To: Dan Kelly, CEO of CFIB-FCEI
Call for CFIB-FCEI to break up with Scotiabank
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB-FCEI) is Canada's largest advocacy group for small businesses, with over 97,000 businesses represented.
One of CFIB's affiliates is Scotiabank, which offers discounts for both business and personal accounts to CFIB members.
Scotiabank is currently the largest foreign investor in Elbit Systems. Elbit Systems, based in Haifa, is Israel’s largest private arms manufacturer and security company. Elbit’s largest customer is the Israeli Ministry of Defence, with Elbit providing up to 85% of Israel’s land-based military equipment and approximately 85% of its drones.
One of CFIB's affiliates is Scotiabank, which offers discounts for both business and personal accounts to CFIB members.
Scotiabank is currently the largest foreign investor in Elbit Systems. Elbit Systems, based in Haifa, is Israel’s largest private arms manufacturer and security company. Elbit’s largest customer is the Israeli Ministry of Defence, with Elbit providing up to 85% of Israel’s land-based military equipment and approximately 85% of its drones.
According to Defense for Children International – Palestine, “Israel, the world’s largest exporter of aerial drones, killed at least 164 children in drone attacks” during its 2014 assault on Gaza. And an Elbit drone was reportedly used in the infamous attack that same year that killed four Palestinian boys playing on a beach in Gaza.
Since October 7, 2023 it is estimated that Israel has killed close to 200,000 civilians in Palestine, many of whom have died due to drone strikes.
It is imperative that we denounce the current genocide in Palestine, and pressure companies and corporations to divest themselves of their complicity in it.
To that end, I am asking as a long time member of the CFIB, that it find a new banking partner, one that is not funding, aiding, and abetting the genocide in Palestine.
Since October 7, 2023 it is estimated that Israel has killed close to 200,000 civilians in Palestine, many of whom have died due to drone strikes.
It is imperative that we denounce the current genocide in Palestine, and pressure companies and corporations to divest themselves of their complicity in it.
To that end, I am asking as a long time member of the CFIB, that it find a new banking partner, one that is not funding, aiding, and abetting the genocide in Palestine.
Why is this important?
Scotiabank is already under pressure to divest itself of Elbit shares; however to date they have not shown any interest in doing so. We therefore need to use all avenues available to us to increase this pressure. As the CFIB-FCEI is Canada's largest advocacy group of over 97,000 small businesses, we can make our voice heard, that supporting genocide is not acceptable to us as Canadians, and as Canadian small businesses.