Questions? Email us! decolonial-solidarity@protonmail.com
Decolonial Solidarity FAQ
(FR)
Q: What is Decolonial Solidarity?
A: The Decolonial Solidarity project has been put together by a team of settler and allied activists. We did so in response to a call-to-action from Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders following the RCMP invasion of their land in November of 2021. We seek to support front-line Land Defenders in their struggles against colonialism and extractivism.
As allies, we are directly accountable to frontline Land Defenders who communicate with our organizing team. They ultimately approve or veto our goals, strategy, tactics, and targets.
Q: How can I get involved in Decolonial Solidarity and Wet’suwet’en solidarity?
A: If you would like to support this campaign and get involved with Decolonial Solidarity:
You can also take online action in support of Land Defenders. Check out the Take Action section of the Yintah Access website.
You can email us at decolonial-solidarity@protonmail.com at any time.
Q: Who are the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders and why are their lands being invaded?
A: The Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders, under the governance of their hereditary chiefs, are currently opposing the largest fracking project in Canadian history: Coastal GasLink (CGL), a 670 km (400 mi) fracked gas pipeline that would connect fracking operations in Northeastern B.C. with a Liquified Natural Gas plant in coastal town of Kitimat, B.C . Although Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs proposed an alternative route that would not pass through their territory, CGL rejected this in favour of a route that goes directly through culturally and environmentally important areas on Wet’suwet’en land.
The Wet’suwet’en have never signed treaties or sold their land to Canada. Canada has repeatedly violated its own laws, international human rights law, and Anuc niwh’it’en (Wet'suwet'en law) by sending heavily militarised federal police (RCMP) to violently arrest and forcibly remove Indigenous Land Defenders, elders, journalists, and legal observers from Wet’suwet’en land as they resist the Coastal GasLink pipeline. These actions directly contribute to the ongoing colonization and genocide of Indigenous peoples by the Canadian government and extractive industries. See a full timeline of events here.
Q: What does RBC have to do with all this?
A: RBC is the biggest lender to the Coastal Gaslink (CGL) pipeline and has arranged an astonishing CAD $6.8 billion in loans. Further, RBC has invested CAD $262 billion (US$201 billion) in fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement (2015-2021). This makes the RBC the fifth biggest bank lender to fossil fuel infrastructure in the world and the biggest in Canada.
RBC proudly says it is a bank “that stands for Indigenous inclusion and prosperity’. However, RBC has and continues to ignore the demands of the custodians of the lands that it is destroying through pipelines and fossil fuel extraction.
This pipeline will not only run through unceded territory and pollute Wedzin Kwa, a pristine freshwater river and source of food for the Wet’suwet’en people, but it will also undermine Canada’s commitment to stay below 1.5 °C of warming under the Paris Agreement. Without RBC’s investments, the pipeline cannot be built. More info on RBC’s dirty investments here.
Q: What is Decolonial Solidarity doing in response?
A: Decolonial Solidarity has been called upon by the Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders to carry out a strategic campaign to pressure RBC to stop funding the development of the Coastal GasLink Pipeline (CGL) on Wet'suwet'en land.
We have thus launched an Adopt-a-Branch campaign in which allies show up at RBC branches regularly and engage RBC customers and employees, as well as passers-by.
We plan to be present at RBC branches across the country, creating a 360 degree megaphone system. Wherever the bank is, it will hear from the allies of those who its investments hurt. By engaging RBC customers and employees, we plan to build internal pressure and target the bank’s brand and to shake things up from within.