Don’t ‘seal’ the truth
I am a proud Canadian, but I am absolutely embarrassed and disgusted by my country’s annual seal slaughter. The EU and millions of people from around the world feel, as do I, that the clubbing of baby harp seals is inhumane and immoral.
In Nina Lex’s recent article (“EU seal ban poses a threat to Newfoundland villages,” Aug. 10, page 9), it is apparent that the author, like our government, supports this massacre.
Why is there no explanation to why the EU banned the hunt? The author tells the story of a poor hunter who will lose a fraction of his annual income because of the ban. Neither the hunter nor the author will get my pity.
“Whether it’s clubbing baby seals, electrocuting minks on fur farms, or crushing foxes’ chests in traps, the bloody fur trade is one of the most hideous industries on Earth,” the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Web site says.
The seal slaughter exists because of the overall demand for fur.
“During Canada’s annual war on seals, sealers routinely hook live seals in the eye, cheek, or mouth to avoid damaging the fur, then they drag the seals across the ice. Many of these gentle creatures may not even have eaten their first solid meal or taken their first swim before they are slaughtered for their skin,” the site says.
There have even been numerous testimonials, from veterinarians and officers from the Department of Fisheries, that tell us that many of the seals are actually skinned alive because the hunters don’t properly crush their skulls. It is apparent that it is a cruel industry and I applaud the EU’s decision to ban all seal products. I hope that one day, our own government can follow the moral path of our friends from across the Atlantic and put an end to this blood-stained industry.
It is a shame that the author does not explain why the EU banned this horrific hunt. She does, however, reiterate our government’s idiotic plan to challenge the EU’s decision at the WTO, a move disproportionately expensive when compared with the amount of money the hunt brings in.
Stop the seal hunt!
KYLE BERTRAND
Tainan
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