Tina Winterlik

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Part 3: What If It Was You?

One Fall Away: A Series on Helmets, E-Bikes & Brain Injuries

Part 3: What If It Was You?

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

📝 Names and some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved.

Now Ask Yourself...

Who would care for you if you couldn’t walk or talk?
Who would wipe your mouth or change your diaper? Put a catheter on you?
Who would keep coming when others gave up?
Who would pay?

Most people don’t think about it—until it’s too late.

I've Seen the Aftermath

A mother spoon-feeding her grown daughter.
A boy flinching at a nurse’s touch.
A gifted teen, stuck in a body that no longer obeys.

And What About Your Children?

I’ve seen toddlers riding unprotected. If they fall—if you fall—you might lose them forever. Could you live with that?

We Need to Stop Gambling With Lives

Brain injuries don’t always heal. Many are permanent. And someone will be left to carry the weight—for years, maybe decades.

What You Can Do

Wear a helmet. Always.
Insist your kids wear one.
Speak up. Educate. Set the example.

You are one fall away.
But you can prevent it.

👉 In Part 4: We speak directly to those struggling with addiction and overdose—because they too are just four minutes away from irreversible brain damage.

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Remembering the 1996 Fraser Valley Blizzard

🚨 Remembering the 1996 Fraser Valley Blizzard — A Warning for Future Infrastructure Plans

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

In my previous post about the $10 billion regional train proposal, I shared concerns about how dangerous and unpredictable our B.C. weather can be — especially when plans ignore the very real risks of climate change.

To truly understand why flashy mega-projects like regional trains may not be the safest investment right now, we need to look back at one of the worst weather events in recent B.C. history: the Blizzard of 1996.

❄️ The Blizzard of 1996 — “The Storm of the Century”

On December 29th, 1996, a massive blizzard hit the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Snowfall reached record-breaking levels — up to 80 cm in just 24 hours. Snowdrifts as high as three metres buried roads, cars, and homes.

Highways shut down. Airports closed. Public transit failed. More than 250 drivers were trapped on the highways, many stranded for up to 17 hours in freezing temperatures before help could arrive.

🏡 A Community That Stepped Up

But what happened next is something B.C. residents will never forget.

In the Fraser Valley, a young couple — Glen and Cheryl Tolsma — opened their home to anyone who needed shelter. They were told 50 people were coming. By the end of the night, they were hosting 89 stranded drivers — feeding them, comforting them, and keeping them warm while snow continued to fall.

Across the region, churches and farms turned into emergency shelters. Neighbours took in strangers. Volunteers checked on elders. It was one of those rare moments when humanity rose above crisis — not because of government action, but because ordinary people showed compassion.

🚂 Now Think About a Train in That Scenario

Imagine if instead of stranded cars, we had a high-speed regional train stuck in a canyon. No detour. No place to go. Hundreds of passengers trapped in freezing temperatures. Power out. Emergency crews unable to access the area because the highway is buried in snow or blocked by a landslide.

This isn’t just possible. It’s probable. We’ve seen what nature can do. And with climate change, it’s only getting more unpredictable and intense.

🛑 Why We Need Climate-Smart Planning — Not Just Flashy Promises

The Blizzard of 1996 reminds us of a simple truth: infrastructure must match reality.

Before spending billions on regional rail across mountain ranges and floodplains, we need to:

Invest in local, resilient transit that works in snow and storm conditions
Fund emergency shelters and community readiness programs
Ensure evacuation plans exist for every major transit route
Respect the power of nature — and plan like it could happen again

Because it will.

💬 Final Thought

The Blizzard of ’96 wasn’t just a weather event — it was a wake-up call. One we should still be listening to.

If we don’t build for climate resilience, we’re not building for people. We’re building for disaster.

👉Read my previous post on why the $10B regional train plan doesn’t make sense in a climate emergency

You Know You’re Raping Me, Don’t You?

🛑 CONTENT WARNING:

This post contains detailed discussion of sexual assault and the emotional trauma of survivors. It includes direct quotes related to the assault that may be distressing. Reader discretion is advised.

Post 2: “You Know You’re Raping Me, Don’t You?”

By Tina Winterlik // Zipolita

Those words should have stopped everything.

“You know you’re raping me, don’t you?”

That’s what E.M. testified she said—in the moment—crying out in fear and confusion during the assault.
Not afterward. Not as reflection. During.

Instead of pausing, checking in, or stepping away—they kept going.
And when the evidence was brought to court, they were still acquitted.

🧠 That Was Never Consent — It Was a Cry for Help

Anyone who’s ever felt powerless in a room knows this: saying that isn’t resignation.
It’s an attempt to wake someone. To reach one remnant of humanity.
It’s not permission—it’s an alarm.

If hearing that didn’t make them stop, nothing ever would.

⚖️ And Yet the Court Said “Not Guilty”

She testified she was raped.
She spoke those words while it was happening.
She gave testimony in court, raw and painful.
The judge still ruled her testimony “not credible” or “unreliable.”

Even that plea — clear, terrifying, vulnerable — was ignored.
That is not justice.

😡 What Message Is This Sending?

To men:

You can film a frightened woman, ignore her pleas, and still walk free.

To women:

You can speak up. You can fight. You can cry out.
And society might still say you made it up.

🔥 We Must Refuse Acceptance

If that sentence doesn’t move people—if that plea in real time doesn’t result in conviction—then something is deeply rotten.

