It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Monday, March 20, 2023
Recall issued for some Nestlé infant formula due to potential bacteria contamination
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942-gram packages of Good Start Soothe infant formula sold across Canada
The Canadian Press ·
Some Nestlé Good Start Soothe infant formula sold in Canada has been voluntarily recalled due to a potential bacteria contamination. (Prachaya Teerakathiti/Shutterstock)
Nestlé has issued a voluntary recall for some of its Good Start Soothe infant formula sold in Canada due to a potential bacteria contamination.
Distributor Perrigo Company says the product is being recalled out of an abundance of caution due to the potential presence of the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii.
The affected formula was sold across Canada in 942-gram packages, with the lot numbers 301757651Z, 301757652Z and 301857651Z, and best before dates of July 18 and 19, 2024.
There have been no reported illnesses associated with the formula, and no distributed product has tested positive for the presence of the bacteria, Perrigo Co. said in a Friday news release.
The distributor says it has been working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and is informing customers who received the products to arrange for them to be removed from store shelves.
The distributor Perrigo Co. announced a voluntary recall of some 942-gram packages of the formula on Friday. (CNW Group/Perrigo)
Cronobacter sakazakii typically does not cause symptoms in most people, but premature infants, infants under two months of age or infants with weakened immune systems can experience fever, poor feeding, excessive crying or low energy.
It has been associated with severe intestinal infection and blood poisoning, especially in newborns.
Customers are being told to stop using the formula and contact Nestlé consumer services for reimbursement before disposing of the product.
Nunavut Employees Union should share its idea of ‘fair wages’
Unionized housing workers went on strike Friday over wages but haven’t publicly said how much they’re after
The 23 unionized workers who are employed by the Iqaluit Housing Authority have been without a collective agreement since August 2020, when the previous agreement expired. (File photo)
Housing workers on strike in Iqaluit owe it to the public to put their cards on the table and say what they consider “fair wages” to be.
The strike by about 23 members of the Nunavut Employees Union has both broad implications for the territory’s economy and narrow implications for Iqaluit Housing Authority’s tenants.
Early Friday morning, unionized employees of the Iqaluit Housing Authority went on strike. The labour dispute has been building since last August when talks aimed at a new contract broke down. The previous agreement between the housing authority and its unionized workers expired in 2020.
The strike literally hits people where they live. The striking employees normally provide services like maintenance and support to people living in Iqaluit public housing. The housing authority has reassured the public those services would be provided, but as of Friday it had not explained how that would happen.
When the union issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier this week, NEU representatives told Nunatsiaq News the union was seeking “fair wages” for its members.
But they haven’t publicly stated what percentage increase they believe would be fair.
Earlier in the week, Public Service Alliance of Canada regional vice-president Lorraine Rousseau did divulge that management offered annual increases of 1.25 per cent and 1.5 per cent. But the union hasn’t disclosed what its own wage proposal was when the two sides were still at the bargaining table — way back in August 2022.
On Friday, NEU president Rochon said the union’s priority now is to get the employer back to the bargaining table.
No doubt that’s true. But getting back to the bargaining table is just a means to an end — to renew the negotiations about wages.
It’s only fair that the public should know, because they’re going to have to pay for that increase — either through the rents that tenants pay or through the financial support the government gives.
This labour dispute could set the tone for other public sector settlements. Municipal workers in Kinngait, for example, are bracing for a strike against the hamlet.
Nunavut — like the rest of Canada — has been feeling inflation’s pinch. It’s understandable for the housing workers to want a new contract to address that.
When talks broke down, the annual inflation rate was about seven per cent. Half a year later, inflation has dropped to about six per cent and some analysts predict it could drop back to three per cent by the end of 2023.
And Nunavut — like the rest of Canada — is facing a labour shortage, generally. That would seem to be in the union’s favour and a factor Iqaluit Housing Authority needs to take into consideration. Give the workers what they want, or risk losing them.
There’s a lot at stake in this labour dispute, which is all the more reason for both sides to be forthcoming about what they’re fighting over.
