Seal: It's What's For Lunch
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Alicia Graef on Care2.com
March 2010

Like defiant children, members of the Canadian parliament aim to show Europe just what they think of the EU’s [European Union] ban on seal products…by serving up some bacon-wrapped seal loin in the parliamentary restaurant after returning from hiatus tomorrow.

"All political parties will have the opportunity to demonstrate to the international community the solidarity of the Canadian Parliament behind those who earn a living from the seal hunt," said Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette.

That’ll show ‘em, Canada! Bravo. Way to take a stand in support of an inherently cruel and dying industry.

Canada’s annual seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on earth. With hundreds of thousands of helpless baby seals killed senselessly each year for their fur, most no more than 14 days old, pristine white seal speckled shores are turned red by acts of barbaric savagery as these pups are shot, beaten and skinned.

Last July the European Union imposed a ban on seal products on the grounds that the hunt is cruel and inhumane. Unfortunately, Canada plans to fight the ban and has reportedly requested consultations with the EU at the World Trade Organization before launching an official trade challenge to try to save the hunt.

Canada plans to continue with this years hunt, despite poor ice conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is leaving seals with no place to give birth and could lead seals aborting their pups, according to IFAW.

“If the hunt goes ahead it will be a slaughter of the survivors,” said Rebecca Aldworth of Humane Society International.

On a brighter note, Canadian senator Mac Harb, who took a historic stand against the hunt as the first to introduce legislation that would prohibit commercial seal hunting will be reintroducing the Harb Seal bill this year.

“For the government of Canada to continue defending the commercial seal hunt is not the answer," said Harb. "We can't go on burying our heads in the sand and pretending everything is going to be okay. It is time to provide mechanisms to transition the few thousand individuals involved in sealing out of this declining industry and into jobs with more promising futures."

According to an article in the Toronto Sun, Harb plans to keep reintroducing the bill until the law changes. He’s also gotten signatures and letters of support from more than 650,000 Canadians who want to see the slaughter end.


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