UBC Graduate Students Society joins 9 other student unions signing joint letter: Call on banks to divest, respect Indigenous sovereignty
The University of British Columbia Graduate Students Society adds their name to our joint statement calling out RBC, TD, BMO, CIBC and Scotiabank for their continued funding of fossil fuels and projects that violate Indigenous rights.
10 student unions, representing over 450 000 students, call on RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, and CIBC to:
1. Drop the Coastal Gaslink and Trans Mountain pipelines;
2. Divest from Fossil Fuels: Immediately divest from fossil fuel expansion projects and phase out support for all fossil fuel projects by 2040;
3. Respect Indigenous Peoples’ right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent as per the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
“We at the GSS stand with other student unions and urge the “Big Five” banks to divest in fossil fuels projects since it infringes on Indigenous People’s rights and contributes to global warming. Funding these projects have detrimental effects on the environment and infringe on human rights. The GSS supports the termination of these projects.” – Emily Tang, VP External, Graduate Student Society of UBC Vancouver.
The statement was signed by
- University of British Columbia Graduate Students Society
- University of Victoria Students’ Society
- Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario
- Concordia Arts and Science Federation of Associations
- Canadian Federation of Students Nova Scotia
- University of Ottawa Students’ Union
- York Federation of Students
- Trent Central Student Association
- Simon Fraser Student Society
- University of Toronto Students’ Union
In addition to this statement, the York Federation of Students, the University of Toronto Student Union and the University of Ottawa Student unions have all passed motions banning RBC sponsorships, and promising not to renew leases with RBC OnCampus chapters when they come to term.