Comments:
Posted by Solidarity Forever on Mar 18, 2023
The GN and its subordinate organizations have been offering less-than-inflation wage increases for many years. And they wonder why they have a 30% vacancy rate for their positions. On top of that, they generally don’t treat their employees well. Everything is secret. Employees are considered to know nothing and to be little more than “position holders”. . People usually behave the way they think they are expected to behave. Treat your employees like you don’t expect them to be able to do anything and usually they will do nothing. Treat them as valued members of a team that is trying to get something done and usually they will help the team accomplish its goal. . This strike is about money. But its about much more. Its also about respect and leadership and teamwork. . As for negotiating through the media, I don’t think so. Poker, anyone?
Toronto calls on feds to amend Criminal Code amid rising attacks on transit workers
A Toronto Transit Commission sign is shown at a downtown Toronto subway stop Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
Toronto is calling on the federal government to better protect transit workers against increasing violence by revising the Criminal Code to deter future attacks.
Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie sent a letter to federal Justice Minister David Lametti on Friday requesting that subsection 269.01 of the Criminal Code be amended to include all transit workers in the provisions.
The subsection of the law requires a judge to consider an assault on a public transit operator as an "aggravating circumstance" when handing out punishment.
The law defines a public transit operator as someone who "operates a vehicle used in the provision of passenger transportation services to the public, and includes an individual who operates a school bus."
In her letter, McKelvie said changing the subsection to also include all transit workers would send a “strong message” and help improve their safety.
"While I understand that the Criminal Code includes general provisions that respond to acts of violence committed against anyone, including transit workers, the proposed amendment would act as a deterrent, sending the message that abuse and assault against transit workers will not be tolerated," the deputy mayor wrote.
The letter comes a day before the Transit Operator and Worker Appreciation Day.
It also builds on a similar request sent by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) last year that follows conversations on transit safety.
"At that time, you had said you would share the proposal with the appropriate departmental officials for consideration. Since then we have seen more attacks on transit workers and I believe it is important for a strong message to be sent as soon as possible that violence against any transit workers is totally unacceptable and will be dealt with severely by Canada's justice system," she wrote.
These random acts of violence and other societal challenges, such as mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness, are affecting the well-being of TTC employees and customers, McKelvie said.
While the city has implemented necessary measures to address the issues, the deputy mayor said long-term solutions are needed and that involves all levels of government working together.
"Ongoing intergovernmental collaboration is required to address and reduce the number of assaults against TTC employees while performing their duties and to ensure the safety of customers," McKelvie wrote.
"Intergovernmental support remains critical to the future of Toronto's public transit system, including eradicating safety issues."
McKelvie also voiced her support for the creation of a national transit task force, which ATU Canada, the national union representing transit workers, has repeatedly called for in the wake of violent incidents.
"I support that call and will ensure Toronto and the TTC take part should the Government of Canada launch such a task force focused on preventing future transit attacks," McKelvie wrote.
Afghan judge finds new beginning in B.C. after fleeing Taliban-ruled country
UBC's law school has launched a first-of-its-kind-in-Canada program aimed at helping Afghan women judges who were forced to flee their country. (CTV)
Kevin Charach CTV News Vancouver Multi-Media Journalist March 18, 2023
UBC's law school has launched a first-of-its-kind-in-Canada program aimed at helping Afghan women judges who were forced to flee their country.
In 2021, the Taliban regained control over Afghanistan, putting the future of many law-focused Afghan women in doubt.
“I feared for my life," said former Afghan judge Bibi Wahida Rahimi.
"But the most important was the fear for our freedom, fear for my dignity and the right to work.”
Humanitarian efforts led by members of the international legal community helped Rahimi and other Afghan women judges successfully evacuate the country.
Despite losing her career and being forced to leave loved-ones behind, Rahimi always kept hope alive.
“There’s always something good happening and we have to look for it," said the mother of three young boys.
A few months ago, that opportunity arrived for Rahimi at UBC's law school in the Afghan Women Judges Program.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for judges, women judges from Afghanistan who were forced to flee when the Taliban returned to power," said UBC law professor Graham Reynolds.
He says the program, largely funded by donations, focuses on English language training and the Canadian legal system.
"They can, should they wish, be able to transition into a number of different legal roles in Canada," said Reynolds.
