MEDIA ADVISORY: Second Annual Fossil Fools Day Takes New Form as Multi-Day Campaign, Highlighting RBC’s Record for Human Rights Violations and Fuelling of Climate Chaos
Rallies in front of Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) locations happening Saturday across so-called Canada leading up to RBC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 5, 2024
TORONTO, ON – Following a successful launch of Fossil Fools Day in 2023, organizers have returned with a bigger and stronger message to RBC, so-called Canada’s #1 Fossil Fool.
WHO:
We are a multi-generational, multi-racial movement in solidarity with Indigenous Land Defenders and frontline leaders who are exercising sovereignty and holding RBC accountable.
WHAT:
Rallies across Canada on Saturday, April 6, culminating in a protest outside of RBC’s Annual General Meeting in Toronto on Thursday, April 11.
A digital campaign has been underway since April 1.
The multi-day campaign will turn up the heat on RBC for its fueling of the climate crisis, and its direct funding of violence against Indigenous Peoples from Turtle Island to Palestine, the Gulf South to Amazonia and beyond.
WHERE:
Online across various platforms
And in-person at over 40 locations across Canada including: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montréal, Moncton and Halifax. Full map of locations available here
WHEN:
Saturday, April 6 - Thousands mobilizing from coast-to-coast, in over 40 different cities and towns
Thursday, April 11 - Rally outside of RBC’s Annual General Meeting in Toronto
Ongoing - Digital actions including flooding RBC’s social platforms with comments highlighting the bank’s failing of Canadians and people the world, contacting key executives and launching a digital ad campaign targeting RBC employees to leverage pressure internally to bring change.
WHY:
In 2022 alone, RBC funnelled $38 Billion (USD) into fossil fuels, making it so-called Canada’s #1 fossil bank and the second largest funder of fossil fuels in the world.
Our struggles are interconnected — organizers and Land, Water, and Air Defenders are here from many movements from the fight for a free Palestine, to housing justice to climate. Everyone needs clean air to breathe, water to drink, and land to live on. When we fight together – we win.
Led by Indigenous and Frontline Land Defenders, our demands are clear: RBC must rapidly phase out fossil fuel financing, respect Free, Prior, and Informed Consent and ramp up investments in climate safe solutions.
That’s why we’re taking over and mobilizing from coast-to-coast to hold RBC accountable at its April 11 annual general meeting (AGM) in Toronto.
Media Contacts:
Katie Wilson, Digital Media Coordinator
katie@indigenousclimateaction.com
+1 306-519-7332
Kari Vierimaa, KPW Communications
kari@kpwcomms.com
+1 416-578-0488