Right here, right now, we draw a line:

We will never normalize this behaviour.
We will never forgive silence in the face of violence.
We will protect those who cannot protect themselves

Part 2: No Helmet, No Excuse — The Real Cost of a Head Injury

One Fall Away: A Series on Helmets, E-Bikes & Brain Injuries

Part 2: No Helmet, No Excuse — The Real Cost of a Head Injury

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

📝 Names and some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved.

They zoom past me all the time.

Electric bikes. Scooters. No helmets. No lights. No common sense.

Sometimes there’s a kid riding on the back, barely holding on. No protection. No clue what could happen.

The Myth of Invincibility

People think it won’t happen to them. But physics doesn’t care. A fall at 25 km/h can end your life or ruin it forever.

The Rise in E-Bike & Scooter Accidents

Some models go over 40 km/h
Riders often skip helmets
Many don’t know or ignore the law
Injuries and hospital visits are increasing every year

What Happens After a Brain Injury?

Everything changes. Your independence, your identity, your future. You may not even remember who you are. You may become someone a stranger has to feed, wash, lift—and eventually forget.

Helmets Save Lives

Wearing a helmet can reduce serious head injury by up to 70%. Don’t say it’s uncomfortable. Say it saved your life.

We All Have a Role to Play

Governments must:

Enforce helmet laws
Educate newcomers and tourists
Track injury data

You must:

Wear a helmet every time
Talk to your kids
Speak up when you see unsafe behaviour

👉 In Part 3: We ask the question no one wants to face: What if it was you?

Monday, August 4, 2025

Dear Me, at 20-something…

💌 Dear Me, at 20-something…

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

You don’t know this yet, but you’re going to leave.
Not just the town. Not just the guy.
You’re going to leave the whole world you thought you had to survive in — and build something else entirely.

Right now, you're scared.
You think love means suffering. You think staying quiet keeps you safe. You think you’re weak for wanting more.
But let me tell you something — you’re none of those things.

You’re just early.

The people around you — the ones drinking themselves numb, clinging to religion, smoke, violence, rage — they’re stuck.
You’re not. That feeling in your chest? That ache that whispers "There has to be more"?
That’s your compass.

You're going to learn to walk away.

It won’t be clean.
You’ll cry, you’ll question yourself, you’ll pack in silence while pretending everything’s okay.
You’ll rehearse your break-up speech, trying to be “gentle,” even with people who were never gentle with you.
But one day, when he throws your bag around like a threat, when he’s too drunk to see your fear —
you’ll feel the switch flip.
You’ll know: If I stay, I die.

And so… you go.

What’s ahead?

Freedom.
Not the kind they sell in commercials — but the real kind.
The kind where you wake up and no one’s yelling.
Where you paint murals under sun.
Where you raise your child with fierce, imperfect love.
Where you cry when you need to — and laugh when you want to.

It won’t be easy.
You’ll couch surf.
You’ll worry about money.
You’ll get rejected, misunderstood, underestimated.
But through it all, you’ll create.

You’ll write books.
You’ll tell the truth.
You’ll survive a world that tried to chew you up — and then you’ll speak for others who haven’t yet found their voice.

You won’t forget.

The berry fields.
The egg packing job.
The bike ride past prison fences.
The kids who called you names.
The scary boyfriend and his even scarier friend with the knife.
You’ll carry all of it — not as shame, but as firewood.

You’ll burn it into stories.
Into strength.
Into art.

And your child?

They’ll have their own battles.
They’ll walk away young, trying to outrun your shadow.
But one day, they’ll realize:
You didn’t just survive.
You fought for them, even when they couldn’t see it.

And maybe, just maybe, they’ll come back with their own stories — and you’ll listen with love.

So here’s what I want you to know:

You are not crazy.
You are not broken.
You are not wrong for wanting more.

You are light, hiding in a storm.
You are truth, surrounded by noise.
You are already strong — you just haven’t been free long enough to feel it.

Hold on.
One day, you’ll sign your name not with fear —
but with pride:
Tina Winterlik. Zipolita. Artist. Survivor. Writer of her own life.

And if anyone reading this feels like I once did — scared, small, stuck — just know: you’re not alone.
Your life isn’t over. It’s just beginning. 💛

Before We Build Billion-Dollar Trains

🚨 Before We Build Billion-Dollar Trains, Let's Talk About B.C. Weather

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Every time I hear about a new $10 BILLION regional train system for B.C., I shake my head. Not because I don’t love public transit — I do. But because none of these planners ever seem to talk about the reality we live in: THE WEATHER.

❄️ B.C. is Beautiful — and Brutal

We have some of the wildest, scariest, most unpredictable weather in Canada. Let’s remember a few things:

Just a few years back, people were stuck in their cars for 12 hours trying to get home in a snowstorm.
Years ago out in the Fraser Valley, a storm shut down the highway — hundreds of stranded drivers were rescued by strangers who took them into their homes for the night.
Last year, a house in North Vancouver was swept away in a rainstorm. Two people died.
When the Coquihalla connector washed out, it wasn’t just a traffic jam — it cut off communities, caused food shortages, and cost millions in damage.
During the heat dome of 2021, over 600 people died, mostly seniors and low-income folks — and we still don’t have proper emergency protocols.
Our buses literally can’t drive in the snow. I’ve seen 8 buses backed up on Broadway because they couldn’t climb the tiniest hill.

🚂 Now Imagine a Regional Train in That Chaos

Trapped in a train during:

A wildfire with nowhere to go.
A landslide or track washout with no detour.
A blizzard while emergency services are already overwhelmed.

Who’s evacuating hundreds of people from a mountain pass or canyon?
Where are the backup shelters, water, heat, oxygen masks, communication systems?