There are currently three women enrolled in the program, but the school plans to expand enrollment in the future.
Rahimi, who lives with her husband and three sons in Burnaby, says she's excited for the journey ahead and looks forward to the future of her children growing up in Canada.
“I always tell them life is about exploring," said Rahimi. "It’s about changes. So trying to figure out how to survive, how to live and how to enjoy life in every different geographical place you are.”
The shooting in the head of a motionless Palestinian militant during an Israeli raid on Jenin in which three other people were killed has enraged Palestinians as images of the incident spread across social media.
Ahmad Majdalani, a member of the PLO executive committee, condemned the shooting on Thursday of Nidal Hazem, who was face down at the time. “This is a crime in the full sense of the word,” he said.
The Israeli army said its raid, the latest on Jenin and its refugee camp in recent months, was “an intelligence-based counter-terrorism activity” and had “neutralised” two suspected militants.
The Palestinian health ministry identified those killed as a teenage boy Omar Awadin, 16, Luay al-Zughair, 37, Nidal Hazem, 28 and Youssef Shreem, 29. Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said Shreem belonged to its group and Islamic Jihad claimed Hazem as one of its members.
The Israeli army statement did not offer any immediate explanation for why Hazem was shot in the head in what the Israeli group of military veterans against the occupation, Breaking the Silence, called an “extrajudicial execution”.
Avner Gvaryahu, the head of the group, claimed the shooting was an example of a practice known as “verification of killing” that is part of Israeli defence force training for special operations units. “What we saw is very telling in terms of an unspoken practice in the army,” he said. The IDF denies any such practice exists.
The raid, which witnesses described as an undercover operation into a crowded market area, came days before a meeting between Palestinian and Israeli officials on Sunday in the Egyptian city Sharm el-Sheikh aimed at reducing tensions before Ramadan.
04:15Why the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is so complicated – video explainer
“The international community must abandon its silence and hold Israel responsible for its organised state terrorism,” said Majdalani, an ally of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. He said that not only must the security force member who pulled the trigger on Hazem be held to account, but also his commanders.
Ghassan Khatib, a former minister of Labour in the Palestinian Authority who teaches at Birzeit University, added that the “inhuman” shooting “only incites Palestinian youth for revenge”.
An Israeli army spokesperson, Richard Hecht, did not give a clear answer when asked if an investigation would be opened. “I know the visual is problematic. I’ll know more next week. It’s a special police force officer,” he said.
The raid was the latest instalment of Operation Break the Wave, which consists of repeated incursions into West Bank towns and refugee camps with the stated goal of thwarting Palestinian attacks.
It was launched a year ago after a string of Palestinian attacks, including one that killed three Israelis in a Tel Aviv pub. The army said one of Hazem’s relatives was the perpetrator.
Twenty other Palestinians were wounded in Thursday’s raid, four critically, according to the Palestinian ministry of health.
Gvaryahu said that only a few of the cases of “verification of killing” are captured on video. “Even though this is illegal under Israeli law, there is no pushback, no accountability, no teeth in military courts and the supreme court sides with the security establishment.”
Eco-friendly glass exists but it’s complex to make, researchers say
Traditional glass is made from non-biodegradable materials like methyl methacrylate.(Pexels/ Nguyễn Thanh Ngọc) Natasha O'Neill CTVNews.ca Writer Published March 18, 2023
Researchers have figured out a new way to make glass that will decompose on its own and not harm the planet.
Using a "heating-quenching" technique, researchers were able to chemically modify amino acids to form a similar glass product. Further testing was done on the glass' kinetic and thermodynamic abilities.
Although the research has demonstrated the ability to create biodegradable glass, researchers say mass production will not happen anytime soon.
Schematic diagram of the construction of biomolecular glass and its unique properties. (XING Ruirui)
"The concept of biomolecular glass, beyond the commercially-used glasses or plastics, may underlie a green-life technology for a sustainable future," YAN Xuehai, a professor from the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in the press release accompanying the study. "However, the biomolecular glass is currently in the laboratory stage, and far from large-scale commercialization."
More testing is needed to ensure the eco-friendly glass does not decompose at high temperatures.
