| CIBC Urged to Respect Indigenous Rights | 7 May 11 |
First Nations youth leader Jasmine Thomas, who represents the five First Nations of the Yinka Dene Alliance in British Columbia, attended the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) annual general meeting (AGM) in Winnipeg to warn shareholders and executives: Do not finance Enbridge or its Northern Gateway Pipeline project, since Enbridge fails to respect the authority of First Nations along the proposed pipeline route."We would like CIBC to adopt a policy that would require the bank to consider whether its clients have obtained the free, prior and informed consent of affected indigenous peoples," Thomas told the AGM, adding, "CIBC should catch up with Royal Bank and TD Bank, which have already committed to recognize our right to consent." The 1,170 km (727 mile) pipeline would carry crude oil across more than 1,000 streams and rivers, mountain ranges, avalanche-prone terrain and rainforest ecosystems before being loaded onto at least 150 tankers annually. More than 150 First Nations, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, numerous businesses, environmental organizations and prominent Canadians oppose the Enbridge pipeline. "CIBC needs to behave ethically and stop raising money for Enbridge, which intends to bring destructive tar sands pipelines through our lands even though we have said 'no'. Their pipeline would violate our human rights and harm my people," said Thomas. The President and CEO of Enbridge, Patrick D. Daniel, also sits on the CIBC board of directors. View April 28th, 2011 Yinka Dene Alliance press releaseView April 28, 2011 Yinka Dene Alliance hand-out View April 28th, 2011 Canadian Press article View April 29th, 2011 Winnipeg Free Press article View March 31, 2010 Manitoba Wildlands news item Source:
Yinka Dene Alliance
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