Call to Action - Support Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) Ethical Sourcing Policy

April 22, 2009 - As many of you will be aware through today's news reports, the Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) Annual Meeting will be the target of a boycott resolution calling on the company to stop buying Israeli goods. If adopted, this non-binding resolution would set an amazing precedent. It is therefore critical that we work together to ensure the motions success and your support for MEC's existing sourcing policy.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

If you live in the Vancouver area and are a member in good standing of MEC, you are eligible to vote. Plan to attend the AGM and vote for the resolution to boycott Israeli goods.

If you are unable to attend the AGM, and even if you are NOT an MEC member, please take a moment to write to the MEC management. Please keep your letters positive and respectful, expressing support for the boycott resolution and stressing the fact that MEC has an excellent policy on ethical sourcing which should not be extended to boycotting goods from Israel.

Forward this email to those who may also be interested in taking action.

Details appear below.

Call to Action

Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) Israel Boycott Resolution

Please Support Mountain Equipment Co-op's Ethical Sourcing Policy

A resolution from the floor calling on Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) to cease purchasing products from Israeli manufacturers is being proposed at the MEC Annual General Meeting on Thursday, April 30. The resolution, which characterizes Israel as an apartheid state, is being proposed by MEC members.

The resolution is in line with MEC's established environmental and ethical sourcing policies, with which these Israeli companies are in full violation of.

Following is important information:

1) The meeting takes place Thursday, April 30, 2009; 6:00 p.m. (doors open at 5:15 pm) at the Segal School of Business, SFU Downtown, 500 Granville Street.

2) You must be a member in good standing of MEC to attend the meeting and must bring with you your membership card and two additional pieces of identification in order to be admitted to the AGM. If you and your spouse are members together only the member-of-record whose name is on the card can attend the meeting.

3) MEC has a long-established and excellent sourcing policy (www.mec.ca - follow links for Ethical Sourcing) which the board and management has a record of upholding. In this context the desired outcome is to demonstrate support for the existing policy by ensuring the success of the proposed resolution.

4) If you are not an MEC member or cannot attend the meeting you can still be helpful by communicating your support for the upcoming resolution to Denise Lawson, Chair, or David Labistour, CEO at 149 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver BC V5Y 4A6; 604-707-3300; or info@mec.ca

5) If you are not an MEC member but are available Thursday, April 30 and would still like to help support the boycott resolution, please contact your local Palestine solidarity organization for ways you can show support.

It is important to note that the Mountain Equipment Coop is a responsible organization with well-established governance and business practices. They are a cooperative with a broad and diverse membership. In line with this ethical commitment MEC members are seeking to advance a resolution to hold Israeli businesses to account for their consistent violations of environmental and ethical practices. By acting in a thoughtful and disciplined manner we can help make this resolution a success and uphold MEC's existing policies.