Man Up: Music Video Call-To-Action To Oppose The Keystone XL Pipeline Nov. 6th

Obama: Man Up! No to the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline! Becky White and the Secret Mission have just released this catchy and hilarious protest anthem/call to action track and music video — featuring RAN’s own Executive Director Rebecca Tarbotton on violin — called “Man Up!” The song calls on people to gather at the [...]

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Banks on Notice: Dump Enbridge!

As Canadians were casting their votes in the Federal Election, another important decision was playing out in the board rooms of Canada’s top banks: what to do with Enbridge, sponsor of the Northern Gateway Pipeline. Over the last several weeks, RAN  teamed up with First Nations of the Yinka Dene Alliance to put senior banking [...]

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RBS Still Mired In Tar Sands

Last Summer we had a rather public row with RBS over its role in bankrolling fossil fuel expansion. Since then, the Bank’s PR team has been working overtime to clear the bank’s name — even releasing a 10-page report dedicated to the topic. Trouble is, its bankers continue to close lucrative deals in the tar [...]

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Bank of Montreal Confronted on Indigenous Rights

CEO Bill Downe’s unmistakable message at today’s Shareholder Meeting was that Bank of Montreal has changed. During his 10 minute speech, “change” showed up 14 times! The “world has changed” he declared. “Embrace change.” “If there’s one thing I hope you take away from these remarks,” he concluded, “it’s that BMO is changing.” I half [...]

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Citi Needs an Intervention

Addiction – noun \ə-ˈdik-shən, a-\: persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful. (Merriam-Webster) Citi has a problem. Despite renewing its vows in 2009 to tackle “Environmental and Social Risk Management,” including mountaintop removal coal mining, Citi is relapsing into fossil fuel addiction. Last year, Citi raised more than $34 [...]

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Keystone XL Won’t Decrease “Unfriendly” Oil Imports Either

Yesterday, AP reported that the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline to Texas won’t decrease gas prices (I broke that story last month, but who’s counting). In fact, a report commissioned by pipeline sponsor TransCanada now shows that connecting tar sands producers with Gulf Coast refiners actually pushes gas prices up for everybody. That same [...]

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RBC Takes Step Away From Tar Sands

It took nearly two years, but today Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) finally adopted environmental and social standards on its financing in the tar sands. Great! So what does that mean? Clearly, it means a significant about-face on tar sands for one of the world’s biggest banks. Before today, RBC trailed its peers on basic [...]

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More Lies on Midwestern Tar Sands Pipeline

With approval of his $7 billion KeystoneXL pipeline uncertain,  TransCanada CEO Russ Girling is now saying the project has nothing to do with Canada’s tar sands. But that’s not the story he’s telling investors. In an interview reported today by Lauren Krugel of the Canadian Press, CEO Russ Girling said: I don’t believe that there’s [...]

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James Cameron Goes To Tar Sands As Tar Sands Come To US

James Cameron, “the most powerful man in Hollywood,” is in Alberta. Canadian TV cut into regular broadcasts this morning to show footage of him climbing into a helicopter for an areal tour of the tar sands. He’s touring with industry reps this morning, then will visit with Indigenous leaders later this afternoon in Ft. Chipewyan. [...]

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Chicago Pushes Back Against Canada’s Tar Sands

Following three significant spills of tar sands oil from aging pipelines in the Midwest, RAN Chicago took action. An afternoon protest was themed around pushing back on Canada’s tar sands and kicking our addiction to oil. Of the various placards on display (stop the serial spiller!), the hypodermic needle filled with oil was my personal [...]

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