Dear Minister Shea,
Please do me the courtesy of reading this e-mail carefully.
As a Canadian citizen and as a humane person, I am ashamed, saddened, and
baffled by your announcement today that, not only is Canada continuing its
barbaric slaughter of seals so young that they have no defence, but is actually
increasing the quota of seals to be killed.
The decision is doubly shocking by the fact that, with the shrinking of sea
ice, unknown thousands of seal pups will die at birth.
I write for the vast majority of Canadians (more than 70% according to
independent polls) who are ashamed and sickened by Canada's annual slaughter of
helpless sea pups. Do the wishes of 70% of our citizens carry no weight with
you?
This inhumane slaughter is indefensible; it has brought Canada into disrepute across Europe and in the United States. It is cruel to an extreme.
I lead educational and cultural tours to Europe: all my contacts there
express their amazement and disgust that a country like Canada countenances such
cruelty.
I don't know if you, yourself, have a pet dog or cat: if you have and if your
conscience is alive, surely you must find it hard to look into its eyes -- or in
your estimate does humane treatment of animals extend only to household pets.
Someday, pray God soon, this abomination will be outlawed in Canada. You and the Harper government will bear the shame of having it continue into 2010.
The Rev. Hugh R. L. MacDonald
The United Church of Canada
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