March 4, 1992
For Immediate Release
PIZZA PIZZA BOYCOTT CALLED OFF
As of today, the Friends of the Lubicon is calling off our boycott
campaign of Pizza Pizza. Grassroots pressure from Lubicon Lake Nation
supporters has again been successful in cancelling another of Daishowa
Canada Co. Ltd.'s contracts. Pizza Pizza has decided to stop using
Daishowa paper bags. The Daishowa boycott itself will continue.
The Friends of the Lubicon, a local organization supporting the Lubicon
Lake Indian Nation's land rights struggle, has been asking companies to
stop using Daishowa products to force the company to abandon its plans to
clear cut unceded Lubicon territories in northern Alberta. Of the
companies contacted by our group, Pizza Pizza was the only one who had
steadfastly refused to cancel their contracts for Daishowa bags.
The concerted boycott effort mounted by Lubicon supporters in Ontario
included a postering campaign, leafleting actions in front of Pizza Pizza
outlets, and convincing advertising outlets not to carry Pizza Pizza
advertising. Pizza Pizza says that while it still doesn't believe
Daishowa is doing anything wrong, they say "joining the boycott is the
only responsible course of action available" (read: we kicked their
butts).
Friends of the Lubicon is expecting a positive response from Country
Style Donuts soon. At least four new companies have been contacted by
the Friends of the Lubicon and further victories will be announced as
they come.
The boycott of Daishowa products will continue until Daishowa makes a
clear, public and unequivocal commitment not to cut or to buy wood cut on
unceded Lubicon territories until a land rights settlement is reached
with both levels of government and a harvesting agreement negotiated that
respects Lubicon wildlife and environmental concerns.
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario, Cultures Fresh Foods, Ho-Lee-Chow,
Mr. C's Donuts, Knechtel's Wholesale Grocers, Safeway, NOW Magazine, the
Body Shop and the YWCA have joined the boycott so far.
For more information contact
Ed Bianchi at 416-783-4694
Kevin Thomas at 416-972-6293
* * * * *
March 3 1992
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PIZZA PIZZA JOINS BOYCOTT
TORONTO, Ont.---Effective immediately Pizza Pizza is changing their paper
supplier and joining the boycott of Daishowa Canada Co. Ltd. to avoid any
backlash against it's franchise owners. "We believe Daishowa is
innocent, but we can't see our franchise owners suffer any longer from
this gross misunderstanding. We truly hope this issue will be resolved
so we may be able to continue our relationship with a very fine company,"
says Lorn Austin, Executive Director of Pizza Pizza.
To date, no clear cutting of Lubicon land by Daishowa has occurred, and
closed door discussions are currently underway between the Lubicons and
the Federal Government in an effort to resolve this issue to the benefit
of all involved.
Daishowa Canada Co. Ltd. Vice-President and General Manager Tom Hamaoka
said today: "We reiterated our statement that involving Daishowa and its
customers in this dispute between the Lubicon and the Federal Government
is completely unjustified, since Daishowa has refrained entirely from
taking any timber from the Lubicon's current area of concern and we have
said that we are prepared to extend this undertaking if it assists the
two parties to reach an accord."
Lorn Austin is in agreement with Mr. Hamaoka who states, "Daishowa Canada
Co. Ltd. is surprised and disappointed that the Toronto-based "Friends of
the Lubicon" organization have continued to attack customers when neither
they nor Daishowa are causing any harm whatsoever to the Lubicon
peoples."
Pizza Pizza believes the franchise owners have become the scapegoats of
this dispute, and "joining the boycott is the only responsible course of
action available until the Federal Government and the Lubicon resolve
this issue."
For further information, contact:
Lorn Austin
Executive Director
Pizza Pizza
580 Jarvis Street
Toronto, ONT
416-967-1010