Spoiler: They’re not in the $10 billion budget.

💭 Do We Really Want a Shiny Train Before We Fix the Basics?

We have:

Buses that can’t run in snow
Sidewalks that aren’t cleared
People freezing or baking to death in their homes
Underfunded emergency shelters
Crumbling roads and delayed transit

But they want to build a 350-km train across mountain ranges?

It doesn’t make sense. Not now. Not without addressing climate resilience first.

🛑 Let’s Build Smart, Not Flashy

This isn’t about being anti-transit. It’s about being realistic.

We need:

Climate-resilient local transit
Community emergency plans
Better buses that actually run in snow
Cooling and warming centers
Affordable housing near existing transit hubs

Before they push another shiny mega-project, maybe they should ride a Broadway bus during a snowstorm.
Or sleep on a couch after the heat dome.
Or hike through a washed-out trail in the rain.

Because weather is no longer predictable.

And we deserve plans built on reality — not fantasy.

Part 1: What Brain Injury Really Looks Like

One Fall Away: A Series on Helmets, E-Bikes & Brain Injuries

Part 1: What Brain Injury Really Looks Like

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

📝 Names and some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved.

When people zip by me on e-bikes or scooters, helmetless, carefree, with toddlers perched behind them like accessories—my stomach tightens.

Because I know what happens after the crash.

Not in theory. In real life.
In the quiet, sterile rooms.
In the long days of wiping drool, massaging limbs, combing out neglected hair, feeding porridge to once a genius 🥺.
In the heartbreaking 💔silence of people who used to laugh, talk, dream—and now can’t even feed themselves.

The Summer That Changed Everything

It was 1994. I was finishing my diploma in photography, and that summer I worked for a company called Classic Care, taking care of people with brain injuries. These weren’t just clients. These were once vibrant human beings with full lives, families, futures.

And then… an accident. A wrong turn. A missing seatbelt. A moment.

“Janey” – Frontal Lobe Damage

She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t make eye contact. She couldn’t feed herself. My job was to brush her hair, clean her clothes, paint her nails—give her dignity.

Her husband drove them into traffic during an argument. He survived. She didn’t—not really.

Their kids didn’t visit. He didn’t either. Only her mother came, feeding her daughter spoon by spoon, holding onto the tiniest thread of hope.

“George” – Traumatic Injury from RV Crash

His family was on their way to Disneyland. He was sleeping in the back of an RV without a seatbelt. It crashed.

Nonverbal. Scarred. Tube-fed. He flinched when nurses cleaned infection from his feeding tube. Sometimes, he would grab his wheelchair with all his strength, like trying to scream.

“Michael” – A Brilliant Mind Lost

Top student in BC. A genius. Then came the Whistler grad trip. His friend flipped the car into a ditch. Michael was underwater for 20 minutes. Only the cold saved his life.

He survived, but couldn’t walk, had constant seizures, and tried to say things that made no sense. The light in his eyes was gone.

What People Don’t See

The exhaustion of caregivers
The silence of abandoned patients
The emotional toll that never leaves
The cost—financial, physical, emotional

Why I’m Telling You This

Because I’ve seen what brain injury really looks like. And I see helmetless people every day like it’s a joke.

These injuries were preventable. Let’s prevent the next one.

👉 In Part 2: We’ll talk about how brain injuries are rising—and the real cost.

👉 In Part 3: We’ll ask: What if it was YOU?

She Said What She Had to Say — To Survive

🛑 CONTENT WARNING:

This post discusses sexual assault, trauma, and survival strategies used by victims during violent incidents. It may be triggering for survivors or those sensitive to descriptions of abuse. Please read with care.

Post 1: “She Said What She Had to Say — To Survive”

By Tina Winterlik // Zipolita

This post is hard to write.
But not nearly as hard as what she lived through.

A woman—known to the public only as E.M.—was gang raped by five hockey players.
She was drunk, vulnerable, surrounded, outnumbered.
And when it was over, they filmed her. They asked her to say it was all “consensual.”
She said what they wanted to hear.

Because she was terrified.
Because she wanted to survive.
Because if she had said the truth — “You raped me” — the energy in that room might have turned violent.
She might not have made it out.

This is something so many survivors understand.
It’s not “consent” — it’s compliance for survival.
It’s what your brain and body do when there’s no safe way out.

📹 They Filmed Her Saying It Was Okay. That Doesn't Make It Okay.

Let’s stop pretending this means anything.
Trauma experts will tell you — after shock, after violation, after pain — survivors will say whatever it takes to get away, to get out, to get home.

She didn’t sign a contract. She didn’t smile for a photo shoot.
She said what they asked, because they were still in control.
Because she was scared.
Because she had already been violated — and just wanted to survive.

💔 And Still, the Court Didn’t Believe Her

At one point during the assault, she said:

“You know you guys are raping me, didn’t she?”

That sentence should’ve been enough to stop everything.
But it didn’t.

It should’ve been enough for a conviction.
But it wasn’t.

Because the Canadian justice system doesn’t protect women.
Especially not when powerful institutions are involved.

🔥 So Now What? Where Do We Go From Here?

We face the truth:
There is no justice — only survival, and community protection.

So we protect our loved ones.
We protect ourselves.
And we tell the truth that the courts and Hockey Canada refused to.

These men are not heroes.
These men are not “good guys who made a mistake.”
These men are predators who were shielded by wealth, status, and silence.

🛡️ And To Men: This. Is. Your. Fight.

If you think this is just a women’s issue, you’re not paying attention.

