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.

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.

Cleary later said his comments were taken out of place, and that he merely meant there should be a public debate about the direction of the industry. He also wore a sealskin vest in public to show his alleged support. For the industry, however, the damage is done. To quote a famous American political phrase “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”. Animal rights groups have gained momentum and motivation from his words, and those in positions of power may make moves like his hoping to gain support. Commentators on articles on the CBC, Telegram and VOCM website however claim that Mr. Cleary’s political career is done, as he has lost the support of sealers, fishermen, and Newfoundlanders. We here at Animal Wrongs aren’t so sure given his particular riding and its lack of involvement in the industry. We do however love one comment on the telegram article about Cleary’s sealskin vest. “I hope that vest can float Mr. Cleary, because your career is sinking”.

The other individual who we’d like to address is the radio host who interviewed Cleary, Mr. John furlong. Furlong has been the host of CBC’s ‘Fisheries Broadcast’ for years, and is welcomed into the homes of fisherman across Atlantic Canada every evening for news, information, and commentary from call in guests. Despite being supposed to take a non-biased angle to issues in order to bring honest information to listeners , Mr. Furlong over the last year or so has began a downward spiral of pessimism. With every broadcast and story, Furlong sways the conversation to anything that would suggest doom, gloom and a coming apocalypse for the fishing industry. One disappointed listener and former fan of Furlong’s told us that Furlong’s attitude and pessimism basically suggests that everyone in the industry hang up their gear, give it up and go home.

On the subject of the seal industry, during an interview with MP Ryan Cleary (above) Furlong stuck to questions asking about opposition and moves to end the industry, and asked leading questions practically forcing Mr. Cleary’s opinion about possibly ending the hunt out of the man’s mouth. When word had reached Furlong that somebody in the provincial government had suggested the idea that the government stockpile seal pelts for better years as an investment and to offset lack of demand from the global market and keep prices viable, Furlong reported it on his show as if it we’re a solid plan; a conspiracy formed between sealers and government to funnel taxpayer dollars. When reading comments on the web article that soon hit the internet live on his show, Furlong decided to read four or five that we’re strongly opposed, outraged, and misinformed wile only reading one in support. The icing on this cake of betrayal is the crime against sealers and the sealers association which formerly had looked upon Furlong as a friend. When looking for  information on the before-mentioned pelt stockpiling idea, Furlong decided to try and contact leaders of the sealers association while they were in the air and en-route to a trade show in Ottawa and unable to comment at the time. When unable to reach these individuals Furlong described his attempt on his show as if they we’re running and hiding, or conspirators keeping their lips sealed. Furlong then decided the most informed person on the subject would by Sheryl Fink, spokesman and leader for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and most vocal anti-sealing group advocate and leader in the world, who has campaigned against the hunt and spread misinformation since she was old enough to hold a sign.

They say that in the media and news industry that bad news sells. Is this what it is John? A ploy for ratings, popularity and fame? Do you wish to be seen in the future as the prophet that foresaw the end of an industry you formerly supported so well and now abandoned? I guess we should look to actual fishermen and sealer’s for advice on this one; any one of them will tell you that rats jump ship at the first sign of trouble.

As you may or may not know, Russia banned the import of seal products this year despite carrying on a hunt of their own. President Vladmir Putin decided suddenly out of nowhere, without debate in government and without speaking to any member of his government for that matter that dealt with trade and negotiations in the industry.  In the ex-Soviet country where power still lies in the hands of a few, and impulse decisions can be made by slipping a few million dollars of into someone’s pocket behind closed doors it isn’t hard to imagine that animal rights groups with millions in non-taxible, charity raised donations could have orchestrated this move. It appears the two boys who formerly stood behind sealers and fisherman locally have also sold their souls. Lets just hope Mr. Cleary and Mr. Furlong got something out of this other than their 15 minutes in the spotlight, we wouldn’t want to know that treason and betrayal of an entire industry and people would be committed for anything less.

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

“We’re wasting millions of tax dollars every year to prop up the violent, dying seal slaughter,” Anderson wrote in an email to The Canadian Press. “It’s no longer an issue of concern just for animal advocates but for any Canadian disgusted by government waste. And for the many Canadians who travel abroad, like me, it’s a huge embarrassment.”

Anderson filed three access requests with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The hilarious twist to the story can be found in Ms. Anderson’s own tax history. Pamela was recently found to owe over $1 million dollars in unpaid taxes to the U.S government, and is facing legal battles regarding millions of dollars of unpaid fee’s owed to contractors who performed work on her multi-million dollar Hollywood home.

