Yesterday across Canada there were over 40 #RBCisKillingMe actions, loudly calling for an immediate stop to RBC’s funding of fossil fuel projects, starting with the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline that’s currently being forced through Wet’suwet’en territory without consent.
This was part of a global day of action calling on the financial sector to stop fueling the climate crisis and cut its ties with the fossil fuel industry.
“#RBCisKillingMe” is the slogan created by Wet’suwet’en land defenders at the Gidimt’en checkpoint. CGL is a fracked gas pipeline which is poised to slash through 670 km of their unceded territory and will irreversibly transform the environment of northern British Columbia. What’s RBC’s role? It’s a major financier for the CGL pipeline.
In fact, RBC is Canada’s largest “fossil bank”, meaning it’s fueling the climate crisis through its enormous investment in the fossil fuel industry. And RBC’s not the only one, each of Canada’s Big 5 banks are complicit, though RBC is by far the largest. Just how large? Well, they’ve poured over $200 Billion into fossil fuels since the Paris Climate Agreement was signed in 2015. And staggeringly, RBC is the 5th biggest funder of fossil fuels in the world.
In Toronto over a hundred people took the message #RBCisKillingMe to RBC’s headquarters. Busy Wellington Street traffic was blocked to paint this striking street mural whose design came from Wet’suwet’en land defenders.
Why this design? Gidimt’en checkpoint land defenders are of the Cas yikh (house of grizzly) Gidimt’en (bear) clan. The design powerfully depicts a bear preventing the RBC lion from destroying a burning world. #RBCisKillingMe is not a metaphor. By preventing the development of pipelines, land defenders are fighting for the land that sustains them.
In Vancouver, around 200 people assembled at the RBC building on Georgia Street. Much to the crowd’s delight, David McKay, CEO of RBC, accepted awards for his funding of climate destruction. As the real David McKay was unavailable, Greenpeace’s large inflatable ‘fossil fuel man’ stood in for him.
A fake oil spill was staged at Montreal’s Place Ville Marie, where participants joined arms in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders.
And at Coyote Camp, where Gidimt’en Checkpoint organizers have moved in to occupy Coastal GasLink’s drill site on the banks of the Wedzin Kwa River, community members celebrated at a feast with music and prayer. Art and banners displayed defiantly at the drill site declare that Indigenous sovereignty stands strong and will not be destroyed.
In Winnipeg, Greenpeace volunteers staged a small but mighty protest outside a local RBC branch.
Feeling inspired?
Yesterday’s Global Day of Action saw Canadian participants joining in with thousands across the globe in 26 countries – every continent on our planet (except Antarctica). Major actions occurred at global financial centres in London, New York, Frankfurt, Sydney as well as other locations from Manila to San Francisco, São Paulo to Nairobi, the South Pacific and across Europe.
Part of the urgency to “Stop the Money pipeline” is because of the United Nations COP26 climate summit taking place October 31 to November 12 in Glasgow, Scotland. There, leaders from over 200 countries will focus on rapidly reducing emissions, climate finance, and – quite critically – quitting fossil fuels. Right now, we have this crucial opportunity to pressure RBC and all the fossil banks to stop pouring billions into fossil fuels and start respecting Indigenous rights.
Don’t despair. Organize.
Although our targets are the most powerful financial institutions in the world, together we are mighty and they can’t silence us.
Come join a growing movement of people committing to fighting the funders of climate destruction. We include Land Defenders, parents, teachers, workers, students, NGOs, student strikers, climate activists … and you!