This could have been:

Your daughter
Your sister
Your girlfriend
Your child’s best friend

If you don’t stand up now — if you don’t speak out — you’re letting the sickness spread.
You’re leaving the next victim alone.
You’re siding with rapists through your silence.

Men must rise up and call this what it is: evil.
And say: "Not in my locker room. Not in my community. Not in my name."

🙏 Final Words

To the survivor —
You did what you had to do.
We believe you.
You are brave beyond words.

To the rest of us —
This is just the beginning.
We will write more.
We will speak louder.
We will not let this be forgotten.

Sunday, August 3, 2025

Mark Carney Walks in Vancouver Pride Parade 2025

Mark Carney Walks in Vancouver Pride Parade 2025 🌈🇨🇦

In a surprise and heartwarming appearance, Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the 2025 Vancouver Pride Parade on August 3rd, marching about one kilometer of the route near BC Place. His participation wasn’t just symbolic—it was an act of allyship and leadership during a time of global tension and domestic hope.

Carney had started the day with a meeting alongside BC Premier David Eby and port officials, discussing trade issues and cross-border concerns. But by afternoon, he was surrounded by rainbow flags, cheers, and drag performers as he made his way through downtown Vancouver. 🎉

At one memorable moment, a drag performer handed Carney a microphone. His response? He called Pride “the essence of Canada” and “the best of Canada,” reminding everyone watching that the values of inclusion, diversity, and freedom are not negotiable—they are core to our identity. 🏳️‍🌈

Carney’s appearance comes amid rising tensions with the United States over trade negotiations, with tariffs and sovereignty top of mind. But even in the midst of political stress, Carney used this event to highlight Canada’s strength—not just in economics, but in values and compassion. 🇨🇦

Earlier this summer, he raised the Pride flag on Parliament Hill to launch Pride Month, acknowledging growing backlash against 2SLGBTQ+ communities both at home and abroad. In response, the federal government pledged $1.5 million to Fierté Canada Pride to ensure the safety of parades and celebrations across the country. This was part of a broader $15 million Action Plan to support LGBTQ+ organizations and fight hate.

This year’s Pride was more than a parade—it was a powerful affirmation that love, inclusion, and community are worth protecting, especially during uncertain times.

Thank you, Vancouver. And thank you, Prime Minister Carney. 🌟

Happy Pride! Stay loud, stay proud, and keep showing up for each other. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

You Don’t Need a New Brain — You Need a Better World

“You Don’t Need a New Brain — You Need a Better World”

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

I saw an ad on Facebook this morning for a brain treatment clinic in Vancouver — one that uses magnetic pulses to “retrain” your brain. People were commenting things like:

“How can I afford this?”
“I feel broken. I need a new brain.”

And my heart just broke. Because you don’t need a new brain. You need:

A safe home
Nutritious food
Sunshine on your skin
A garden to dig in
Someone who really listens
Time to rest and just be

This new wave of “neurotech” might sound futuristic, but let’s be honest: it’s another expensive band-aid. It tells you the problem is inside you — that you’re defective and in need of rewiring. But maybe the problem is that you’re overwhelmed by a system that doesn’t care if you eat or sleep or feel safe.

We’re not robots. We’re not broken machines. We’re human beings — affected deeply by love, grief, injustice, beauty, and hope. And the real medicine we need isn’t a magnetic pulse... it’s connection, dignity, and care.

“Instead of zapping your brain, try walking by the water. Get your hands in some soil. Plant a seed. Let the sun touch your face. You’re not broken — you’re hurting.”

I’m not judging anyone for seeking help. We’ve all been there. Desperate. Tired. Worn thin. But I want to remind you — especially if you’re struggling right now — that you are not your symptoms. You are not a diagnosis. You are not a dollar sign.

If no one has told you today: You deserve a life with beauty, rest, safety, and joy — not just “treatments” you can’t afford.

We need to talk about what real healing looks like. We need to support each other in reclaiming our worth — not selling it off for another tech fix.

With love and courage,
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

#mentalhealth #poverty #neurotech #housingfirst #natureheals #youarenotbroken #vancouver #zipolita

Honoring Pride: A Poetic Tribute

🌈 Honoring Pride: A Poetic Tribute 🌈

Today, as the streets of Vancouver come alive with the vibrant colors and voices of the 47th annual Vancouver Pride Parade, we stand united in celebration and remembrance.

From Concord Pacific Place to the heart of Davie Village, the parade is more than a procession—it's a testament to resilience, love, and the ongoing fight for equality. This year also marks a return to form with the Davie Village Pride Festival back as the grand finale, after a six-year hiatus.

It’s not only a day of visibility and celebration—it also commemorates the 20th anniversary of marriage equality in Canada. A powerful reminder that Pride is about how far we’ve come, and how far we still must go.

As we witness this outpouring of support and joy, let us also remember those we've lost and those still facing challenges.

Pride is not just a celebration; it's a protest, a call for justice, and a promise to continue the fight for a world where everyone can live authentically and without fear.

Shine Proud

(To the tune of "Shine")

We march today with colors bright,
A fight for love, a fight for rights,
But under joy, there’s shadows deep,
For those we lost, we hold and keep.

So shine, shine proud,
Let your true light be loud,
Through every pain and every fight,
We stand as one in glowing light.

The road was hard, the hate was real,
But still we rise, refuse to kneel,
For every voice that’s pushed away,
We carry hope, we pave the way.

So shine, shine proud,
Let your true light be loud,
Through every pain and every fight,
We stand as one in glowing light.