We here at Animal Wrongs want YOUR feedback on this story. Do you think that Pamela, although still considered a Canadian citizen while having not resided, worked, or paid taxes here in two decades has any right or claim to this information? What do you think of a proven tax evader coming out and criticizing government spending while she has multi-million dollar renovations done to her home?

Links:

CBC - http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/03/30/anderson-seal.html

A supporter of the radical animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals got her Just Desserts and a taste of the group’s own tactics Friday afternoon in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The seal-hunt protester who had been following the Prime Minister around the country with with a fellow PETA member dressed as a seal received a cold welcome and a pie in the face in response to her protest.

After arriving in the capital city, Emily Lavender, 21, of Vancouver Island, B.C. began to protest outside of the Delta Hotel, where the PM would be giving a speech along with several other government officials to the construction industry association. She was accompanied by who she thought was another PETA member in a seal costume, however it was in fact an intern at the local radio station who later removed the seal suit and started protesting against and denouncing PETA on camera.

Ms. Lavender, after being left alone with no support, eventually put on the costume herself where she was later joined by another costume wearing mascot. Salty Dog of the Newfoundland tourism and cultural ‘Downhome’ shop, greeted her with a cream pie in the face in front of a cheering and energetic local audience.

Newfoundland, a province whose people and culture are deeply entwined with nature, conservation and hunting has often denounced PETA’s radical and outlandish behaviors. PETA had earlier warned that it would protest the Canadian seal hunt during the Harper event and when they included St. John’s in their list of protests, several locals organized to greet them over the popular social networking site Facebook.

The pieing was in direct response to another pie incident that took place earlier in the week. On Monday a supporter of PETA hit Fisheries Minister Gail Shea in the face with a tofu cream pie during a press conference in Ontario. After the pieing Canadian MP Gerry Byrne pointed out that PETA has long since met the Criminal Code of Canada’s definition of a terrorist organization, and since they insist on committing violent acts and drawing attention to themselves that they should be prosecuted as such.

Several other violent attacks on public figures have taken place this year by radical groups, such as the Italian Prime Minister being hit in the face with a statue sustaining jaw injuries and broken teeth.

Preliminary research conducted by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans is now reporting the booming North Atlantic harp seal population at over 6 million animals. Check out our previous article on the booming seal populations here.

Links:
CBC News – http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2010/01/29/nl-seal-pie-012910.html
The Telegram – http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=322657&sc=79
CBC News – http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/01/25/burlington-shea-pie-100125.html

Other celebrities supporting this campaign include Playboy porn stars Holly Madison and Jayde Nicole, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, and ‘Jackass’ star Steve-O, who in his latest film featured a person defecating in a helmet that someone was wearing. The rest of the celebrities -  including Kelly Osbourne and Sarah McLachlan – can be found on PETA’s website. The question we asked ourselves here at Animal Wrongs was, what do the individuals featured in this campaign have in common? The answer was simple: they are celebrities, porn stars, singers and actors – not experts.

So who made Pamela Anderson an expert on the humane standards of animal use? The most recent information we can find on Pamela, short of her involvement with the campaign, is that she is currently facing allegations of being broke. It is reported that she owes over a quarter of a million dollars in back taxes, and over 1.1 million to at least 5 different construction companies who have filed claim against her, after renovating her Malibu home and going unpaid. Currently living in a trailer park for the rich, rumor has it that Anderson’s renovation job has gone over budget and that she will be forced to sell her home due to lack of funds. Anderson claims that she is simply choosing to stay in the trailer park because she enjoys it and because she met her current boyfriend nearby.

Anderson has been a long time supporter of PETA, and most recently campaigned in public for their Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign, against fast-food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken.  Who can forget the ridiculous ads of the Colonel watching as men in chicken suits are beaten and given drugs by what looks like a warden in a prison camp? The campaign forced Canadian KFC chains to respond by offering a vegetarian chicken burger on their menu, which seems hypocritical to those of us here at Animal Wrongs unless the C is dual purpose and also stands for Carrots. Pamela announced on TV that she is proud of the Canadian chains for making a ‘true Canadian initiative’, and stating that we, Canadians, are an environmentally concerned and animal loving people. Although this is mostly true, I wonder if the Canadian starlet who has lived out the majority of her life in California is aware that this country, Canada, is one founded on hunting, trapping, and fur trading. Has she ever heard of the Hudson’s Bay Company? One of the most stressed arguments in PETA’s accusations of cruelty against KFC is that hormonal growth treatments given to chickens make them top heavy and off-balance. Given their choice in a spokeswoman, we here at AW once again find the irony hilarious. During her career as a model and actress, Pamela Anderson has admitted to having several breast augmentation surgeries. These enhancements have not only made the actress more ‘top-heavy’ but also support the use of animal testing for cosmetic and non-crucial medical use. Breast implants have been, and still require testing on animals, ranging from dogs, to pigs, to rabbits to test the effects and responses they invoke within living tissue.

