Stop Canada's Cruel & Senseless Seal Hunt!

If it were only that easy.



Oh, where's the indignation for whaling - 'native' or otherwise?
Last I checked these mammals are being hunted to the brink of Extinction.
Just curious...

 

What do you want me to source? The $17-million dollar economic impact? http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/29/world/main683863.shtml If you read the whole thing, even liberal CBS reports how much it is worth. It's not reported with a slant, just raw numbers.


The state of the Newfoundland economy? http://www.stats.gov.nl.ca/

Or how about a longer term look at it? http://www.stats.gov.nl.ca/flashsheets/SelEconIndicators.PDF

Anything you need to know about the seal hunt is here
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/infocus/2005/20050316_e.htm

I don't know what you are disputing here. You never said, so I figure I better source every single thing. For additional information, please read myths and realities http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/infocus/2005/20050316_e.htm

The only thing you may be able to call me on is the link between the hunt and protecting cod. The Canadian government says the hunt is based on conservation science, and not necessarily just to protect cod. So if this is what you dispute, then okay. But I think this is not it, since you seemed not to be aware of the declining cod stocks.

I hope these links satisfy you. I'm not sure what exactly you were disputing.

 

Bring back the natural predators of the seals? Do you have a source of how this predator was depleted? Do you know what you're talking about?

 

WOW. Too bad those dumb Newfoundlanders never thought of that!! Look for alternate plans! You should take a journey to Newfoundland, and fix their chronic unemployment. Not only would you be saving seals, you'd be doing something for your fellow human beings! Maybe you can convince industry that it's viable to put a manufacturing plant on an island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, instead of central Canada or USA. Who cares if it's more expensive to get to the main population. Industry won't mind a shipping cost on top of extra rail costs, or trucking.

It's a different life on an island trying to sustain your livlihood. These are just honest folks, just trying to pay their bills like everyone else. Sealing is part of the Newfoundland heritage, and they simply need it. Like i said already, any anti-sealing activist should seriously come up with a fund for the families of sealers. It has to be sustainable, and annual. I bet many will say "crap, go get the seals" after a while

 

i'm in a animal rights group at my school and we circled a big peition against this, the weird thing is, is that most highschool students sign things without even questioning what it was for. which is good for me but later could be bad for them. anyway that's besides the point, we got tons of signatures and sent them to the government to try and persuade paul martin to do something about this. i think is absolutely horrible.

One of the articles i was reading about it stated that sometimes they don't even know if the cubs are dead before they skin them. i found that fact bone chilling. i will sign the petition online aswell!!!

 

i think as long as there is a hunt, the rules should be enforced. and they aren't.

 

How do you know the laws aren't enforced? Because PETA said they weren't?

 

You just said high schoolers don't even look at what they sign. Why would Paul Martin take a petition seriously when the people who signed it don't realize what they signed?

Being in Toronto, you may not see the significance of the seal hunt for Newfoundland. There are people there who depend on this hunt to have enough money to get through the year. The problem the seal hunt has is that the killing is done in the wild, where people can actually see it. Completely different than killing millions of chickens and cows on private lands. There would probably be much less protest if the seals were captured, brought back alive, and slaughtered away from prying cameras.

"One of the articles" read stated that sometimes the sealers don't know the cubs are dead before they are skinned. Is this PETA? Is there any source without an agenda that states this? Such as the BBC, CNN, CBC, anything?

When you decide for yourself that the seal hunt is wrong, also try to decide for yourself what should become of the people who depend on sealing.

 

I understand the plight of people trying to make a living, but is that your only criteria of what is right and wrong?
Is anything ok as long as it provides a living for someone's family?
And, just because something has gone on for hundreds of years does not make it right. We are hopefully working towards a more humane society for both people and animals. Some changes will definitely need to be made for that. Bring it on!
As for the increasing numbers of seals as has been said, and the decreasing amount of cod, anyone surely knows that nature has its own system of balancing and supply and demand...so what (who?) has been interfering with the balance of nature here?
I am sick of people telling me that because I care about ther humane treatment of animals I don't care about people? Bullshit. I work with people in need every day. I volunteer in Palliative care, looking after people who are dying at home (and their families) in my own time and for no pay...I have worked for Amnesty International to stop torture and abduction around the world, also as a volunteer. Teach your grandmother how to suck eggs buddy! How about NOT using that old chestnut any more?
If for some reason there needs to be a cull of seals, then why not kill adult seals humanely, with a bullet? Why are they three months old and skinned and the carcass/meat left on the ice? How does that help a starving family?
How about some rational thinking here? Or is that too much to expect?

 

I'm not blaming the people. I'm a wee bit sick, like Om, of being accused about ot caring about humans. How about you elect some officials who don't believe that death solves all?

 

i was brought up with "you kill it you eat it" i think thats wat these "hunters" should do too. i kno i would

 

Good question.

Asked and answered.

There is.
Can you not see?