It’s more than joy, it’s more than dance,
It’s protest, strength, and second chance,
For those unheard, for those who’ve gone,
Our hearts beat fierce, our love goes on.

So shine, shine proud,
Let your true light be loud,
Through every pain and every fight,
We stand as one in glowing light.

May this day be filled with love, remembrance, and the unwavering spirit of Pride.

To all those celebrating and reflecting — we wish you a beautiful and safe day. 🌈💖

Final Post: “What Kind of World Are You Building?

📣 Final Post: “What Kind of World Are You Building?”

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

To parents, grandparents, teachers, employers, CEOs, billionaires—

What kind of world are you building?

Because right now, this world?
It’s failing.
It’s failing the kids who cry for help and are told there’s a waitlist.
It’s failing the teens locked in psych wards when what they really need is love and therapy.
It’s failing the mental health workers who are so overwhelmed they’re walking away from the job—if they can afford to.

One nurse told me, “It’s really bad out there.” He took the summer off—but the bills pulled him back.
If even the helpers are drowning, how are our youth supposed to stay afloat?

Most kids can’t afford private therapy. They don’t even get a chance to speak unless they’re in crisis—or custody.
And when they finally open up? They’re met with policy, not care.

I’ve seen the scars. I’ve seen the silence. I’ve seen what happens when someone needs a lifeline and gets paperwork instead.

So let me ask you:

What did you grow up believing about pain?
Who listened to you when you were hurting?
Who didn't?
And now… who are YOU listening to?

There are people in this country sipping $300 wine, while young people sleep in shelters.
There are Whole Foods vegans posting about compassion, while immigrant women are cleaning their Airbnbs for scraps.
There are kids eating hot chips for dinner and teaching themselves how to survive abuse via TikTok.

And we wonder why no one cooks. Why no one talks. Why no one trusts.

This is not just a crisis of violence.
It’s a crisis of disconnection.
Of loneliness.
Of being unseen.

This is my love letter to humanity:

💔 Start loving each other again.
🌱 Start caring for the Earth again.
🧠 Start listening, not judging.
✊ Start fighting for a world where healing is not a luxury.

Because if we don’t—
We’ll raise a generation that doesn’t know how to love.
Or care.
Or save us.

And it won’t be their fault.

✍️ Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
🔗 Please Read Full 6-part blog series
#MentalHealthCrisis #YouthDeserveBetter #InvisibleWounds #StopTheSilence #HealingJustice #ZipolitaSpeaks

Saturday, August 2, 2025

RCMP Accountability in Terrace, B.C. – A Call for Justice and Documentation

🚨 RCMP Accountability in Terrace, B.C. – A Call for Justice and Documentation 🚨

Posted by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

On July 23, 2025, an Indigenous Gitxsan woman and firekeeper—who is also autistic—was returning from a sacred fire ceremony near Shames Mountain when she was pulled over by an RCMP Highway Patrol officer near Terrace, B.C.

She had not consumed any alcohol, yet was subjected to a mandatory roadside breathalyzer test. When she questioned it, the officer forcefully pulled her hand, an act that left her frightened and emotionally shaken.

Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. After she bravely shared her experience online, dozens of Indigenous women from the region came forward, reporting eerily similar encounters with the same officer.

📣 Vancouver lawyer Kyla Lee is now urging women—especially Indigenous women in Northern B.C.—to start documenting all police interactions and, if needed, file formal complaints with the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC).

⚠️ Patterns of Abuse: Not New in B.C.

RCMP officers have a long and troubled history of discriminatory policing toward Indigenous people in British Columbia, especially women and youth.

A 2021 UBC study found that Indigenous women are nearly 10 times more likely to experience police violence than non-Indigenous women in Canada.
In 2020, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission found that RCMP officers used excessive force in 17% of reviewed cases involving Indigenous people.
A 2019 Human Rights Watch report documented multiple instances of abuse, neglect, and sexual violence by RCMP officers in northern B.C., particularly affecting First Nations women.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) called the systemic failures of policing in Canada a form of “genocide.”

🔍 5 Reflective Questions

How would I feel if a loved one—especially someone neurodivergent or Indigenous—was pulled over and frightened by someone in uniform meant to protect them?
Do I believe mandatory breathalyzer tests are truly random, or could unconscious bias or systemic racism be influencing who gets stopped?
What role does community documentation play in exposing patterns of abuse or discrimination?
Am I aware of my rights—and others’ rights—during a police stop, especially in remote or Indigenous territories?
What actions can I take when someone in my community comes forward with a story of mistreatment? Do I listen, amplify, advocate, or stay silent?

✅ 5 Solutions & Actions

📝 Document everything: If you are stopped, record the date, time, location, badge number, and behavior of the officer. If it's safe and legal, record audio or video.
📬 File a complaint: Use the CRCC website to submit a formal complaint within one year of the incident: https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en
📚 Know your rights: Learn what police can and cannot legally do. Support workshops or community events that teach this knowledge.
⚖️ Push for reform: Bill C-46 needs safeguards. Call for trauma-informed training for RCMP, and anti-racism measures in all B.C. police forces.
🤝 Stand with survivors: Believe Indigenous women and marginalized voices. Share their stories. Demand better. This is not reconciliation—this is retraumatization.

🧭 Final Thoughts

This is more than a “bad cop” problem. It’s systemic.

When Indigenous women are repeatedly pulled over, questioned, or touched without cause, it's not about law enforcement — it’s about power, profiling, and fear.

Silence only protects abusers. Voices, stories, and action protect communities.