Why Somali Canadians are footing more of the bill for the climate crisis in Africa
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As Somalia's worst drought in decades increases economic turmoil, the diaspora is sending more money
Extreme drought in the Horn of Africa has led to severe hardship for many people in Somalia. ((AP Photo/Mohamed Sheikh Nor)
People in Somalia have long relied on money from family members abroad to build hope for the future. These contributions — also known as remittances — have been essential during the last three decades of civil conflict in the east African country.
Just ask Hassan Mowlid Yasin. Relatives who immigrated to the U.S. regularly sent remittances to his grandmother. Those paid for Yasin's education in public health at Jobkey University in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
"The Somalia diaspora has been very supportive for the past 30 years … feeding many millions of households," said Yasin, 31. Remittances account for a quarter to 40 per cent of Somalia's GDP, according to a 2019 report from the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.
Today, Yasin is executive director of Somalia's Greenpeace Association. He's on the front line promoting education and environmental policy in a country that is feeling climate change acutely.
Hibaq Warsame, a project co-ordinator with Midaynta Community Services for Somali Canadians in Toronto, says there's a stark difference in the tone of her relatives overseas in light of the ongoing drought. (Hibaq Warsame)
Somalia's ongoing drought has widened pre-existing gaps in the country's economy. Four partial rainy seasons throughout the past two years — generally thought to be a direct result of climate change — have brought the most persistent drought in four decades to the Horn of Africa.
And Somalis as far away as Canada are helping foot the bill.
Hibaq Warsame, a project co-ordinator at Toronto's Midaynta Community Services for Somali Canadians, said she can hear the burden of the ongoing drought in the voices of relatives on the phone.
"Especially with elderly members of my family," she said.
Life in Somalia 'very expensive'
Since the drought began two years ago, Yasin said an estimated 600,000 of Somalia's livestock have perished. Not only do livestock like goats and cattle provide Somalis with diet staples of meat and milk, but up until recently they accounted for half of Somalia's export earnings and another 40 per cent of its GDP.
Due to this, the number of Somalis facing an "unprecedented level of need" for food doubled last October to nearly eight million, according to a December report from the UN.
"A lot of [Somali Canadians] are being contacted by family back home, saying, 'We're not able to afford food,'" said Warsame. "It's not even on a month-to-month basis. It's a day-to-day basis."
What used to be $150 US a month for Warsame's family has increased to $350. Four others working at Midaynta said they've made an identical increase in their monthly remittance spending to Somali relatives.
Jibril Ibrahim, president of the Somali Canadian Cultural Society of Edmonton, said his remittance spending rose from $100 to between $300 and $500 a month. That's separate from what his wife sends her own family, he said.
Ibrahim said the budgeting difficulties for Somali Canadians are compounded by Canada's own inflation pressures and the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on job security for recent immigrants.
Jibril Ibrahim, president of the Somali Canadian Cultural Society of Edmonton, said his remittance spending rose from $100 to between $300 and $500 a month. That's separate from what his wife sends her own family, he said. (Scott Neufeld/CBC)
"But still they have to send money. Because unless they do so, more and more people would be lost to the drought."
Living in Mogadishu, Yasin said he hasn't had to flee the famine, which has been mostly contained in the country's rural areas. But many farmers and their families, as well as those they fed in refugee camps, have made a mass movement to Somalia's cities.
This, in turn, has led to rising costs in the country's capital, including record food inflation (17.5 per cent) and rental rates, said Yasin, who has a three-year-old daughter.
"Things are very expensive now in Somalia," he said.
'Loss and damage' funding
The Somalia Greenpeace Association, one of the few organizations advocating for climate resilience policies in Somalia (and not affiliated with Greenpeace International), attended the COP27 climate summit in Egypt last November.
The summit's hallmark was "loss and damage" funding from richer countries for developing ones, like Somalia, which bear the brunt of the climate crisis. To date, Canada has committed $5.3 billion to climate financing worldwide.
The millions of dollars the United Nations currently sends to Somalia are designated for emergencies only, such as internationally displaced people or food assistance, said Yasin. Little is left over to fund long-term infrastructure.