This isn’t Pamela’s first hypocritical stance on the use of animals. Despite her frequent declarations of veganism, Pamela Anderson only recently decided to stop wearing sheepskin boots. Caught in thousands of pictures going about her days in California sporting Uggs (sheepskin boots), and being a self-admitted fan of the footwear Pamela claims to only have just discovered that the boots were an animal product. Who would have guessed that a clothing line advertising their high quality sheep and emu skin would be animal products? Her choice in footwear is not the only thing we wish to bring under fire. Isn’t a vegan, especially a PETA spokesperson supposed to support a vegan diet? At Pamela’s latest wedding (She has had three) to Rick Salomon, who you may know as the more masculine counterpart in the Paris Hilton sex tape, the 40 guests enjoyed a menu that featured pigs in a blanket, macaroni and cheese, and tuna and lobster tacos.

The other key spokesperson of PETA’s campaign includes clothing designer Richie Rich. Rich designed the simple white T-shirts sported by the celebrities in each of the ads, featuring an image of a whitecoat harp seal, which is not hunted – because its illegal to do so. What’s Richie’s history with animal science?  He doesn’t have one. His background is one of a “club kid” – A group of young New York City club personalities led by Michael Alig and James St. James in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This group was notable for their outrageous costumes and extensive drug use — in particular, ecstasy, ketamine, and heroin.

The Vice President of PETA, Dan Matthews, appeared for interviews with the stars, and falsely made the claims that newborn seals still covered in their mothers afterbirth are hunted due to softer skins and furs, which is both illegal and not physically feasible.

Now we can’t single out Pamela for being the only celebrity taking up this cause without a clue. In the most recently publicized celebrity visit, Canada was ‘treated’ to a visit from Sir Paul McCartney and his ex-wife Heather Mills. After being invited by Newfoundland Premiere Danny Williams on Larry King Live, to come to Newfoundland and observe the hunt, Paul, who was in Prince Edward Island, argued with the Premiere on live television that he was indeed in Newfoundland. Shortly after their trip, Heather Mills, accused Paul of abuse and motioned for divorce, taking him for $50 million, and requesting an additional $19,000 a day for living expenses. Ms. Mills was also a supporter of the PETA campaign to stop giving school children cows milk, with human breast milk being one of the alternatives.

Other supporters of PETA’s campaign to stop the seal hunt, include Kelly Osbourne, heir to the royalties of the singing Price of Darkness, who became infamous after biting off the head of a live bat on stage. Steve-O, a man who has his own face tattooed on his back and who writes about vegan-ism on his personal website is one of the founders of the “Jackass” series, movies which depict young men performing horrid and culturally unacceptable acts, such as defecating on another persons face, freezing one mans testicles to a block of ice and ripping them off, and masturbating and ingesting the semen of a horse. Not exactly the most respectable members of society, roles models, or credible spokespersons for humane animal treatment.

(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.

To put this into perspective, Canada, a world leader in the management, consumption, and export of fish stocks only harvests 0.9 million metric tonnes annually, which includes both coasts (Atlantic and Pacific). The European Union, which has criticized the seal hunt and recently banned the import of  seal products, was identified by the World Wildlife Fund to be the main offender in a 70% increase of destructive cod by-catch. At the 2007 annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization the WWF pushed for a cod recovery strategy that included setting a bycatch reduction target of 40 per cent for southern Grand Banks cod. The 40 per cent target was equivalent to a fishing mortality of 420 tonnes, which is estimated to be the maximum the population could withstand to still have some chance of recovery. Unfortunately, a total of 713 tonnes of bycatch was taken in 2008. Of that amount, the EU was responsible for 444 tonnes. These statistics do not account misreporting and illegal activity, which the EU, particularly Spain, has been accused of multiple times in the last 3 decades. Once again, to put this in perspective, â??lowâ? numbers for cod-consumption by harp seals suggest that this species makes up 4% of their diet â?? at the numbers provided, this comes out to 240,000 MT of cod consumed.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognize the sustainable use of wild animal populations to be a cornerstone of their health and conservation. They have placed the harp seal on their list of “Least Concern”. Despite accusations of being cruel and inhumane, the hunting methods Eastern Canadian sealers employ are effective and humane, as shown in veterinary studies carried out by members of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (2002), the Independent Veterinary Working Group (2005), and the European Union’s own Food Safety Authority (2007). In the latest study on the effectiveness of the methods used in the seal hunt, the methods used were proven to be around 95% and 96% efficient, higher than any other harvest of animals in the world.

Seals provide essential income and wild food to rural people, such as fishermen, to diversify their living at a time of year when employment opportunities are extremely limited. Sealers have stated that their income from sealing can represent from 25-35% of their total income.

Seals are used for their fat, meat and organs as well as their hides. With heart disease being the number one killer in North America, there has been promising research done by scientists using the valves from seal hearts. This research which is aiming towards repairing damaged human hearts using seal heart valves has the potential to save millions of lives.

Links:

Wikipedia -Harp Seal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harp_Seal

Wikipedia -Seal Hunting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_hunting

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Seal FAQ http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/faq-eng.htm

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Seal Facts http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/reports-rapports/facts-faits/facts-faits2008-eng.htm

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Seal Myths Debunked http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/myth-eng.htm

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – European Union Main Offender in Overfishing Cod http://wwf.ca/newsroom/?3600

IUCN Redlist â?? Harp Seal listing, species â??of least concernâ? http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41671/0

What can you do?

- Sign the Petition for a Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals www.sealsonline.org

- Go to Facebook and join the group “I Support the Seal Hunt“

The total number of species known to be threatened stands at 16,938 according to Endangered Species International. Of the 44,838 species assessed using the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List criteria, 16,928 are listed as threatened with extinction, with millions of species still yet to be assessed. As a result, the number of threatened species is definitely much higher than the current estimate. Threatened species are those listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable.

According to Wikipedia, A vulnerable species is a species which is likely to become endangered unless the circumstances threatening its survival and reproduction improve. An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters. Organisms with a conservation status of critically endangered have an extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild or completely extinct in the immediate future.

With so many species of animals threatened today, why are the animal rights protest groups screaming about Canada’s seal hunt? The Canadian harp seal is one of the most abundant animals on the planet. According to the Canadian Government Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Canadian harp seal is listed as “least concerned”. Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, nor Near Threatened. Many common species such as the Pigeon are assigned the Least Concern category. The harp seal population is healthy and abundant. The Northwest Atlantic harp seal population is currently estimated at 5.6 million animals, nearly triple the population seen in the 1970s, and has been at that level for the past ten years.

What animal right protest groups have learned is that through cleverly worded propaganda messages, they can get the public to go running for their chequebooks. The animal rights groups use the Canadian seal hunt as an annual fund-raising event and their attacks fill up their coffers by using emotional pitches and half-truths. The fact is, these groups are actually making more money from the annual Atlantic seal hunt than the sealers themselves earn. Take for example the $77.5 million U.S. the International Fund For Animal Welfare raised last year – it’s easy to see that the seal hunt actually benefits the protest groups. Greenpeace pulls in 35 million dollars a year. PETA makes close to 31 million. HSUS earns a hefty 107 million a year. Fund raising, not protection of species, is often their prime objective.

Animal rights groups were very quick to see the economical gold mine in “Saving” Canadian seals. In 2007, it is estimated that animal rights groups earned nearly 300 million dollars worldwide protesting the seal hunt in that one year. This begs to question, how much money have the animal rights groups made since they started protesting the Canadian seal hunt in the 1970s? The figures are staggering. To put it into some perspective, the animal rights protest industry earns enough money each year to buy every last seal hunting vessel in Newfoundland – every single year.

In 2008 the sealers earned approximately 8.25 million dollars directly from the seal hunt. That is 250 thousand seals harvested at $33 (Canadian) each. The estimated earnings by the major players in the seal protest industry stands at 330 million dollars. For the sealers to earn their living, they require a ship and crew, expense money,and fuel; additionally, they need to be willing to take significant risks (four Canadian sealers died in 2008) for which they get paid very little.
The majority of Seal hunt protesters on the other hand, only require a computer, a chair and their hot coffee, for which they get paid their 330 million dollars.

The moral of the story here seems to be to get out of sealing and get into the seal protest business.

Animal rights protest groups argue against the Canadian seal hunt, a hunt for one of the most numerous animals on the planet, solely for the purpose of fund-raising. All the while, 16,938 species of animals that are actually in danger of extinction seem to be ignored.

Links:

http://www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org/overview2.html