MEDIA ADVISORY: Dozens of Indigenous, Frontline, and Climate Delegates Descend on Toronto for RBC Annual General Meeting

Media are requested to RSVP no later than 10:30am EDT on Thursday, April 11 by clicking this link.

TORONTO, ON (Traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples) – Between Tuesday, April 9 and Friday, April 12, Indigenous, Frontline, and Climate Delegates will gather in Toronto around Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) Thursday, April 11 Annual General Meeting (AGM) to call-out the bank’s continued financing of fossil fuel expansion projects violating Indigenous sovereignty and human rights.

This also comes as RBC, along with Citibank and JP Morgan & Chase, agreed to a New York City climate resolution to disclose its renewable to fossil fuel energy financing ratio, as well RBC conceding to the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs’ (UBCIC) resolution on a Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) resolution.

Week-of RBC AGM Overview:

Tuesday, April 9, 2024: 1×1 Media Availability 

Wednesday, April 10, 2024: Water Walk & Media Availability 

Thursday, April 11, 2024: RBC AGM, Rally & News Conference 

Friday, April 12, 2024: Public Panel

Indigenous, Frontline & Climate Delegation Media Availability:

• Chief Na’Moks: Hereditary Chief of Wet’suwet’en. RBC is a financier of the Coastal Gaslink pipeline crossing Wet’suwet’en land. 
• Grand Chief Stewart Philip: Grand Chief of Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC); UBCIC alongside BCGEU has been in negotiations with RBC on UNDRIP/FPIC resolution.
• Vanessa Gray: Anishinaabe Kwe, Divestment Campaign Coordinator at Indigenous Climate Action; co-founder of Aamjiwnaang and Sarnia Against Pipelines (ASAP), Porcupine Warriors, and co-lead of the Environmental Data Justice (EDJ) Lab.
• Tara Houska: attorney and founder Giniw Collective, Couchiching First Nation citizen; Involved in Enbridge Line 3 opposition (RBC has financed Enbridge) and history with Indigenous divestment movement. 
• Sharon Lavigne: community organizer and Founder of Rise St James; from St James Parish, Louisiana, involved in community opposition to Formosa Plastics (financed by RBC)
• Shamyra Lavigne-Davey: community organizer with Rise St James; from St James Parish, Louisiana, involved in community opposition to Formosa Plastics (financed by RBC). Daughter of Ms. Sharon.
• Beze Gray: Two-Spirit Anishinaabe Kwe, Divestment Campaign Coordinator at Indigenous Climate Action; co-founder of Aamjiwnaang and Sarnia Against Pipelines (ASAP), and co-lead of the Environmental Data Justice (EDJ) Lab.
• Eve Saint: Wet’suwet’en land defender, Gidimt’en Checkpoint Finance Campaigner, daughter of Hereditary Chief Woos
• Shaylee Holland: Youth delegate of the Wet’suwet’en Nation
• Anna-Marie Holland: Delegate of the Wet’suwet’en Nation
• Jocey Alec: Wet’suwet’en land defender and daughter of Chief Woos, the head chief of C’as Yikh (Grizzly) house on Gidimt’en territory
• Cedar George-Parker: Tsleil-Waututh Nation; fighting the Transmountain pipeline, which has received financing from RBC 
• Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck: CEO and Co-Founder of 7 Directions of Service, Citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation; fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline financed by RBC
• Jason Crazy Bear Keck: Co-Founder of 7 Directions of Service; fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline financed by RBC
• Beverly Andrews: Keepers of the Water; Anishinaabe (Saulteaux) from Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation in Treaty 4 and of British descent.
• Tori Cress: Keepers of the Water; Anishinaabe (Ojibway and Pottawattami) from G’Chimnissing, an island community on the shores of Georgian Bay in Williams Treaty territory.
• Kolin Sutherland-Wilson: Git’luuhl’um’hetxwit Wilp of the Gitxsan people, also known as the house of Tsi’basaa. Works as a Lax’yip Protection Specialist, upholding the inherent jurisdiction of Gitxsan law on Gitxsan land.
• Jesse Stoeppler: Skeena Watershed Coalition; fighting Coastal Gas Link + LNG build out
• Juan B. Mancias: Tribal Chairman of the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, was born and raised in Plainview, Texas.
• Celine Isimbi: Student and climate delegate with Change Course
• Eugene Kung: Lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law (WCEL) supporting Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC); co-filer of the Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed Consent resolution
• Richard Brooks: Climate Finance Director, Stand.earth; supporter of New York City Comptroller’s Energy Ratio Resolution

Wednesday, April 10: Water Walk and Media Availability

What: Black and Indigenous delegation and allies attending Royal Bank of Canada’s AGM will be participating in a Water Walk; Photo opportunity, and media availability

Where: The St. Regis Toronto, 325 Bay Street, Toronto, ON

When: 2:30 – 3:00 PM EDT (GMT-4), Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Thursday, April 11: Rally and Mobilization

What: Rally and speeches calling out Canada’s #1 fossil fuel financing bank for its violating Indigenous sovereignty and human rights and perpetuating climate chaos.

Where: Gather at 644 Dixon Rd, Toronto, ON M9W 1J1, Canada

When: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EDT (GMT-4), Thursday, April 11, 2024

Thursday, April 11: Press Conference

What: Delegates will take part in a post-AGM press conference. There will be photo opportunities, and a Q&A following remarks.

Where: Crowne Plaza Toronto, 33 Carlson Ct, Toronto, ON M9W 6H5; Humber Room, located in the lower lobby on the ground floor.

When: 1:00 – 2:00 PM EDT (GMT-4), Thursday, April 11, 2024

Media are requested to RSVP no later than 10:30am EDT on Thursday, April 11 by clicking this link.

Friday, April 12: Public Panel

What: Panel featuring Black and Indigenous speakers on “The Financial Risk of Ignoring Indigenous Rights”

Where: Hybrid event at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, 16 Spadina Rd, Toronto. Register here.

When: Friday, April 12 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM EDT

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SPOKESPEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR IN-PERSON AND REMOTE INTERVIEWS