To have any long-term impact, Yasin said loss and damage funds must be earmarked for technology like new irrigation systems, solar-powered wells, modern tractors and other agricultural equipment.
"If we prevent [internally displaced people], if we build resilience, we will be able to carry the whole community. That's the biggest thing we need to focus on on the ground, other than emergency responses," said Yasin.
Ibrahim is skeptical, however, that institutional funding can offer more to Somalia's drought resilience than diaspora remittances, given the latter's outsized role in the country's economy.
For Somali Canadian remittances to go even further, Ibrahim said legal methods for money transfers in Canada should be made cheaper and more accessible.
Today, money-transfer businesses registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) are the only method for legally sending funds abroad.
Some MSB transfers can be made through a phone call, but they typically require an in-person visit — the timing of which is especially critical if the overseas recipient is facing an emergency, said Yasmine Aul, an outreach worker at Midaynta.
Most MSBs with routes from Canada to Somalia operate out of the United Arab Emirates, are fixed to investments in gold or jewellery and involve substantial additional fees, said Ibrahim.
An effective method to save time and cost is hawala, he said. A sender provides remittances, their recipient's name and location to a local hawala broker, who contacts a hawala broker at the recipient's location to provide the recipient with the amount given to the first broker.
Hassan Mowlid Yasin, right, speaks on a panel about youth action and climate change at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022. (Hassan Mowlid Yasin/Facebook)
Hawala has been used throughout South Asia and North Africa since the eighth century, and unlike typical systems based on promissory notes or other debt instruments, is based solely on an honour system between brokers. The system relied on written correspondence in the Middle Ages, but today can be taken care of over the phone in a matter of minutes, said Ibrahim.
However, since it doesn't require the physical movement of money or a paper trail, hawala has faced regular controversy as a vehicle to fund extremist groups, like al-Shabaab in Somalia, and illegal markets.
During the pandemic, several MSBs and bank accounts based in Edmonton used for sending remittances to Somalia were closed because of their affiliations with hawala vendors, despite having undergone and passed audits by FINTRAC, Ibrahim said.
When Edmonton-area MP Randy Boissonault, the assistant finance minister, was asked for comment, a press secretary said financial institutions have "the discretion to close accounts or refuse to do business with MSBs." He also said the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act requires client identities and certain transaction records, which are not required for the hawala system.
Government policy creating 'additional cost'
Ibrahim says he understands the government's position, but questions the blanket illegality of hawala in Canada.
"We're not sending $10,000 or $20,000 [individually]. We're talking about $100 from individuals to their loved ones," he said. "How is that going to help terrorist groups?"
Ibrahim said registered MSBs still deliver remittances to the right place. But thanks to their substantial fees and Canada's own cost of living increases, "there's an additional cost that we [Somali Canadians] have to sustain as a result of government policy."
The Somali Canadian Cultural Society of Edmonton collected $150,000 across Edmonton's Somali community last year, said Ibrahim. Their focus was primarily the Jubaland region of southern Somalia, where the rebel group al-Shabaab took control of charcoal production.
Left unregulated, the tree-cutting required to produce charcoal has led to rapid deforestation, worsening Somalia's drought conditions. As a result, 80 per cent of Jubaland's livestock perished in 2021, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Midaynta raised $7,000 through two events since September. This year, one of the organization's goals is to bring the issue to local politicians and Toronto's immigrant community at large.
"We're constantly in contact with our family and friends back home. We're getting first-hand information," said Warsame. But she said awareness of the severity of Somalia's drought, its impact on so many facets of life and the resulting onus on the diaspora community "isn't as widespread in Canada as we'd like it to be."
'Who, if not us, should stop them?': The stories of Ukrainian women on the front lines
For over a year, women fighting on the front lines of the war in Ukraine have done so without proper equipment, a Ukrainian charity says.
Since Feb. 24, 2022, about 60,000 women have joined the fight against Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the founders of Zemliachky, a charity aiding female soldiers on the front lines, told CTVNews.ca.
Their military uniforms do not fit properly, their helmets cover their eyes as they slide off their heads, and their boots are too big.