If you’ve had a troubling RCMP encounter—especially in Terrace, Prince Rupert, Kitimat, or surrounding areas—please consider documenting your experience and filing a report. And know this: you are not alone.

📎 Resources

File a Complaint: https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en
Legal Info on RCMP Stops (Dial-A-Law BC): https://dialalaw.peopleslawschool.ca/complaints-against-the-rcmp/
MMIWG Final Report: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/
Human Rights Watch Report on RCMP Violence: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/06/22/canada-mounties-abuse-indigenous-women

✍️ In strength, grief, and fierce love,
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

#RCMPAccountability #TerraceBC #IndigenousJustice #Gitxsan #MMIWG #PoliceViolence #BillC46 #UncededTerritory #HumanRights #ReformNow

ONE FALL AWAY" — A 4-Part Blog Series by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

🚨 COMING AUG 4, 5, 6 & 7 🚨

🧠💥 "ONE FALL AWAY" — A 4-Part Blog Series by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

🎥 Photography grad. Caregiver. Storyteller. Truth-teller.

Every day I see people flying down sidewalks on e-bikes and scooters with NO HELMETS—kids on the back, no protection, no clue.

I've cared for people who survived—but never truly came back.

I’ve wiped their faces. Brushed their hair. Painted their nails.

Listened to silence where words used to be.

This is the reality of brain injury.

Not statistics. Not headlines.

Real lives. Real people. Real heartbreak.

💔 If you use Fentanyl or cocaine, this series is for you too.

Because it only takes 4 minutes without oxygen for your brain to start dying.

📅 Mark your calendars:

📌 Aug 4: The Stories No One Tells

📌 Aug 5: The Real Cost of Head Injuries

📌 Aug 6: What If It Was You?

📌 Aug 7: A Letter to Those Struggling With Addiction

👉 Read. Reflect. Share.

👉 Tag someone who needs to hear this.

Let’s stop treating helmets like fashion.

Let’s stop walking past people overdosing.

Let’s start caring again. Before it’s too late.

#OneFallAway #BrainInjuryAwareness #ZipolitaSpeaks #WearTheHelmet #EndTheSilence #OverdoseAwareness #EbikeSafety #TraumaRecovery #RealStories #ProtectYourBrain

Border Control Breakdown

"Border Control Breakdown: Why Are Convicted Foreign Nationals Going Missing in Canada?"

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
August 1, 2025

“This is shocking.”

That was my first thought reading the latest update from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). According to their own numbers, nearly 600 foreign nationals with serious criminal convictions have vanished in Canada. These are individuals already under deportation orders—some with convictions for sexual assault and violent crimes—and yet, they’re no longer in custody. They’re simply… gone.

How does this happen in a country like Canada?

The CBSA says they don’t have enough space to detain all high-risk individuals. Since several provinces ended agreements to house immigration detainees in provincial jails, the agency has had to make do. Their solution? Release people into the community under supervision programs, like phone check-ins and ankle monitors.

But clearly, the system is not working.

Let’s be clear: many people detained for immigration reasons do not pose a danger to society. They are asylum seekers, refugees, people stuck in limbo due to administrative mistakes. But this isn't about them. This is about known criminals, people convicted in Canadian courts, being released and disappearing, while everyday Canadians are expected to trust that the system is protecting them.

This breakdown has serious implications:

Public safety is at risk.
Trust in our institutions is eroded.
Victims of crime may feel like justice has been undermined.

And while this happens, we still see people—especially Indigenous, racialized, and poor communities—being overpoliced, overcharged, and over-surveilled. So who exactly is being protected?

Where's the accountability?

The federal government has promised oversight. There’s talk of better infrastructure, new high-security facilities, and independent reviews. But what’s actually changed? For years, the system has relied on provincial jails, and now that provinces have opted out, there’s chaos.

Meanwhile, the CBSA doesn’t even know where these 599 individuals are. In some cases, they’ve been missing for years.

I ask again: How does this happen?

Time for real answers

This isn’t about fearmongering. This is about demanding competence, transparency, and fairness from those in power. Whether you care about justice, immigration reform, or basic public safety, this story affects all of us.

Canada needs to do better.

And we need to keep asking questions.

🗣️ What do you think? Should we be investing in community monitoring, or are there cases where secure detention is necessary?
Let’s talk about it. Comment below or share with someone who cares.

📌 Follow my blog for more updates on immigration, justice, and human rights in Canada.

#CBSA #DeportationCrisis #ImmigrationDetention #CanadaNews #PublicSafety #ZipolitaWrites #JusticeInCanada #HumanRightsCanada #AccountabilityNow #TinaWinterlik

Part 6: The Fallout

What We’ve Inherited, What We’re Becoming, and Why We Must Act Now

After five parts of this series, I thought I had said it all. But how could I? This crisis—this epidemic of violence, pain, and disconnection—is so much bigger than five posts.

Because we’re not just dealing with violence in homes, or on screens. We’re dealing with the fallout of a broken world.

☣️ COVID Changed Everything

During the pandemic, isolation grew. Stress grew. So did poverty, addiction, domestic violence. Women were trapped. Kids were online all day. No school, no community, no reprieve. And now we’re seeing the aftermath in real time:

🧠 More youth self-harming, overdosing, disappearing
🧓 Older generations retreating into addiction, distraction, despair
👀 Everyone numbing themselves with screens, substances, and silence

We lost something as a society during COVID. And we haven’t recovered.

🌍 A World That Teaches Hate

Globally, violence against women is used as a weapon of war. In Gaza. In Congo. In the US. It’s normalized. Justified. Filmed. Uploaded. Watched.

