{"id":58084,"date":"2023-04-05T17:19:39","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T21:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=58084"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:06:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:06:55","slug":"indigenous-land-defenders-climate-allies-bring-shareholder-showdown-to-rbcs-agm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/58084\/indigenous-land-defenders-climate-allies-bring-shareholder-showdown-to-rbcs-agm\/","title":{"rendered":"Indigenous land defenders, climate allies bring shareholder showdown to RBC\u2019s AGM<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

RBC moves annual general meeting (AGM) to Saskatoon, met with powerful movement demanding bank stop bankrolling Indigenous rights-violations, divest from fossil-fueled climate chaos<\/em><\/h3>\n\n

PHOTO & VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n

RSVP FOR 1:30PM LOCAL \/ 3:30 PM ET PRESSER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n

Indigenous lands of the \u0128y\u00e3\u0127\u00e9 Nak\u00f3n m\u0105k\u00f3ce (Stoney), O\u010dh\u00e9thi \u0160ak\u00f3wi\u014b, Niits\u00edtpiis-stahkoii, \u15b9\u141f\u14a7\u1427\u1428\u146f\u1427 \u14f4\u1426\u15be\u141f (Blackfoot \/ Niits\u00edtapi \u15b9\u141f\u14a7\u1427\u14a3\u146f), Michif Piyii (M\u00e9tis), and Cree Peoples, Treaty 6 territory (so-called Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)<\/em>\u00a0 \u2013 RBC proved it has no interest in reconciliation, furthering corporate colonialism in how the bank treated the Indigenous delegation<\/a> who arrived at the bank\u2019s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Saskatoon this morning as hundreds of Indigenous water protectors, young people, and allies rallied outside. RBC\u2019s AGM comes exactly one week after a large force of RCMP C-IRG raided a Gidimt\u2019en village site<\/a>, and arrested five land and water defenders, mostly Indigenous women.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

\u201cCEO Dave McKay is personally responsible for the abuse Indigenous peoples received from RBC. This shows how Canada\u2019s biggest bank has no interest in reconciliation or our human rights by implementing a two-tier rights system in separating Indigenous representatives from the main room,\u201d said Chief Na\u2019Moks, Wet\u2019suwet\u2019en Hereditary Chief<\/strong>. \u201cRBC is funding corporate colonialism, and displacing Indigenous peoples from our lands at gunpoint for fracked gas pipelines we cannot afford now or in the future. When BC and Canada claim we are committing \u2018civil disobedience,\u2019 the truth is we are being Civilly Obedient to our Traditional laws of protecting clean waters, lands and air. As much as RBC, Canada, and British Columbia try to extinguish our rights and title, we will remain the authority on our land.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

Inside the AGM, a majority of the Indigenous delegation including Wet\u2019suwet\u2019en Hereditary leadership, Wet\u2019suwet\u2019en elders and youth representatives, and Gulf South representatives were barred from entering the AGM\u2019s main room \u2013 despite having proper proxies, and threatening their arrest. An Ivey Business School student on behalf of youth-led Banking on a Better Future, as well as West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL) representatives were also barred from entering the main room to offer testimony.<\/p>\n\n

The bank opted to apply a reserve<\/em> system to its AGM, forcing Indigenous delegates into a second class room, with a colour coded pass. <\/p>\n\n

RBC\u2019s decision is further confirmation of the bank\u2019s commitment to corporate colonialism<\/a>. RBC is the primary financier of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which lacks consent from Wet\u2019suwet\u2019en Hereditary leadership, the rightful titleholders of the land.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Outside the shareholder meeting, hundreds of people rallied to urge RBC to stop greenwashing, respect Indigenous sovereignty, and phase out fossil fuel financing. There was drumming, music and statements from local groups, Indigenous delegates from across North America. <\/p>\n\n

One in four shareholders supported a resolution for Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed, Consent. While RBC executives recommended rejecting all shareholder resolutions introduced on climate action and Indigenous rights in its proxy book, these resolutions received record and growing support, including:<\/p>\n\n