"The most important thing is a military uniform," Karina, a deputy commander on Ukraine's front lines, said in an email to CTVNews.ca. "The uniform that is issued is not always of the right size and as it gets colder, you need to dress in warm and high-quality clothes."
Access to menstruation products are another difficulty these women are facing. Pads and tampons are hard to come by and even more difficult to change when the bathroom is a hole dug in the ground. Here's what Canada is doing to help Ukraine
For three women who emailed CTVNews.ca, the honour of serving their country in its time of need far outweighs the difficulties of daily life on the front lines.
To protect their families, CTVNews.ca has agreed to keep the women's last names private. The quotes below were taken from emails to CTVNews.ca, edited for clarity and translated from Ukrainian.
VERONIKA: 'FIND HAPPINESS IN THE LITTLE THINGS'
'I got here by accident, but now I can't even imagine myself anywhere else', Veronika told CTVNews.ca (Contributed)
The moment when the war felt real for Veronika was when she was handed a grenade after the Russians made a breakthrough in the Ukrainian defensive line.
"This is instead of captivity," she was told.
The 26-year-old was born in Dnipro and lived in Kyiv when the war broke out. She had just completed an internship and was preparing to become an anesthesiologist.
Each morning she started her day with a cappuccino in a "beautiful cafe" she told CTVNews.ca. However, working on the front lines as a combat medic, Veronika’s morning ritual looks very different.
"Instead of a cappuccino from a cafe in a beautiful cup, I have instant coffee, if I'm lucky, even with cream or milk," she said.
Veronika works in the Azov Division of an artillery unit on the eastern side of Ukraine.
"I provide assistance to soldiers in the field and send them to the hospital if necessary, and teach the basics of tactical medicine," she said. "That's why I went to study to be an anesthesiologist because I like situations where you need to make a quick decision."
Her decision-making skills were needed when she was called to the battlefield to help an injured soldier with a suspected fracture in his neck.
"I ran to him with a stretcher, put on a collar (neck brace), and he was quickly taken to the hospital," Veronika said. "I talked to him all the way. He asked if he was moving his hand, and I said: 'There is a little, come on, you can do it,' although there were no movements at all."
Each day is different for Veronika, but she says she tries to "find happiness in the little things."
The young Ukrainian soldier is stationed outside of the battlefield waiting to be called on for assistance in evacuation and treatment. She is lucky to have an outdoor shower and a hot meal cooked by nearby volunteers.
KARINA: 'I WAS SCARED, BUT I MANAGED'
'The war in (Crimea in) 2014 motivated me to join the ranks of the Armed Forces, as my home was on the demarcation line,' Karina said. (Contributed)
"I've been here for a year without a rotation, I miss hot water and a normal toilet more than anything," she told CTVNews.ca in an email.
Karina, 26, is a deputy commander for her unit which moves around a lot in the war. The battery, made up of 48 men and two women, build everything: Showers, toilets and structures to sleep in.
Each time the group moves, they abandon the structures and start over.
Karina said she has gotten used to her new reality, but still struggles with taking care of herself. Cystitis, the inflammation of the bladder often caused by a bladder infection or an untreated urinary tract infection, is common among her comrades, she says.
The helmets given to the women are "3 sizes bigger" she said, and the underwear they use are for men.
Karina joined the division when she was 23 years old. The commander of the unit left shortly after, leaving her with about 50 men as her responsibility.
"I was scared, but I managed. I am respected and obeyed," she said.
Her main job is to tell soldiers' loved ones when they have been killed.
"It is tough, and I have to find strength, compassion, and sensitivity," she said.
In August, Karina had to make a difficult phone call to the family of a 23-year-old soldier.
"I called his dad — he didn’t believe me at first," Karina said. "There is a deep pause and it hurts a lot, it's scary. Because you understand what the person on the other end feels."
Karina finds motivation from her unit who she calls her second family. The soldiers working with her are all very different, she says, but still sincere, friendly, bright and cheerful.
She looks towards the future and imagines after the war how she will buy a new home since hers was destroyed on March 15, 2022.