We brought people into Canada who come from places where women are not safe—sometimes where they’re not even seen as human. We didn’t educate or integrate. We didn’t protect women here. Now the backlash is real. And terrifying.

I felt it the other day—a look, a comment, a dismissal. A man looked at me like I didn’t matter. Like I didn’t deserve to speak. I felt it in my bones. That kind of hate is dangerous. And it’s growing.

🧸 The Children Are Not Alright

We used to say the first five years were everything. But now kids are raised on violence, noise, neglect, fear, and digital junk. And we still expect them to become kind, loving, gentle adults?

We’re asking our youth to become caregivers in a world that never cared for them.

We’re expecting our daughters to raise babies when they’ve never felt safe enough to have one.

We’re expecting our sons to lead with empathy when all they’ve seen is cruelty.

This is not their fault. It’s ours.

⚠️ If We Don’t Act Now…

We’ll raise a generation that doesn’t know love. That doesn’t trust. That doesn’t feel safe in their own skin. And when we grow old, they won’t know how to care for us. Because no one cared for them.

This is our last warning. And our last chance to turn it around.

🌱 But There Is Still Hope

We can’t undo what’s been done—but we can still show up now. We can:

🗣️ Tell the truth, even when it’s hard
📣 Demand justice and protection for all women
💞 Reconnect with youth, with honesty and respect
🏘️ Rebuild community from the ground up
🧠 Prioritize healing, even when the wounds are invisible

But we can’t keep waiting. This is the moment.

💬 Final Words

Our children are not broken—they are wounded. Our elders are not cruel—they are overwhelmed. And we are all in this together, whether we like it or not.

Violence doesn’t start in a fist. It starts in silence.
Let’s not be silent anymore.

✍️ In grief, hope, and deep truth,
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
🌐 zipolita.com | Facebook | Twitter

Friday, August 1, 2025

BC Day: What Are We Really Celebrating

BC Day: What Are We Really Celebrating?

🌲 BC Day: A Closer Look

Every year, on the first Monday of August, people in British Columbia get a long weekend to celebrate “BC Day.” But what does this holiday actually represent, and who is it really for?

For some, it’s a day of rest, celebration, barbecues, beach time, or reconnecting with family. For others, it’s just another workday, often without holiday pay. And for many Indigenous people and allies, it’s a painful reminder of the colonial history behind the name “British Columbia” and the fact that this land is unceded Indigenous territory.

🕰️ A Bit of History

BC Day was first introduced in 1974 as a civic holiday. The idea was to celebrate the founding of the colony of British Columbia in 1858 and to acknowledge the province’s diverse culture and role in the Canadian Confederation.

But here’s the problem:
That “founding” was not a beginning — it was a violent interruption. Indigenous Nations have lived on this land for thousands of years. British Columbia — a name tied to colonial expansion — was imposed without consent, and to this day, most of this land is unceded, meaning no treaties were signed.

So what exactly are we celebrating?

💸 A Holiday for Whom?

Even if you ignore the name and focus on rest or cultural pride, there’s another issue: not everyone gets the day off.

✅ Who Usually Gets the Day Off?

Government workers
Office staff
Unionized employees
Most salaried positions

❌ Who Often Doesn’t?

Minimum wage workers
Hospitality, grocery, and service staff
Gig economy workers
People on social assistance, disability, or underemployed

Some people get a paid break. Others just keep struggling — often doing work that keeps the rest of society running while being excluded from its benefits.

💬 Let's Be Honest

We can’t keep pretending holidays like BC Day are universally joyful. We live in a province with:

A housing crisis
A toxic drug crisis
Sky-high inequality
Disregard for Indigenous sovereignty

We need to ask ourselves:
Who is free to relax, and who is fighting just to survive?
Whose history is celebrated, and whose is erased?

✊🏽 Reimagining the Day

Instead of blindly celebrating, what if we reclaimed BC Day as a time to:

Learn about Indigenous land rights and history
Support mutual aid efforts or frontline workers
Reflect on how to make our province more fair and inclusive
Acknowledge the land we’re on and the systems we’re upholding

🧠 Reflective Questions for Readers:

How do you feel about the name “British Columbia”? Should we rename the province to reflect its Indigenous roots?
What actions can we take to make civic holidays more inclusive?
What does it mean to live on unceded territory, and how should that affect our celebrations?
Do you feel that BC Day reflects your experience living here? Why or why not?

📍Land Acknowledgement

Let’s remember: BC exists entirely on unceded Indigenous land. From the Coast Salish to the Nuu-chah-nulth to the Secwépemc and beyond, the land was never surrendered. This is a truth that should guide how we live — and how we celebrate

A Call for Help: Norm and Bear Deserve Better

🐾 A Call for Help: Norm and Bear Deserve Better

In Chemainus, BC, lives a man named Norm and his beloved service dog, Bear. Norm is 68 years old, deaf, and living on a limited disability income. He’s a senior who adores animals and relies on Bear not just for companionship but for survival. Bear is a hearing and medical service dog, trained to protect and support Norm in his daily life.

A while ago, Norm was hit by a pickup truck and spent two months in the hospital undergoing five surgeries. During this time, he was unable to communicate with his pet insurance company, Fetch, because they only offer support via phone — something that is simply not accessible for someone who is deaf.

Despite these circumstances, Fetch Pet Insurance canceled his coverage, claiming he was behind in payments. But Norm wasn’t refusing to pay — he was literally in the hospital fighting for his life and unable to call them.

No accommodations. No flexibility. No compassion.

This isn’t just poor service. It’s a direct failure of accessibility and basic human decency.

📢 Why This Matters

Norm isn’t asking for special treatment. He’s asking for equal treatment.

Disabled people deserve accessible communication options — like email, text, or relay services.
Seniors on fixed incomes should not be punished while in recovery from major health events.
Service animals are not pets — they are essential healthcare aids.
Insurance companies profiting from vulnerable people while denying coverage when it’s needed most is morally wrong.

🛑 This Must Stop

To Fetch Pet Insurance, we ask:

Why don’t you offer accessible support for deaf and disabled clients?
Why did you cancel coverage for a senior who was hospitalized and physically unable to respond?
What are you doing to ensure this never happens again?

To the BC Government, disability advocates, service dog organizations, animal welfare groups, and legal professionals:

👉 This man needs your help NOW.

He should not have to fight alone.

This is a wake-up call. We know how broken these systems are — many of us have fought and lost through tribunals, complaint forms, and appeals that go nowhere. So let’s be realistic: change won’t come from within unless we raise our voices together.

✊ How You Can Help

🔸 Share this story.
🔸 Tag Fetch and ask why they don’t offer accessible customer service.
🔸 Reach out to disability rights organizations and animal advocacy groups.
🔸 If you’re a lawyer, advocate, or someone with experience in these matters — please step up.

Norm shouldn’t have to beg for fairness.

📸 Norm and Bear are not just another sad story — they are a mirror to our society’s failures and a call to do better.

Are we listening??

Renderings vs. Reality – Part 1: The Granville Connector Debacle

🎭 Renderings vs. Reality – Part 1: The Granville Connector Debacle

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
📍Vancouver, BC

Remember those glossy concept images the City shared for the Granville Connector? Benches with sleek curves, vibrant greenery, public art—all signs of a modern, people-first space.

What did we actually get?

➡️ A bridge with unfinished concrete.
➡️ “Hilariously bad” benches—one of which sparked viral mockery online.
➡️ And now the city says, don’t worry, it’s temporary. Except—it also admits the final product won’t match the original design.

So what’s going on?

The $50–$54 million Granville Connector was supposed to be a proud legacy. But it’s starting to feel like another half-built dream—just like so many other overhyped city projects. We pay more and more through taxes, sky-high transit fares, and housing costs, while delivery keeps falling short.

The City says it’s due to budget constraints and engineering issues. But here’s the bigger truth:

If they never plan for problems, they’ll never deliver results.

This isn’t just about a bench. It’s about accountability, transparency, and the broken cycle of overpromise and underdeliver—in everything from infrastructure to housing to transit to FIFA 2026.

🔍 What to Watch For in the Next Installments:

Part 2 – FIFA 2026: Who’s Really Winning?
Part 3 – Transit Fares Up, Service Down
Part 4 – “Affordable” Housing or Developer Giveaways?
Part 5 – How to Spot a Half-Built Dream (and What We Can Do)

📣 Let’s start keeping receipts.
If you’ve seen city infrastructure that doesn’t match what was promised—or feels unfinished—take a photo, tell your story, and tag it:
#VanRealityCheck #RenderingsVsReality #PayingForPromises

Part 5: Raising a Kinder World

How to Build a Future Without Gender-Based Violence

We’ve seen enough pain. Enough silence. Enough women killed, enough children scarred, enough youth lost to violence, poverty, and shame.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can raise a different generation. We can raise boys who don’t harm and girls who know their worth. We can build a world that doesn’t just react to violence—but prevents it before it ever begins.

👶 It Starts Early

We must teach empathy from the very beginning—not just “use your words” or “be nice,” but deep, radical empathy:

🧠 Emotional intelligence: helping children name and process their feelings
🚫 Boundaries: teaching that “no” means no—and it’s okay to say it and hear it
🌈 Inclusivity: celebrating differences, dismantling gender stereotypes, and welcoming all identities
🧒 Safe touch and consent education—not just in sex ed, but in everyday life

Kids don’t learn from what we say. They learn from what we do. From how we treat others. From how we handle conflict. From how we listen.

📱 Guiding Youth Through a Toxic Digital World

We must challenge the violent media culture that is shaping young minds. That means:

📚 Teaching media literacy: How to recognize misogyny, manipulation, and propaganda
💬 Opening space for honest, non-judgmental conversations about porn, pressure, identity, and consent
📵 Setting boundaries—not just around time online, but what’s healthy and what’s harmful

This isn’t about control—it’s about .

🏡 Community Is the Cure

Violence grows where isolation thrives. The solution isn’t just law enforcement—it’s community, connection, and compassion.

We need to build:

🏘️ Affordable housing so no one stays in abuse out of desperation
🧑‍⚕️ Trauma-informed mental health care, available without months of waiting
👩‍👧 Safe spaces for women, queer youth, and gender-diverse people
🤝 Support networks for single parents and survivors, led by those with lived experience

And we need to support the healers, the helpers, and the fighters—those doing this work every day with too little funding and too much pain.

🌎 We Don’t Need a Revolution. We Need a Reconnection.

Imagine a world where kids are safe.
Where survivors are believed.
Where boys are allowed to feel and girls don’t have to fear.

It starts with us.
In our homes. In our schools. In our feeds. In our hearts.

This blog series was not just to name the wounds—but to imagine the healing.

💬 Final Reflection

If we want to end gender-based violence, we have to stop looking away—and start raising each other up.

✍️ With vision, hope, and fire,
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
🌐 zipolita.com | Facebook | Twitter