 

i was was that if i print off that petition and get a bunch of signatures for it who do i send them to? i am new to this whole peition thing and i need some help with it

i am co-hosting an animal rights show on friday and we need petitions and since i live in Canada it thought that we HAVE to have an anti- seal hunting one, but once i get all of the signatures who should i send them to?


i was also wondering what rules are set up for seal hunting

 

Hi Culture-revolution...all the info you need should be at The Petition Site:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/370512755?z00m=21459&z00m=21459
If not, try Greenpeace.
The only 'rules' I know about is the quote set by the government, regarding the amount that can be slaughtered. That is 319,500 seals. I don't think there are any rules about how they can be killed or skinned, and certainly none about the age of seals - so the pure white defenceless babies are taken because they are an easy kill.
Here is some more from the IFAW site (it has a video if you have a strong stomach):
"As humans we have the ability to consciously treat other living beings with respect and dignity. It is this ability, this choice, that makes us human. Simply put, the Canadian seal hunt fails this choice miserably.

How long can we continue to ignore such cruelty in the name of commercial profit?

Seal pups remain helpless and vulnerable on the ice for several weeks. It is during this same time when seals only two weeks to three months old are also mercilessly slaughtered for their pelts.

The truth will break your heart

Our humanity is measured by how we care for the vulnerable among us. What is more vulnerable than a newborn seal pup, stranded helpless and alone on the ice? A baby seal can be legally killed once it molts its white fur, which usually begins at about 12 days of age. The small, unprotected newborn of any species should not be preyed upon, never mind bludgeoned with a club. Seals are routinely clubbed or shot and left to suffer on the ice, then dragged over the sides of boats with sharpened metal hooks. Few sealers are observed checking to see if a seal is still alive before they skin it.

Canadian tax dollars at work

The Canadian government claims that the hunt is market-driven and economically viable. The fact is that sealing is a very small enterprise, accounting for only about one-half of one-percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. And significant amounts of money continue to be spent by Canada through hidden subsidies to promote the hunt abroad, as well as to develop new markets for seal products. The market is driven … by Canada’s government itself.

There is no excuse

The products of the hunt are an unnecessary luxury. Most of the harp seal carcasses (including the meat) are simply abandoned on the ice. This isn’t killing for food or survival, it’s killing for fashion. Despite years of research by the Canadian government trying to develop new seal products, the only economically valuable parts of the seal are the pelts of defenseless seal pups, a non-essential luxury product no one really needs. In many countries, this hunt would be completely illegal.

What can you do?

Many people mistakenly think Canada stopped hunting baby seals decades ago. As many seals are killed today as during the 1950s and 60s when overhunting significantly pushed seals down the road towards extinction. You helped raise a global outcry that stopped the killing of whitecoat baby seals in the 1980s. But Canada’s politicians have since used subsidies to expand the hunt again in order to win favor with the fishing industry.

That’s why it’s imperative you speak out now. We must show Canada that the world does care and will no longer stand for such cruelty. Please take a moment now to:

Send a comment to the Canadian Parliament
Tell a friend to speak out against the seal hunt
You can also visit the main IFAW website to learn more details about the seal hunt in Canada.
http://www.kintera.org/site/pp.asp?c=esJRK5PGJnH&b=445485&sid=74302385

Where to send your own petitions? Here are some options:

You can send your comments by e-mail to pm@pm.gc.ca or write or fax the Prime Minister’s office at:

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2

Fax: 613-941-6900

I hope it all goes great for you on Friday!
Many Bright Blessings

 

Isn't it actually because of their white fur?

Me Thinks someone hasn't read all the Posts in this Thread.
re: economic implications/population control

BTW, I don't remember anybody answering why their is a seal population problem other than something about a lack of their natural predator(s).
What predator/what's their situation?

Are you familiar w/the 14th annual Murderize the Bunny Wabbits in New Zealand?
The Canadian/US Snow (white) geese harvest?
They're being touted as population control similar to the seal hunt.



What about the Whales?
There's a very Real/alarmingly probable Risk of them becoming Extinct.


Seems to me there are some more pressing Causes than the seals......but what do I know? *c*

 

i was talking to my friends about this in school and one of my friends said that there is a seal population problem because there are not enough fish to feed them all, beause of some fishing problem that we had, too many were killed and now the seals will starve... i reserahced some of the rules and i found out that it is illegal in Canada to kill whitecoats and bluebacks in Canada. so those cut elittle fuffly white seals, ya they can't be killed... well it's illegal.

in my letter to paul martin i stated some statistics and how the government should be enforcing the marine rules (i can't remember the exact name, it's like marine something something), and since the seal hunt is almost neccessary for survival in some parts of canada to at least be using humane ways of killing the animals. but only if necessary. i think that's completely fair.

 

Andcrs2- I have already worked to save the whales...would you like my activist resume or what? Get a grip!
You have a right to disagree. I have a right to do what I do. I would be foolish indeed to think that I would/could ever convince someone like you of anything. Frankly, I am not trying.

 

I think that it is up to the Canadian govt. to make the right decision on this issue. However I think that it is wrong for outsiders such as the petitioners that are not from Canada to interfere on this issue.

 

Why is that?