LISA: 'MANY OF THEM DIED DEFENDING MY HOMETOWN'
'I worked, studied, walked around the city with friends and enjoyed life. And from February 24 (2022), I immediately began to help, first to civilians in her area, looked in basements, and bought food,' Lisa said. (Contributed)
In a different unit, Lisa, a 21-year-old artillerist, says she is fortunate when she has warm water.
"(There is a) lack of light, water, heat, internet," Lisa told CTVNews.ca in an email. "The toilet is a dug hole, and the shower is water heated over a fire. Often there is no place to wash."
When she is out in the field she packs pads, tampons and pain relief medication in case she is away from camp for a while.
"At first, my fellow soldiers offered me something sweet during my periods, but I said I don’t eat sweets, so now they bring me pickles and tomatoes," she said.
The winter has been bitterly cold. Lisa wears four pairs of socks and sleeps under four summer sleeping bags at night.
She lived in the eastern district of Mariupol, one of the first areas in Ukraine to be shelled. On Feb. 24, 2022, Lisa was woken up at 5 a.m. local time by an explosion and immediately contacted her boyfriend who works in the military.
By April, she had joined the force and knew she wanted to work with mortars, following in her boyfriend's footsteps. She finds motivation from her friends in Azov (a small town north of Mariupol), who instilled in her a love for their country and books.
"Now, many of them died defending my hometown," Lisa said. "Russians destroyed my hometown, killed many civilians, ruined my life so far. Every day, they kill children, women (and) make genocide of my nation."
"And who, if not us, should stop them?" she said.
'THAT'S WHY WE EXIST': HOW ZEMLIACHY IS HELPING
Zemliachky formed a month after the war broke out and posted its first Instagram story showcasing a female soldier.
"Mental health is actually so important, because we communicate with 7000 female soldiers, and it was pretty clear for us that all of them, they need this mental support," Andrey Kolesnyk, co-founder of Zemliachky said. "It's not like you join the army, and you are training somewhere. It's actually war, and all the tragic and awful things that you will surely meet, you will feel and all these deaths, all these murders… It gives you a scar on your mental health."
The organization was created by Kolesnyk and Ksenia Draganyuk who both have ties to aiding women—specifically in the military. Kolesnyk's younger sister and her husband signed up for the military just before the war broke out.
Draganyuk used to be a TV journalist who covered stories of women across Ukraine who held employment in male-dominated fields such as firefighters, police or pilots.
"So we decided to combine the idea of helping and the idea of her (Draganyuk's) show before the war, and we wanted to tell stories about women at the front," Kolesnyk said.
Through short questionnaires, the pair were able to understand who the women at the front lines are and what they need. The organization started sending packages of items the soldiers needed like menstruation products, food and messages of encouragement.
At the start, Zelmiachky sent about 40 packages a month—now it has grown to 50 to 100 parcels a day.
"We do not send the equipment based on just our thoughts, in every box, there are specific items that we know that specific person needs," Draganyuk said in Ukrainian. "We also send them like small things to keep their moral spirit up so they know that back there, there are people that care about them."
As the charity grew so did the demand for female-specific equipment and uniforms. The organization is handling thousands of female soldiers and their needs with a team of 11 people. The demand is constant as the war continues to drag on.
With help from partners around the world, Zemliachky in July started sending female soldiers equipment that fits them.
"Not only (did) society not expect so many women to join the army (but) the government also did not expect that so many females would join the army, that's why it just did not have any possibility to get ready with the female uniforms, the smaller sizes of boots with like lighter equipment," Kolesnyk said. "That's why we exist."
(Left) Lisa, Veronika, Karina are all female soldiers fighting on Ukraine's front lines. (Contributed)
The GN and its subordinate organizations have been offering less-than-inflation wage increases for many years. And they wonder why they have a 30% vacancy rate for their positions. On top of that, they generally don’t treat their employees well. Everything is secret. Employees are considered to know nothing and to be little more than “position holders”.
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People usually behave the way they think they are expected to behave. Treat your employees like you don’t expect them to be able to do anything and usually they will do nothing. Treat them as valued members of a team that is trying to get something done and usually they will help the team accomplish its goal.
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This strike is about money. But its about much more. Its also about respect and leadership and teamwork.
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As for negotiating through the media, I don’t think so. Poker, anyone?