Animal Wrongs
Home » The Seal Hunt

Flimsy ribbons & flimsy promises: MP’s wear seal ribbons to show support

On Thursday, February 2nd, Canada’s Members of Parliament wore seal skin pins to show support for the Seal Hunt. Outside the Chamber, Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield, accompanied by cabinet colleagues Leona Aglukkaq, Peter Penashue and Steve Blaney, convened a seal fur ribbon “pinning ceremony” to “reaffirm the government’s continued support for Canadian sealers.”

Officially named ‘Seal Day on the Hill’ , members wore the pin for the entirety of Question Period and presumably for the rest of the day. As usual the Conservative government proclaimed their ongoing and continued support for the hunt as they simultaneously criticized the opposition for their lack of support, as proven by MP Ryan Cleary’s statements in January. The opposition fired back stating that if the government truly supported the hunt, they would not have let it deteriorate into the sorry state it is in, and would have fought for it during trade and economic discussions rather than let the international trade bans go practically unopposed and unmentioned.

The event took place after a day of trade shows that promoted the cultural and economic products of Northern and Eastern Canada. After which, members of the seal industry were supposed to meet with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale and the possibility of a meeting with the Prime Minister himself was even discussed. Later Dunderdale would cancel the meeting due to ‘lack of time and scheduling conflicts’ and the meeting with the Prime Minister would only include the politician members and not the representatives from the industry.

Frankly, after years of the same broken promises, the promises and words of these politicians are about as flimsy as the ribbons they tacked on to show ‘support’. If any of these politicians wanted to show their true support, they would grow a set of balls and stand up and fight for the industry, confront those who spread misinformation, and tackle the international trade bans in the same manner they would were it wood, oil or gas.

The market for seal products never dwindled; access to the market was blocked by international pressure. Considering Canada is one of the largest exporters of natural resources to these countries, why couldn’t the PM, if he truly supported the hunt, simply put his foot down and tell the other nations that if they want the oil, ore, water or wood that they will keep all trade open? Faced with a lack of materials and resources, they would have had no choice but to take it instead of leaving it.

admin 3 February 2012 The Seal Hunt No Comments

Inside Job: Seal industry back-stabbed by locals with influence

Not only does the seal industry have to deal with enemies in multimillion dollar animal rights lobbyists with celebrety spokesmen, now it also has to deal with a lack of support and discouraging public statements from locals with both connections to the industry and influence.

While on the radio program “The Fisheries Broadcast” aired on CBC radio, a program listened to by those in the fishing and sealing industries all across Atlantic Canada, one of Canada’s newest members of parliament Ryan Cleary made  a suggestion that made animal rights fanatics across the world drool. When asked by long time show host John Furlong (Who we will get to in a minute, don’t worry) about developments in the Seal Industry, Mr. Cleary stated that it was time we considered ending the hunt. Cleary who served as a journalist for The Independent newspaper for years was formerly known for his support and knowledge of the fishery. Immediately, press releases from anti-sealing animal rights groups stuck the internet praising Mr. Cleary stating that his outlook is the future for Canada. After cashing in on his past and being entrusted with the approval of sealers and fisherman alike, Cleary all but sealed their fate and that of their industries by publicly undermining its value.

 

It will be the lips of politicians like these that will see the death of rural Newfoundland & Labrador. However, who can be surprised given Mr. Cleary’s new political masters? Despite being thought of as the champion of the fisherman, Mr. Cleary’s elected riding is St. John’s South – Mount Pearl; an urban riding built on the wealth of the oil, retail and tertiary industries. His responsibilities lie with his urban constituents, who given global media such as television and internet probably have more in common with people living in Toronto, New York and Hollywood than their outport neighbours. Lets also not forget that on the other end of  Cleary’s leash is the federal NDP. A party which is provincially a labour party and stands as a pillar for those in the working class, but federally is breeding ground for socialists and hippies who probably consume more soy lattes and tofu than anything from the sea. It’s politicians like these who have let the industry slipped from the million dollar industry it once was, to the shadow of its former self it now is by letting animal rights groups, misinformation, and international trade restrictions carry on without a fight.


Read more…

admin 1 February 2012 Celebrities / Spokesmen, Fur, Hunting / Fishing, The Seal Hunt No Comments

Ellen anti-seal hunt and anti-Newfoundland?

Ellen DeGeneres, daytime talk show host and former sitcom star decided to speak out against the seal hunt recently. On both her show and website she has made a plea for fans and viewers to speak out against the hunt and to donate to groups such as the Humane Society of the United States, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Groups that we here are animal wrongs know are not really concerned for the welfare and well-being of animals, but about making controversy and raising enormous sums of money.

Ellen came out and said “Seal hunting is one of the most atrocious and inhumane acts against animals allowed by any government. Canada is allowing the slaughter of a record number of seals in their 2011 hunting season, which is going on right now. The seals are often younger than 3 months old.” DeGeneres then continued, “This has to stop. To my friends and fans in Canada: please help put a stop to this.”

Although Ellen clearly has a love for animals, a subject which she devotes large portions of her show to discussing, we here at animal wrongs can’t help but wonder if Ellen also has some sort of dislike towards Newfoundlanders? On her 90′s sitcom show, one episode featured a character who trying to make a career at stand-up comedy in Canada made several jokes about Newfoundlanders, including coming straight out and saying “It’s so true. Those Newfies are so stupid…”.

First she calls them stupid, then she attacks one of their traditions and industries. We’d like to know what you readers think.

Links:

Ellen  - Warner Bros. Official Webpage about the Seal Hunt

CANADIAN BROADCAST STANDARDS COUNCIL – Complaint on Newfoundland insulting Episode

admin 16 April 2011 Campaigns / Propaganda, Celebrities / Spokesmen, The Seal Hunt 7 Comments

Exploding seal population devastates fish stocks

ice-floes

(Click images to enlarge)

Despite what animal rights organizations and radical activists would have you believe, the harp seal is not an endangered animal nor is it’s population on the decline. Since the 1970′s the population of harp seals in the North Atlantic has not only increased, it has tripled. The last survey conducted by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans reported the harp seal population at a record high 5.8 million animals.

With worldwide attention being brought to the collapse of the North Atlantic fish stocks by the media and by documentaries such as ‘The End of the Line” , it is crucial to identify one of the largest consumers and threats to the recovery of the stocks. Each harp seal consumes between 1 and 1.4 metric tonnes of fish each year, and with the exploding population of 5.8 million animals that translates to a consumption of at least 6 million metric tonnes of fish each year. This means that now while the fish stocks are in crisis, the record breaking seal population is consuming more fish than ever before in recorded history, and is not only a threat to the fish, but to its own sustainability.


Read more…

admin 12 September 2009 Animal Welfare, Hunting / Fishing, The Seal Hunt 4 Comments