Canadian Parliament: Let them eat seal

TORONTO — The Canadian Parliament's restaurant will serve seal meat this week in support of hunters battling a European Union ban on seal products, a Liberal Party senator said Monday.

Celine Hervieux-Payette said Wednesday's seal meat lunch menu will allow politicians to demonstrate their backing for the annual hunt.

"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," she said in a statement.

The EU ban on seal imports was imposed last July on the grounds that Canada's annual hunt was inhumane.

The East Coast seal hunt, the largest in the world, kills an average of 275,000 harp seals during mid-November to mid-May. The seals are either shot or hit over the head with a spiked club called a hakapik.

Animal rights groups believe the hunt is cruel, poorly monitored and provides little economic benefit. Seal hunters and Canadian authorities say it is sustainable, humane and provides income for isolated communities.

The EU ban includes processed goods derived from seals, including their skins -- which are used to make coats, bags and clothing -- as well as meat, oil blubber, organs and seal oil, which is used in some omega-3 pills.

It exempts products derived from traditional hunts carried out by Inuit in Canada's Arctic, as well as those from Greenland, Alaska and Russia.

Canada has requested consultations with the EU at the World Trade Organization, which is the first step before launching an official trade challenge to salvage a Canadian industry valued at $10 million Canadian dollars ($9.7 million) in exports last year.

-- Associated Press

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Photo: A harp seal pup.

Comments

[Whatever in LA]

By doing so, they reinforce my decision to not visit Canada as well as boycott Canadian products. I vote with my money.

[L.A. Voter]

So they support "hunters" that walk up on babies and beat them to death? How very principled of them. Perhaps they'd like to stand up for inside traders and child molesters next?

[Kathleen M Senior]

Canadian Parliament wants to show support for people who earn a living from the seal hunt? How can these people even call themselves human? How can they club an animal to death? I am sick to my stomach. I am crying for the seals. I am boycotting anything having to do with Canada- you should be ashamed! You are barbarians!

[Donna del Sigillo]

It is pertinent to observe that ‘Cordon Bleu,’ Chef prepared ‘exotic’ seal meat, can bear no relationship whatsoever to the raw seal meat and blubber said to be eaten by the Inuit people. This charade by Senator Hervieux-Payette is a pathetic attempt to promote the general consumption of seal meat and should be exposed for what it is.

It seems that the pleasure this senator takes in the misfortune of these unfortunate young animals, is unquenchable.

The primary objection to the commercial seal hunt is the cruelty. Secondly, the taking of pelts for the useless frivolity of the fashion fur trade. The meat is not taken, it is left on the ice to rot and turn black.

Do Canadians allow 12 day old husky puppies to be slaughtered for their fur?...Yet the Government of Canada has condemned harp seal pups, 12 days and older, born this year, to a vicious, cruel and unnecessary death…and, what’s more, any ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ twinges of sympathy for these unfortunate young animals is encouraged, by the government, to be suppressed in the media.

It is morally unjust to kill ‘baby’ seals in 2010… There is no justification for the wanton slaughter of these sentient beings, for commercial exploitation or simply because they are there and perceived to be an annoyance.

In most “civilized” societies dominance and cruelty in humans is controlled by the moral values of the culture in which they live. The salient point of this culture of domination in Atlantic Canada is that it is a learned behavior. It is taught to children. They may be naturally aggressive and cruel…but this culture of domination makes it much, much worse.

It seems that this culture has its own idea of machismo or “manliness,” and all are pernicious; be it getting drunk or the refusal to compromise and change, which has inevitably lead to the cruelty, thuggery, and bloodlust, inflicted on baby seals in the commercial seal slaughter in Atlantic Canada.

[Lisa J Ryan]

How very shamed the Canadian people must feel. Such a beautiful country with such ugly Politicians and such cruel outdated and unecessary barbaric behaviour. I too with boycott anthing Canadian.

[Otelinda Bettiol]

We have to respect each animal on our Earth.

[nixie bella]

I hate Canadian goverment!!!!!!!!!!!!!