

🧨 The Real Impact

This system:

• Fails the poor
• Punishes the disabled
• Exhausts the already-traumatized
• Rewards those with money and lawyers

It’s designed for show, not substance. For reports, not results.

“You were right — but we won’t help you.”

---

✊ What Needs to Change

If Canada and BC are serious about human rights, they must:

• Give Tribunals direct enforcement power
• Automatically register decisions with the courts
• Provide legal aid or public assistance for enforcement
• Penalize organizations that refuse to comply

Because otherwise, all of it — the hearings, the statements, the values on the websites — are just empty performance.

---

🧠 Reflection Questions

• Have you or someone you know been through a human rights process that led nowhere?
• Do you think most people can afford to go to court to enforce their rights?
• Why do you think enforcement isn’t automatic in a country that claims to value justice?
• What could a truly fair system look like for people without money or legal support?

---

📣 Take Action

Ask our leaders directly:

• Premier David Eby: premier@gov.bc.ca
• Attorney General of BC: AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca
• Federal Minister of Justice: mcu@justice.gc.ca
• Your local MLA or MP: Find your MP | Find your MLA

Ask them:

• Why aren’t Human Rights Tribunal decisions automatically enforced?
• What is being done to support low-income and vulnerable people who win cases?
• Will they commit to reforming the system so that winning isn’t just symbolic?

---

Justice on paper means nothing if you can’t eat.
The system shouldn’t congratulate you while making you fight for survival.

#JusticeForThe99 #HumanRightsReform #StrugglingForDignity #Zipolita #DigitalHorizonZ

The Struggle to Find Work as an Older Canadian

 The Struggle to Find Work as an Older Canadian: Why the Canada Student Job Program is Failing Workers Over 30

By: Tina Winterlik

Once again, I find myself searching for work in a market that seems determined to exclude anyone who isn't between the ages of 16 and 30. After months of applications and multiple rounds of rejection, I’m confronted with the same barriers: the Canada Student Job Program (CSJP) requires applicants to be between 16 and 30 years old in order to qualify. That’s right—if you are over 30, you’re simply not eligible, even if you have decades of experience and are looking for a meaningful opportunity to contribute.

As someone who is 63 years old, I can’t help but feel that my chances of finding meaningful work are slipping away, just as so many of my friends and acquaintances have already passed on. I’ve watched loved ones wish away their later years, not knowing how much time they had left. My mother did, my friends have, and now I find myself facing that same uncertain future. While many will say that women live into their 80s or 100s, I’m not so sure I’ll even make it to 64, let alone 65. That thought is becoming a very real fear as the days pass by.

The Canada Student Job Program: An Overview

The CSJP is an initiative aimed at providing summer job opportunities for young Canadians to gain work experience, with wage subsidies available for employers. To qualify, applicants need to:

• Be between 16 and 30 years old.
• Be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or hold refugee status.
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number and be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Be currently enrolled in high school, college, CEGEP, or university.

The Problem: Discriminating Against Older Workers

While youth employment is important, the CSJP inadvertently discriminates against older workers like myself, who are equally in need of work, often due to changes in personal circumstances, economic shifts, or simply trying to re-enter the workforce after raising children or going back to school later in life. The policy essentially sends the message that only young people matter when it comes to skill development and job opportunities.

The reality for older workers is that we are often shut out of many fields, including those where we could add significant value, such as museums, galleries, and community programs. The programs that should provide employment opportunities for everyone are instead closing doors based on age, leaving older workers in a position where they may not qualify for government subsidies to help them transition into new jobs. At the same time, we are faced with an increasingly competitive job market, where 50,000 newcomers are also vying for the same positions, further limiting the chances for those who have lived and worked in Canada for years.

My Personal Struggle: Homelessness Is a Real Fear

It's hard to explain the anxiety that comes with not knowing how you’re going to make rent. As someone who is nearing 64, I’ve experienced unemployment, rejection, and discrimination firsthand. The Canada Student Job Program, with its rigid age restrictions, is yet another hurdle that keeps me from accessing meaningful work. I’ve been through programs like the 55+ job search initiative, but after nearly a year of searching and being rejected from countless positions, I’m now looking at homelessness as a very real possibility come April 1.

I have skills and I have experience that would make me a valuable asset to employers, but my age is holding me back, and it’s heartbreaking to realize that my country’s job programs won’t consider me for opportunities that I’m qualified for.

Why Shouldn’t Older Canadians Be Eligible for These Job Programs?

The Canada Student Job Program should be expanded to include workers over 30, especially those who are 60 to 65, the group that often faces the greatest financial insecurity before pensions kick in. After decades of contributing to the Canadian economy, it’s time we demand to be included in programs that were originally designed to support Canadian workers in their time of need. If we want to end homelessness and poverty, we need inclusive policies that ensure no one is left behind, especially the elderly.

