Lubicon Lake Indian Nation Little Buffalo Lake, AB 403-629-3945 FAX: 403-629-3939 Mailing address: 3536 - 106 Street Edmonton, AB T6J 1A4 403-436-5652 FAX: 403-437-0719 April 14, 1994 Two more prominent national Canadian clothing outlets have joined the Lubicon boycott of Daishowa paper products. Enclosed for your information are letters from the involved companies as well as a related press release issued by the Toronto Friends of the Lubicon. * * * * * Attachment #1: Friends of the Lubicon (Toronto) Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- April 5, 1994 ROOTS and CLUB MONACO to boycott Daishowa paper products National clothing outlets Club Monaco and Roots have both agreed to stop using paper products manufactured by Daishowa-Marubeni International to protest that company's plans to clear-cut the unceded territories of the Lubicon Lake Cree Nation in northern Alberta. A total of 44 companies have now joined the boycott of Daishowa, representing a total of over 4,300 retail outlets in Canada. Roots Canada and Club Monaco join national chains such as A&W, KFC, Bowring and the Body Shop and Woolworth Canada Inc. in confirming their decision not to support the activities of Daishowa-Marubeni International (DMI). DMI holds leases to clear-cut almost the entire traditional territories of the Lubicon Lake Cree near Peace River, Alberta. The Lubicon have been fighting for a land rights settlement for over 50 years. Already reeling from the effects of massive oil and gas exploitation on their land, the Lubicon see clear-cut logging as a death warrant for their small community. In November 1991, the Toronto-based Friends of the Lubicon announced an international boycott on Daishowa paper products in order to pressure Daishowa to make a clear, public and unequivocal commitment not to cut or to buy wood cut on unceded Lubicon lands until a land rights settlement is reached and a timber harvesting agreement signed with the Lubicon Nation which respects Lubicon wildlife and environmental concerns. Since that time Daishowa has been forced to delay logging plans each season due to public pressure from companies like Roots and Club Monaco who made the decision to support the Lubicon's fight for their land rights and drop Daishowa products. Letters from the two companies are attached. For more information, please call Kevin Thomas of Friends of the Lubicon at 416-631-3513 -30- * * * * * Attachment #2: April 04, 1994, letter from Roots Canada to Friends of the Lubicon (Toronto) Dear Kevin, At Roots we support a strong philosophy to preserve what we have today, for future generations. This means a concern with our environment and materials within our environment. After assessing the situation in Alberta, we decided that Roots would no longer support Daishowa Canada Co. Ltd. in purchasing our paper products. Once our inventory from Daishowa depletes, we will be working with our suppliers to purchase new paper products for Roots Canada Ltd. If you have any questions, pleas feel free to call me. Sincerely, Stefani Putnickovich * * * * * Attachment #3: March 04, 1994, letter from Club Monaco International to Friends of the Lubicon (Toronto) Dear Mr. Thomas: Please be informed that we have instructed our supplier of paper products that no future orders are to be made from Daishowa paper products. Yours truly, Danny Dhaniram, Senior Director, Distribution, Premises & Security * * * * * Attachment #4: April 10, 1994, Calgary Herald FIRMS BOYCOTT DAISHOWA PRODUCTS Clothing retailers Club Monaco and Roots, both with outlets in Calgary, have joined more than 40 companies boycotting a corporation that plans to log land claimed by the Lubicon Lake Indians. Other major companies boycotting paper products made by Daishowa Marubeni International include A&W, KFC, Bowring, the Body Shop and Woolworth Canada Inc., says a Lubicon support group. The total of 44 companies represent more than 4,300 retail outlets in Canada, said Kevin Thomas, of Toronto-based Friends of the Lubicon. Daishowa-Marubeni, a Japanese conglomerate which operates a pulp mill near Peace River, has a timber lease that includes 10,400 square kilometres of traditional Lubicon territory. The Lubicon Lake Cree, who were promised a reserve in 1939, are still pressing the federal government for a settlement of the 55-year-old claim. Thomas said the Lubicon, "already reeling from the effects of massive oil and gas exploitation on their land...see clearcut logging as a death warrant for their small community." Friends of the Lubicon started the international boycott in 1991 to pressure Daishowa to not cut or buy wood cut on "unceded Lubicon lands." * * * * * Attachment #5: April 14-20, 1994, edition of "Now" Magazine BOYCOTT GROWS As Earth Week celebrations are set to burst out across the city, Toronto-based support Friends of the Lubicon are counting yet another victory in their ongoing battle against paper conglomerate Daishowa- Marubeni International. National clothing chains Roots Canada and Club Monaco have added their names to the 44 companies -- representing more than 4,300 retail outlets -- that have joined the world boycott of Daishowa paper products, launched in `91. Kevin Thomas, a spokesperson for the group, is hoping the growing list prompts Daishowa to pressure federal Indian Affairs Minister Ron Irwin to get on with settling the land rights issue with the northern Alberta Cree nation, which has been resisting Daishowa's logging efforts on their land. Says Thomas, "There's just not the political will (to settle). Daishowa hopes it can wait out the boycott and public pressure." -Enzio Di Matteo * * * * * Attachment #6: Alberta Native News, April 1994 ROOTS AND CLUB MONACO JOIN BOYCOTT National clothing outlets Club Monaco and Roots have both announced they will stop using paper products manufactured by Daishowa-Marubeni International to protest that company's plans to clear-cut the unceded territories of the Lubicon Lake Cree Nation in northern Alberta. A total of 44 companies have now joined the boycott of Daishowa, representing over 4,300 retail outlets in Canada. Roots Canada and Club Monaco join national chains such as A&W, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Bowring and the Body Shop and Woolworth Canada Inc. in confirming their decision not to support the activities of Daishowa-Marubeni International (DMI). DMI holds leases to clear-cut almost the entire traditional territories of the Lubicon Lake Cree near Peace River, Alberta. The Lubicon have been fighting for a lands rights settlement for over 50 years. Already reeling from the effects of massive oil and gas exploitation on their land, the Lubicon see clear-cut logging as a death warrant for their small community. In November 1991, the Toronto-based Friends of the Lubicon announced an international boycott on Daishowa paper products in order to pressure Daishowa to make a clear, public and unequivocal commitment not to cut or to buy wood cut on unceded Lubicon lands until a land rights agreement is reached and a timber harvesting agreement signed with the Lubicon Nation which respects Lubicon wildlife and environmental concerns. Since that time Daishowa has been forced to delay logging plans each season due to public pressure from companies like Roots and Club Monaco who made the decision to support the Lubicon's right for their land rights and drop Daishowa products.