From that link:

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Why are we offering this Mosaik Card program?
Because of this partnership, you are able to support our efforts in building a country that will welcome, respect and protect every human life.

LifeCanada-VieCanada was incorporated in 2000 as a non-profit association of local and provincial educational pro-life groups across Canada. Our mission is to

a) promote the sanctity of all human life from fertilization to natural death through public education;

b)advocate for those not yet born, the infirm, the disabled and the elderly who are all uniquely created by God. Our headquarters are in Ottawa.

This initiative comes at no extra cost to you. When a new account is approved, the Bank of Montreal makes a financial contribution to us. Furthermore, when you use your card, an additional contribution is made to us from Bank of Montreal.

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[ 25 March 2005: Message edited by: audra trower williams ]

From:Wednesday, March 09, 2005 8:13 PM
"Arianna Huffington" [email protected]

- snip from much longer article -

In a normal world, those elected to represent the interests of the people would have fought for bankruptcy legislation that would, well, represent the interests of the people. But not in Beltway Bizarroland. Instead of cracking
down on predatory lending practices, closing loopholes that favor the wealthy, and strengthening the safety net for working people, single mothers and elderly Americans struggling to recover from a financial setback, the
Senate put together a nasty little bill that reads like a credit industry wish list. Rubbing salt in the wound, Sen. Charles Grassley, the bill's chief sponsor, labeled it the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005--even though it does nothing to prevent bankruptcy abuse or protect consumers.

So what does the bill do? It makes it harder for average people to file for bankruptcy protection; it makes it easier for landlords to evict a bankrupt tenant; it endangers child support payments by giving a wider array of
creditors a shot at post-bankruptcy income; it allows millionaires to shield an unlimited amount of value in homes and asset protection trusts; it makes it more difficult for small businesses to reorganize, while opening new
loopholes for the Enrons of the world; it allows creditors to provide misleading information; and it does nothing to reign in lending abuses that
frequently turn manageable debt into unmanageable crises. Even in failure, ordinary Americans do not get a level playing field.

It would be one thing if the BMO was going around funding crisis pregnancy centres on its own initiative, but this is a fundraising service that the bank offers. I don't think it's appropriate to boycott based on one of the groups that takes them up on that oppurtunity.

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Originally posted by Hailey:
You don't want to transfer to a credit union.

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Why not?

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Originally posted by Hailey:
You don't want to transfer to a credit union.

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I am only speaking from my experience.

Although my husband and I both had an existing relationship with the credit union at the time of needed to purchase our home and set up some investments. Prior to marriage I didn't have banking needs other than having an account that would allow for withdrawals and deposits and to just experience adequate customer service. It was our experience that they were less willing to negotiate on interest rates than any of the main branches. We ended up getting a better deal with both our house and with both investments and loans at a bank that had never previously seen our faces before. That was disappointing.

I was left with the impression from our credit union that it was the norm for negotiation to be more rigid. If my information is flawed then I apologize.

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Originally posted by skdadl:
... isn't there an NDP Mastercard or something?

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P.S. The customer service rep didn't know what the term "anti-choice" meant.

[ 26 March 2005: Message edited by: spatrioter ]

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Bank of Montreal has asked an anti-abortion group to remove a link on the group's website asking members to sign up for a fundraising MasterCard after receiving angry complaints from the pro-choice movement.

Carroll Rees, executive director of Life Canada-Vie Canada, said the bank contacted it on Thursday after e-mails of outrage started arriving. E-mails were circulating across the country, calling on pro-choice supporters to cut up their MasterCards and boycott the bank.

And Life Canada-Vie Canada received at least one nasty phone call from Selkirk College in British Columbia.

Ms. Rees said the group complied with the bank's request, but she said she was puzzled about the timing of the complaints, since the Ottawa organization has used the credit card as part of its fundraising for more than 10 years.

The link on the website has existed for about a year.

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Originally posted by fern hill:
Also, they blame babble for the brouhaha.

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Originally posted by fern hill:
They're in something of a quandry on this over on the dark site. On the one hand, originally some wanted to support the bank/credit card/organization. On the other, someone then pointed out that as part of the agreement, the bank can collect information on users of the card. Oooh, privacy concerns. Then, when the bank was reconsidering, as pogge's post says, they wanted to boycott the bank. Also, they blame babble for the brouhaha.

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Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:
When I saw this thread, I asked myself, "I wonder how many posts it will take before somebody mentions the NDP Mastercard?" The answer is: 8.

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[ 30 March 2005: Message edited by: Kinetix ]

Credit Unions co-operative / Banks competitve. Credit Unions local / Banks transnational.
Credit Unions small business / Banks big business.
Credit Unions ethical funds / Banks dirty money.
Credit Unions community values / Banks everything sacrificed to the bottom line.

I do not even have a BMO account, Coast Capital all the way for me, and I e-mailed them with complaints when I read this earlier today.

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Originally posted by remind:
Now Gir, would you be saying that to the "principled" crowd, who boycott/harass all things pro-SSM or pro-choice? No? I thought so.

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I agree that the BMO probably has no political agenda (re: abortion, anyways) - but I'm thinking about dropping my account with them anyhow - and letting them know why. If enough people pressure them, they may consider cutting their ties with LifeCanada. It seems like such a small, insignificant, action to take; but I'm sure that if the BMO had an affinity card for Morgentaler's clinics, the pro-life groups would protest in scores...and that the BMO would stop carrying such a card.

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BMO has no political agenda. Any group that applies can get one as long as they meet a certain criteria. Other babblers here have indicated that NDP has a creditcard - is it a BMO one? I don't know. I am certain that left wing organizations with prochoice views have an affinity card but were more discreet about advertising it.

And, yes, you are right if the prolife movement knew they might consider a boycott. Not sure, but they might. The prolife movement has proven itself to be effective at boycotting. They even have a whole website set up re: planned parenthood but due to misuse you now have to pay for the list. They've had dozens and dozens of businesses change their mind about donations.

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I do not even have a BMO account, Coast Capital all the way for me, and I e-mailed them with complaints when I read this earlier today.

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I wouldn't go back to one of the big banks for any reason, aside from necessity (i.e. when I lived in a small town and the only bank was CIBC).

Being open on Saturday is a bonus, and actually having branches in my neighbourhood helps - most of the big banks closed half their branches.

My credit union actually gave us the best mortgage rate we could find as well, with the most favourable terms.

My parents have been at their credit union for decades - after 25 years they no longer have to pay any service fees.

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And, yes, you are right if the prolife movement knew they might consider a boycott. Not sure, but they might. The prolife movement has proven itself to be effective at boycotting. They even have a whole website set up re: planned parenthood but due to misuse you now have to pay for the list. They've had dozens and dozens of businesses change their mind about donations.

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Well, here's an article calling on pro-lifers to boycott BMO for "[excluding] LifeCanada because of poor-choice pressure tactics". I guess that answers the question about whether or not the pro-life movement would consider a boycott.

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Originally posted by Boom Boom:
isn't there a number to call to ask for a lower interest rate?

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promote the sanctity of all human life from fertilization to natural death through public education;

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Originally posted by G. Pie:
I almost died from public education, so I can vouch for the concept.

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