The Big Picture

While many of us are fighting for our livelihoods, young people continue to be prioritized for programs that could benefit us too. If the government is really committed to supporting all Canadian workers—young and old alike—it’s time for policy change. The CSJP should be modified so that it’s not just about offering youth jobs, but also providing equitable opportunities to anyone willing and able to work.

I’m hoping that by sharing my story, we can start the conversation about how ageism in employment is hurting Canadians of all ages, and how we need real action to ensure a fairer, more inclusive society.

What Can You Do?

• Share this post if you agree that Canada’s job programs should be open to all Canadians.
• Tag your local MPs and share your thoughts on how we can create a more inclusive employment system.
• Support local organizations and initiatives working for older worker rights and homelessness prevention.

I may not be eligible for youth job programs, but I am still a Canadian citizen, and my life experience is just as valuable as anyone else’s.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and if you know of any opportunities for older workers, please reach out.

An Open Letter to Newcomers in Canada

 An Open Letter to Newcomers in Canada

To those who have recently arrived,

Welcome.

I know this country can be a difficult place. I’ve worked beside you. I’ve seen the struggles firsthand—long hours, hard labour, unfair wages, and employers who take advantage. I know what it’s like to start at the bottom, to be rejected, to feel like you don’t belong.

But today, I need to speak honestly.

I was born and raised here. I am Indigenous but also have European ancestry, which means my roots on this land go back forever. The whole idea of “Canadian identity” is complicated for me, and I know it can be confusing for many people who come here, too.

Canada is changing, and not always for the better. The cost of living is out of control, housing is impossible, and many of us—especially Indigenous people and long-time residents—are struggling just as much as you. I can’t even find a job or a home in the city I grew up in.

And yet, I see something that worries me deeply.

Racism, discrimination, and unethical practices are spreading—sometimes from the very people who once faced discrimination themselves.

We Need Accountability

Canada is meant to be a place of fairness, equality, and respect. But that only works if everyone upholds those values. We cannot build a better future if:

Some businesses only hire their own people and exclude others.

Workers exploit or mistreat employees from different backgrounds.

Security guards abuse their power and mistreat vulnerable people.

People look the other way when Indigenous communities—who have been here since time immemorial—are ignored, disrespected, or displaced once again.

I know it’s hard to speak out against injustice, especially when you’re just trying to survive. But survival cannot come at the cost of ethics, fairness, and dignity.

What Can You Do?

1. Be Accountable for Your Actions – If you see discrimination, call it out. If your workplace is unfair, don’t participate in the cycle.

2. Have Ethics – No job, no amount of money, is worth losing your integrity.

3. Talk to Your Family – If they hold prejudices, challenge them. Canada is not a country built on caste systems or divisions—it’s meant to be different.

4. Respect Indigenous Peoples – This land is our home first. Learn our history, respect our rights, and support Indigenous businesses and communities.

5. Understand That Everyone is Struggling – Many of us who have been here our whole lives are also suffering. The system is failing all of us—let’s not make it worse by turning against one another.

Many newcomers I’ve met love Canada and want to make it a better place. But others don’t like it here, feel frustrated, and are only here temporarily. If that’s the case, please don’t contribute to making things worse for the people who will always be here.

A Final Thought

I am not your enemy. I have worked beside you, lived alongside you, and I know the hardships you face. But I also know that Canada’s future depends on all of us—newcomers and long-time residents alike—choosing fairness, respect, and accountability.

If we don’t, then the struggles we face today will only get worse.

Tina Winterlik (Zipolita)

A lifelong Indigenous Canadian, worker, and advocate for justice

The Job Market Myth: Why Articles About “Hundreds of Jobs” Are Misleading

 

By Tina Winterlik (aka Zipolita) and AI

January rolls around, and like clockwork, articles start circulating about "hundreds of job opportunities" waiting for eager applicants. Sounds promising, right? But for someone like me, a 62-year-old with decades of education, experience, and a mountain of student debt, these headlines couldn’t be further from the truth.

Let’s break down the reality behind the hype.

A Misleading Picture

Writers employed by media outlets churn out articles touting an abundance of job openings in cities like Vancouver. They make it sound like opportunities are endless and accessible to all. But here’s the catch:

Many job postings require recent certifications or niche skills.

Automated portals reject resumes before they’re even reviewed by a human.

Competition is intense, with thousands of newcomers and younger candidates in the mix.

These articles rarely acknowledge these barriers. Instead, they perpetuate the myth that anyone who wants a job can get one—as if the problem is the job seeker, not the system.

The Harsh Reality for Older Job Seekers

Ageism in the workplace is real. Despite years of experience and proven adaptability, older applicants are often seen as:

Overqualified: Employers assume we’ll leave at the first better offer.

Outdated: They think we lack tech-savviness or flexibility.

Too expensive: Our experience is viewed as a cost burden.

And let’s not ignore the suggestion that we "just need to upgrade our skills." For someone in their 60s, with debt and no guarantee of success, how is that realistic?

Automation and Rejection at the Gate

Most resumes never reach an actual person. Applicant tracking systems filter submissions, discarding anyone who doesn’t perfectly match keywords or criteria. Even when I do make it through, rejection emails—or worse, complete silence—are the norm.

The Hidden Impact of Competition

Vancouver is a beautiful city, but its job market is fiercely competitive:

Newcomers with sought-after skills often take priority.

Younger workers are seen as cheaper and more "trainable."

Many jobs are part-time, low-wage, or precarious—hardly sustainable for someone nearing retirement.

The Privilege of Writing About Jobs

Let’s be honest: the writers who publish these job market puff pieces aren’t struggling. They have jobs, stability, and likely no idea how disheartening it is to apply for hundreds of positions only to be met with rejection after rejection.

A Call for Honesty and Action

It’s time to stop pretending the job market is a level playing field. Writers and media outlets have a responsibility to tell the full story, not just cherry-pick statistics that sound good.

For older job seekers, the conversation needs to shift:

Recognize the value of experience and adaptability.

Address ageism and systemic discrimination.

Provide pathways for meaningful employment without forcing costly and unrealistic "upgrades."

If you’ve faced similar struggles, I encourage you to share your story. Together, we can challenge the narrative and push for change.

Opening the Harriet Nahanee Memorial Trail- Walbran

Quote:

"What I would like to see is people with [traditional] knowledge to teach the small, little people how to grow up with pride. This generation is lost. My generation is lost − they're assimilated. They don't think like an Indian. 

What I'd like to see is our five-year-olds being taught their language, their songs, their games, their spirituality, their Indian, eh, their Indian-ness. 

'd like to ask all the people out there to reclaim their culture − practice it, teach the children, and let's reclaim our backbone, our culture and put some pride in our children"
Harriet Nahanee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Nahanee 

Harriet Nahanee also known as Tseybayotl^[1] (December 7, 1935^[2] – February 24, 2007) was an Indigenous rights activist, residential school alumnus, and environmental activist.

Photo by Rob Baxter- Wikipedia

"FYI Harriet Nahanee, originally from Pacheedaht and present in the Walbran Valley on the front lines in the 90's, was a lifelong activist involved in many struggles fighting for the recognition of Indigenous land rights and protection of the environment. 

She was a human rights activist and fought against discrimination, marginalization and institutionalization of Indigenous people in the cities, especially Indigenous women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. 

She was a vital member of many movements and activist communities, and a strong role model for many including some FOCW organizers. 

We are honored to attach her name to the magnificent trail system that lies outside of the protected area of the Central Walbran Valley."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1501416473460196/?fref=nf

Photo below: the eloquent Bill Jones welcomes guests to the territory and calls up his chief to address the Convergence opening. July 30, 2016.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1501416473460196/

https://www.facebook.com/charlie.spink.716

Cut the Bureaucratic BS -Kids are dying!!!

In a landmark ruling released in January 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the Canadian government was racially discriminating against 163,000 First Nations children living on reserve.

Among the remedies is the full implementation of Jordan's Principle. https://fncaringsociety.com/jordans-principle
 https://www.facebook.com/CaringSociety


Jordan's Principle was established in response to the death of five-year-old Jordan River Anderson, a child from Norway House First Nation who suffered from Carey Fineman Ziter Syndrome, a rare muscular disorder that required years of medical treatment in a Winnipeg hospital. After spending the first two years of his life in a hospital, doctors felt he could return home. However, the federal and provincial government could not resolve who was financially responsible for the necessary home care in order for Jordan to return to his family in his home community 800 kilometers north of Winnipeg. After spending over two years in hospital unnecessarily while governments argued over who should pay for his at-home care, Jordan died in a hospital in 2005.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan%27s_principle

Jordan's Principle is a child first principle used in Canada to resolve jurisdictional disputes within, and between governments, regarding payment for government services provided to First Nations children. Under this principle, where a jurisdictional dispute arises between two government parties (provincial/territorial or federal) or between two departments or ministries of the same government, regarding payment for services for a Status Indian child which are otherwise available to other Canadian children, the government or ministry/department of first contact must pay for the services without delay or disruption. The paying government party can then refer the matter to jurisdictional dispute mechanisms.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Rights_of_the_Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC, CROC, or UNCRC) is a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Convention defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen, unless the age of majority is attained earlier under a state's own domestic legislation.^[4]
Nations that ratify this convention are bound to it by international law. Compliance is monitored by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is composed of members from countries around the world. Once a year, the Committee submits a report to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which also hears a statement from the CRC Chair, and the Assembly adopts a Resolution on the Rights of the Child.^[5]

Canada became a signatory to the Convention on 28 May 1990^[18] and ratified in 1991.^[19] Prior to ratifying the treaty, Canada's laws were either largely or entirely in conformity with the treaty. Youth criminal laws in Canada underwent major changes resulting in the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) which went into effect on 1 April 2003. The Act specifically references Canada's different commitments under the Convention.
The convention was influential in the following administrative Law decision of Baker v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration).

https://fncaringsociety.com/jordans-principle
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jordan-principle-response-indigenous-1.3576187

CANADA -Do YOU know what ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM is?

