OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via the website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is from reader Carol Deimling, who was one of several Orillia residents who protested outside the Orillia RBC branch on the weekend to express concerns with the bank's contributions to the climate crisis:
Do you care about climate change? Would you stand up for what you do care about?
On Saturday, April 6, a group of determined, enthusiastic folks planned and carried out a protest outside the RBC branch on Monarch Drive in Orillia. This event was one of 40 similar events held across Canada to highlight the fact that according to Leadnow’s research, “RBC is the biggest bankroller of the climate crisis, destroying the planet and trampling on Indigenous rights.”
The campaign was organized by Leadnow, working with a wide-ranging network of allied groups to defend the planet’s future and stand together with Wet’sunwet’en land defenders.
During our protest, members of the group politely spoke to customers of RBC as they walked toward the branch and handed out a small flyer explaining why
the group was protesting. Most of the folks were very patient, kind and receptive but a few refused to accept the flyer even waving us away from their vicinity. One person exclaimed “I don’t care about climate change, you should just save animals.”
Why did Leadnow take this initiative? Here are some of the facts to consider:
- RBC pumped $38 billion into fossil fuel companies in 2023 alone and that bank is the world’s largest fossil fuel financiers according to The Banking on Climate Change Report.
- RBC admits that the majority of its oil and gas clients do “not have 1.5 zero C aligned emissions reduction targets,” yet presents no plan for helping them transition or dropping them, and the impacts on our health extends for decades or generations according to Vanessa Gray, Divestment Coordinator, Indigenous Climate Action.
- Every day there is harm caused to Indigneous communities by the projects RBC is financing. Richard Brooks, Climate Finance Director Stand.Earth states: “These incremental steps [ that RBC says it is taking] are insufficient and irresponsible on the heels of the hottest year on record and an increasingly year-round fire season. These small steps by RBC management are toward a commitment to triple low-carbon energy financing by 2030. But RBC’s financing of dirty coal, oil and gas- to the tune of $38 billions – is like pouring fuel on the fire while considering buying a fire extinguisher.”
Evelyn Austin, Executive Director of Change Course states, “RBC can finesse its messaging and attempt to greenwash its targets, but students and young people in Canada have no interest in the numbers game ... students will continue to see that RBC is putting our future at risk.”
Canada’s big five banks are undermining net-zero commitments through fossil fuel financing, lack of strong sector policies and inconsistent policy engagement. RBC’s financing actively undermines Canada achieving its 2030 and 2050 climate goals according to Leadnow research.
One young person on Saturday said. “I don’t care about climate change, you should just save animals.” it is unfortunate that this young person does not seem to understand that hot temperatures, climate disasters kill animals, change their migration routes and ultimately cause extinction? And might do the same for human beings...
If you care about the planet, its human beings, its animals, its environment ... stand up to banks like RBC.
Carol Deimling,
Orillia
