Last Thursday, April 11^th, shareholders of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) met in Etobicoke at the Toronto Congress Centre (TCC). Close to the airport, an easy drive from downtown, and with tons of meeting rooms and event spaces, the TCC is a much sought after venue. I’ve attended conferences with some awesome speakers, met people I’d only previously known online, stood behind one of its podiums while sharing my own thoughts with others, and managed to get into some very interesting conversations with others who agreed with my thinking or were anxious to tell me how much they disdained my perspective. Some, I’ll admit, just ignored me which always, somehow, felt just plain rude. I don’t really care how famous you are; if you’re in the room, listen to the speaker or leave, preferably with your phone to your ear and running.

The RBC’s meeting wasn’t, apparently, about the conversations that could be had at the TCC. To avoid any unexpected conversations, in fact, the bank blocked access to the meeting to any but shareholders, a practice that, I’ve been told, is relatively new. Still, the desire to hear what even the shareholders had to say was limited; those in attendance who requested permission to address the meeting were required to do so in 60 seconds or less. Of course, that’s not a conversation; not much to respond to, I’d say. And, just to make sure no one got close enough to witness bank executives refusing to acknowledge or answer a question, RBC blocked access to the Congress Centre, itself, with a purchased police presence reinforced with strategically parked police cruisers blocking the driveway. Both driveways, in fact.

I know this because I was there.

Outside.
In the rain.
Taking pictures.
Of Toronto’s Red Rebels.

But most importantly …

                                             standing witness

                                                            to 
                                      Wet’suwet’en Chief Na’moks, 
                                                traditional leader 
                                                      of a people 
                                            who have been under
                                                    unremitting, 
                                                and often violent 
                                                    surveillance 
                                      by a special RCMP task force 
                         … the Community-Industry Response Group
                             to whom you and I and other Canadians
                                                   have, by now,
                                    paid over thirty million dollars
                         despite their having no direct accountability 
                                 to anyone other than themselves … 
                                           empowered to protect 
                        the Royal Bank’s Coastal Gaslink investment 
                                         which, despite promises 
                                   to protect both land and water, 
                                                  is destroying 
                                            Wet’suwet’en lands, 
                                                      forests, 
                                               and waterways, 

                           share the humiliation of his 60 seconds, 
            and the dismissal of everything he had no time to speak of, 
                                   everything for which he gives 
                                                     every 
                                                                single 
                                                                        moment 
                                                                              of 
                                                                                  his 
                                                                                    life
                                                                                  .
                                                                                  .
                                                                                  .
                                                                                  

Did I mention it was raining?

Community-Industry Response Group was recently renamed the “Critical Response Unit” which would appear to disentangle it from the “Industry” to which it continues to provide its protection.

RCMP funding for Community-Industry Response Group to January 2023.