Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

People vow to boycott Ben & Jerry's after ice cream company marks Canada Day by tweeting about 'stolen land'

A Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop pictured on July 20, 2021, in Burlington, Vt. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) A Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop pictured on July 20, 2021, in Burlington, Vt. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Share

People are vowing to boycott Ben & Jerry's ice cream after the company marked Canada Day by tweeting about "our home on stolen land."

On Saturday, the iconic American ice cream maker , linking to an online petition, urging Parliament "to disband C-IRG today!"

"Another day to talk about #LandBack and how we can support communities defending their land. Take action this Canada Day," the company tweeted with a link to a form.

The demanding the disbandment of RCMP's controversial Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG). The task force has been criticized over its tactics and has been accused of violations of human rights, civil liberties and racist and violent attacks on Indigenous Peoples, .

"British Columbia’s use of a police force to protect pipelines and logging projects, and suppress free speech represents a profound failure to deal with the climate emergency and protect Indigenous rights," reads the petition letter on the ice cream company's website. "I am joining many others who are calling for this new policing unit to be disbanded."

Some social media users vowed to boycott Ben & Jerry's for "politicizing ice cream."

"I prefer non-political ice cream, so I’ll take a hard pass on Ben & Jerry’s," .

"The action I plan on taking is to never ever buy your product again. Disgusting," reads another.

Some pointed out the ice cream-maker itself is on stolen land.

"I don't want to point out the obvious but many Indigenous people are lactose intolerant. Your product gives us the [poops]. I'll send my address where you can send our royalties to since you are on stolen land as well," .

"Sure, you go first. #LandBack," .

Â鶹ӰÊÓ has reached out to Ben & Jerry's Canadian parent company, Unilever, for comment on the Canada Day tweet but has yet to receive a response.

In the U.S., the Vermont-based company put out a similar statement on Tuesday to mark America's Independence Day.

"The United States was founded on stolen Indigenous land. This Fourth of July let's commit to returning it," .

The company suggested that Mount Rushmore would be a good starting point before outlining the history behind the iconic site.

"Ah, the Fourth of July. Who doesn't love a good parade, some tasty barbecue, and a stirring fireworks display? The only problem with all that, though, is that it can distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth: The U.S. was founded on stolen Indigenous land," reads the message on the U.S. website. "This year, let’s commit to returning it."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected