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.

Just fire an email to animal wrongs at admin@animalwrongs.com with a brief description of yourself, experience in the field of AR topics and writing, and you’ll be on your way to writing front page material!

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

Despite all the joyous holiday celebrations taking place around the world it seems the propagandists and spin doctors of the animal rights movement took no time off. PETA once again did not fail to make some headlines again this year in their effort to raise last minute funds in the 2010 fiscal year. This year their target is holiday related, the Christmas card of a well-known and well respected Canadian politician.

The Christmas card in question features a picture of liberal politician Justin Trudeau and his family, bundled together under a fur blanket and wearing Canada goose down jackets with fur trim.

PETA argues that the picture is an ugly portrait of death and the suffering of animals, which is contradictory to the messages of “love” and “peace on earth” which are associated with the holidays. The majority of responses coming from the general public suggest that Trudeau is simply being a Canadian politician and promoting canadian history (which was founded by the Northern fur trades) and products, or that they believe it was just a Christmas card with fur used to help portray the winter them and that there isn’t any ulterior motive.

PETA Vice-President Dan Matthews appeared on the show ‘Power and Politics’ on CBC debating Alan Herscovici, of the Fur Institute of Canada. Matthews refered to the card very little and instead chose to use most of his airtime to denounce the use of fur in general. xxx called out Matthews several times for using outdated and false information, and pointed out the PETA is group aimed at stopping the use of animals in every aspect, including pets, dairy production, etc. Herscovici also stated that Canada is leading the way for humane and ethical trapping standards, and that the fur industry works closely with veternarians in developing their animal welfare standards and practices. Matthews refused to acknowledge the majoprity of Herscovici’s points, and in true animal rights spokesman fashion chose to focus mainly on speaking in several short, general soundbites.

The jackets themselves are a well-known product of an internationally regarded Canadian company, Canada Goose.

Links:

Video: CBC’s Power and Politics – PETA Debates Fur Institute of Canada on Justin Trudeau’s Christmas Card (Video is from 22:00 min to 37:00 min)

A Ham Sandwhich. A typical workplace lunch containing meat.

A Montreal based handbag company, Matt and Natt, have been the subject of a complaint before the human rights commission.

The company, who has been making Vegan handbags for the  past 15 years, have a strict no-meat policy on premises.

The company’s founder and creative director, Inder Bedi, said the no-meat policy has been around since he started the company in 1995 as part of a school project for Concordia University in Montreal. Employees are told upfront in the job interview that the company is a meat- free zone.

“This is very much a vegan company, and we just felt it would be odd if we had meat and fish floating around the premises,” he said in an interview. “So meat and fish are banned. Employees are free to eat lunch at the dozens of non-vegetarian restaurants in the area, or eat their meat on street benches in front of the company’s head office.”

Most of the company’s 18 staff are not vegetarian. A former employee, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that she was forced to sneak meat into her purse and hide it in her car to get around the company’s strict no-meat policy.

“It’s a free country,” she told the broadcaster. “I think we should eat what we want.”

Companies have a right to protect the safety of their workplace and the integrity of their product, but the issue becomes murkier when a business requires an employee’s commitment to the philosophy of the brand, said Cara Zwibel, director of the fundamental freedoms project at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

The Human Rights Commission said the employee’s complaint is an “interesting” issue, it has no plans to investigate it as a human rights complaint.

So what do you, readers of animal wrongs, think? Is it a human rights issue, a bad corporate policy that would be better handled by the better business bureau, or is the complaintant nuts and should employees have to change their entire lifestyle, diet and philosophy to match that of their employer?

If you’ve donated to PETA lately, your dollars which you originally though to go towards the protection of animals is going to help protect the reputation of drug addicted, millionaire celebrities.

Peta has offered to pay $20,000 of the $50,000 rehab bill Lindsay Lohan recently racked up during her 3 month stay in the Betty Ford Center. In a desperate attempt to get another celebrity added to their poster and billboard collection of hypocritical spokesman who claim to be Vegan during their afternoon photo-shoots PETA seemed to ignore mathematics, social sympathy and basic business skills. Offering a celebrity worth $90 Million, $20,000 in one of the lowest and most embarrassing times of their life to change their entire lifestyle while simultaneously fighting drug addiction makes absolutely no sense in any aspect.

Obviously this must be just another publicity stunt. I wonder what happened for PETA to forgive Lohan for wearing the fur coat in Paris last year? Where one PETA supporter smashed a bag of flour over her head.

(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 site is still undergoing construction so many of the links and pages are still empty, so please be patient and be sure to check back and see what we’ve added. Keep us bookmarked!