Watch this video and then look in your own backyard because we got some nasty sh_t going on here with our multi-cultural Canada.

LISTEN and SPEAK UP! but be AWARE because a lot of what this woman says relates to the very same issues we are dealing with here.

ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM



WATCH THIS VIDEO!! The corporations figured out how to make the government pay their court costs by turning the government against the protesters. Apparently this is happening in unions too. The corporations put everything into arbitration that drains the unions bank account. I just learned this today so I need to read up more myself but please watch these videos and check out the links. It's time Canada takes a hard look at itself. I believe most people know the truth. The corporations are basically at war with us the environmentals, the parents, the grandmas because we are trying to protect our children's futures. Things have become warped. There is very little justice. Take a Stand. Become Informed. We Must Unite. #SaveOurCoast #SaveTheForest #SaveLelu #SaveThePeace #SaveTheWhale #SaveTheWholeWideWorld because it's under attack.

It's not just the United States and  Canada, it's everywhere. Look what's happening in Australia. Grandmas are taking a stand. Seriously, when 75 year old people take a stand AND GET ARRESTED- YOU SHOULD BE SAYING -WHAT'S UP?

This is June Norman June is 75 and is standing up for Australias Future on the front line against CSG in NSW. #PilligaPush This morning 5 climate angels were removed off Old mill rd Narrabri by police so Santos can continue construction of there Water treatment facility. Leewood.#PilligaPush camp is running Daily blockades of leewood. Contact camp on 0499 384 557
Posted by Dan Lanzini on Monday, February 8, 2016

Now I am sharing this because you have to see what transpires here. I never understood all of the different variables until I watched and learned how really screwed things are and how innocent forest loving women were arrested AND SENT TO PRISON.

INSANITY!!  and the government did it, they went after the protesters instead of those committing atrocities(crimes) against the environment which was the corporation. Do you understand about corporations were invented so that if you had a company and it went bankrupt you wouldn't lose your home, but it helps them get away with murder- murder of the environment!!! Murder of the trees and all the animals living there. Murder of many in the way of pollution to the air and water ways that cause cancer. Why are we allow corporations to murder things we love?




WAKE UP CANADA!
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/why-are-public-not-allowed-at-public.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/there-is-no-benefit-from-this-project.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/a-last-stand-for-lelu-premiere-hazelton.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/stop-neb-saveourcoast-saveourchildren.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtF-4JvSh8o
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/shocking-farmer-suicide-epidemic.html 
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/keepthepeace-make-poster-save-peace.html 
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/why-do-they-want-to-kill-canadas-second.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/so-this-forestry-share-widely.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/12/marshall-islands-i-hear-you.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/wolverines-open-letter-time-for-truth.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/social-movements-dont-die-out-they-grow.html
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/01/civil-disobedience-does-work.html 
http://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/12/do-not-despair-you-people-have-power.html

These people took a stand. They stood up against the government and corporations and the WON, no jail time....still why do you have to get arrested to protect your home from a bomb train or water and air pollution. Why?

From FB https://www.facebook.com/ClimateDisobedience/?fref=photo
JURORS celebrate #Delta5 in an unprecedented climate trial. CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE WORKS!

This timeless speech from Charlie Chaplin couldn't be more relevant today... Taken from his 1940 movie The Great Dictator, Charlie delivers a hair raising speech that we should all take a moment to think about! The man famous for not speaking, comes up with one of the greatest speeches ever...
Posted by Motograter on Saturday, November 14, 2015

http://www.charliechaplin.com/en/synopsis/articles/29-The-Great-Dictator-s-Speech

I am posting this because not everyone can see video and I believe you need to read this.

The Great Dictator's Speech

http://www.charliechaplin.com/en/synopsis/articles/29-The-Great-Dictator-s-Speech
I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone - if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost....

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.

To those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. .....

Soldiers! don’t give yourselves to brutes - men who despise you - enslave you - who regiment your lives - tell you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drill you - diet you - treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” - not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power - the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then - in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world - a decent world that will give men a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!

Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world - to do away with national barriers - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite! http://www.charliechaplin.com/en/synopsis/articles/29-The-Great-Dictator-s-Speech


Watch this for some enlightenment and a MESSAGE OF HOPE