Vancouver, B.C. - An alliance of Central Interior First Nations is pressuring the Bank of Montreal not to finance the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.

 

The five nations of the Yinka Dene Alliance are at BMO’s annual general meeting in Vancouver today to pass the message on to shareholders. It says banks shouldn’t raise funds for Enbridge because it fails to respect the authority of First Nations along the proposed pipeline route.

 

"We're calling on BMO to live up to the highest human rights and environmental standards in making their financing decisions," said Geraldine Thomas-Flurer, spokesperson for the Yinka Dene Alliance. "The banks should not raise funds for companies operating within Indigenous territories against the will of Indigenous peoples."

 

The alliance says the Bank of Montreal has raised over 286 million dollars for Enbridge since 2007. 

 

In a letter sent to BMO on March 2^nd the Yinka Dene called on the bank to make business decisions that are in line with its stated social and environmental commitments. The letter referred specifically to the Enbridge pipelines, stating: "We have spent several years considering the project, including the completion of detailed studies as to how the Enbridge pipelines would affect our land, waters, and peoples, and the exercise of our rights … the Enbridge pipeline project is in violation of our laws, and our obligations to all peoples to protect these lands and waters."

 

The Yinka Dene Alliance says its request to the Bank of Montreal isn’t without precedent, as it says the Royal Bank of Canada adopted a policy requiring bankers to document where client activities impact indigenous communities.

 

The Yinka Dene Alliance includes the Nadleh Whut’en, Nak’azdli, Takla Lake, Saik’uz, and Wet’suewet’en First Nations.