{"id":65158,"date":"2024-04-11T19:23:15","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T23:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=65158"},"modified":"2024-08-21T13:02:48","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T17:02:48","slug":"rbc-on-the-defensive-at-its-agm-as-movement-led-demands-for-change-yield-wins-and-facing-growing-pressure-to-do-more-on-indigenous-rights-human-rights-and-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/65158\/rbc-on-the-defensive-at-its-agm-as-movement-led-demands-for-change-yield-wins-and-facing-growing-pressure-to-do-more-on-indigenous-rights-human-rights-and-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"RBC ON THE DEFENSIVE AT ITS AGM AS MOVEMENT-LED DEMANDS FOR CHANGE YIELD WINS AND FACING GROWING PRESSURE TO DO MORE ON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Canada\u2019s top fossil bank continues to violate Indigenous rights, global human rights while massively investing in fossil fuels<\/em><\/p>\n\n

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

Hear delegates in their own words at today’s news conference<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n

TORONTO, ON \u2013<\/strong> With testimony inside the room from Indigenous and Black land defenders, and hundreds rallying in the rain outside of Royal Bank of Canada\u2019s annual general meeting (AGM) today, RBC conceded to some demands for Indigenous rights and climate change, as the bank nevertheless continues to pump billions of dollars into fossil fuel projects across Canada and around the world, violating Indigenous sovereignty and human rights. This comes amidst a looming shareholder<\/a> showdown<\/a>, growing protests at branches and offices across Canada, and a digital campaign talking directly to its employees<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Chief Na\u2019Moks, Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief:<\/strong> \u201cWhile RBC has added respecting Free Prior Informed Consent to its Human Rights statement, and expanded its Environmental and Social Risk policy on Indigenous rights, being true to that means never financing a project like Coastal Gas Link again. A pipeline that continues to threaten the freedoms and democracy of Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. This story and RBC\u2019s role in Coastal Gas Link is now known around the world. We are meeting and sharing with communities threatened by projects like this. RBC\u2019s costs for financing fossil fuel projects on Indigenous lands will only continue to rise without taking bold action to respect our sovereignty and our rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Vanessa Gray, Aamjiwnaang First Nation: <\/strong>\u201cBy failing to recognize the inherent vital role of Indigenous teachings and traditional land use, Royal Bank of Canada is more interested in wasting time rewriting greenwashed hypocrisy while we watch our climate crumble under the pressure of the unsustainable exploitation and extraction this corporation is financing. This is an active threat to our Indigenous and everyone\u2019s human rights. As Indigenous people, was have protected our sacred knowledge through unimaginable genocide, our collective strength exceeds the cost RBC is willing to pay for our future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Dozens of Indigenous and Black land defenders and allies from across Turtle Island (North America) attended Thursday\u2019s Annual General Meeting where they were met with <\/strong>interruptions, censorship, and silencing from the RBC board despite the importance of the questions raised around human rights, Indigenous sovereignty and its reckless investments in fossil fuels. <\/p>\n\n

Last year at its meeting in Saskatoon, delegates were manhandled and segregated amid increased police surveillance and private security<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) with the British Columbia Government Employees Union (BCGEU)<\/a> as well as Stand.earth with the New York City Comptroller<\/a> put forward shareholder resolutions targeting RBC\u2019s Indigenous rights and climate change policies.<\/p>\n\n

Through sustained pressure and negotiations at the table, RBC agreed to the following:<\/p>\n\n