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unplug magazine asks you to unplug from your current modes of thought and look at life in a new way, whether this means unplugging from our toxic consumer culture, mainstream society, the tv, or a limiting mindset. author megan prusynski explores life's alternatives and discusses activism, progressive thinking, and moving towards a "green" & sustainable life.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Stop Canada's Seal Hunt
The Canadian government condones the killing of hundreds of thousands of harp seals each year. These beautiful creatures are bludgeoned to death and often skinned alive so their fur can be sold. Many of the seals killed are helpless babies. This year, Canada has given the go-ahead for hunters to kill 335,000 baby harp seals and Canada's ice floes will be covered in the blood of innocent animals for something as unnecessary as fur coats.
Please sign PETA's petition to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper before this year's hunt begins. You can also help boycotting Canadian products and of course, refusing to wear real fur of any kind. For more information and ways to help, see StopTheSealHunt.com.
This cruel tradition needs to end. Thank you for your compassion.
Labels: activism, animal rights, news/current events
Hi Megan!
Thanks for bringing attention to IFAW's StopTheSealHunt.com campaign and website. I'd like to invite you and your readers to download "Stop the Seal Hunt" banners for use on your personal websites or blogs; you can can find the banners at http://blog.myspace.com/endthesealhunt
Keep up the great work!
Okay, maybe some facts are in order here so you can form an informed opinion.
A couple of things you should have listened to when your Government was actually speaking.
1. It is illegal to kill baby seals (i.e., whitecoats and bluebacks) and it has been this way since 1987.
2. Approximately 90% of seals are killed by being shot with a rifle, not by clubbing.
3. These animals are used formuch more than their coats - the blubber is used for oil, the meat is actually eaten, many of the bones are used by native artists (although this is a much smaller percentage).
4. Seals aren't skinned alive. The value of the fur is based upon its quality, which would be dramatically decreased by the lack of clean cuts that would obviously occur if the animal were still alive and struggling.
5. Speaking of skinning seals alive and the IFAW, I'm wondering if you knew that it was found the individual featured in the 1964 film of a seal being skinned alive used by the International Fund for Animal Welfare was found to have been paid to commit those acts of cruelty and in that specific court case, IFAW founder Brian Davies also stated under oath that he had never actually seen a seal being skinned alive.
Just some things that you should know in order to make an informed opinion.
Thanks for the comments!
MKB, I'm glad to hear that killing baby seals is illegal, but I'm sure that doesn't stop it from happening. How is this enforced? Marijuana is also illegal, that sure doesn't stop it from being used!
It really doesn't matter to me how the seals are killed, I know it is happening and countless organizations have documented them being brutally clubbed, skinned alive, and everything but their fur coats being left to rot on the ice. This may be the exception (I sure hope so), but it does happen. Just because a video back in 1964 was faked does not mean they continue to be, I am certain that the numerous videos I have seen are documenting real events. And what I see disgusts me.
Even if the seals are killed by rifles, aren't babies, and more than just their fur is used, I am still disgusted at this government-sanctioned massacre. I am against using animals for human purposes, period, especially when it is not necessary to use them at all. Fur is one example of something that is totally unnecessary, and it involves unspeakable cruelty. Many prominent Canadians and citizens of the world are against this cruel hunt, I find it disturbing that people actually defend it.
I really don't find killing innocent animals by the hundreds of thousands to be definsible, no matter what. Thanks for the information, but it doesn't change my abhorrence to his atrocity.
I totally agree!
The seals are not eaten. In fact there is not a market for seal meat so its hypacritical to compare seals to other species that are in the food chain. Their pelts are taken and the carcusses are left on the ice.
It's very inhumane when you consider that most seals have not had their first swim or their first meal. Easy pickings for sealers to kill considering they just have ice to hang on to. It's hard to monitor or regulate a hunt where you have to take as many seals within a 2 day time period.
Newfoundland gets so many financial subsidies. They'll generate any propaganda to keep the hunt. The sealers live off of income assistance for the rest of the year and the rest of Canada gets to subsidize them. Newfoundland has had the highest rate of unemployment in Canada for 30 years. It makes you wonder if they are determined to change their situation.
Now there aren't as many seals left similar to what happened with Cod. I'm nervous to know if they will start hunting other things.
Being a Canadian I am totally disgusted and furious that we continue to pay billions to Newfoundland. Why should the rest of us subsidize this massacre? We loose billions from all the boycotts, our image and then we get to pay them equalization payments. How fair is that???
I totally agree!
The seals are not eaten. In fact there is not a market for seal meat so its hypacritical to compare seals to other species that are in the food chain. Their pelts are taken and the carcusses are left on the ice.
It's very inhumane when you consider that most seals have not had their first swim or their first meal. Easy pickings for sealers to kill considering they just have ice to hang on to. It's hard to monitor or regulate a hunt where you have to take as many seals within a 2 day time period.
Newfoundland gets so many financial subsidies. They'll generate any propaganda to keep the hunt. The sealers live off of income assistance for the rest of the year and the rest of Canada gets to subsidize them. Newfoundland has had the highest rate of unemployment in Canada for 30 years. It makes you wonder if they are determined to change their situation.
Now there aren't as many seals left similar to what happened with Cod. I'm nervous to know if they will start hunting other things.
Being a Canadian I am totally disgusted and furious that we continue to pay billions to Newfoundland. Why should the rest of us subsidize this massacre? We loose billions from all the boycotts, our image and then we get to pay them equalization payments. How fair is that???
Dan and Anonymous,
Wow talk about what can be written when ignorance and bigotry meet.
Please try to learn a few facts before you degrade an entire group of people. Why don't you check into what percentage the seals harvested during the annual seal hunt is taken by seal hunters from Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. You'll be surprised, that is if you're capable of doing research.
As for the meat not being eaten, I'll save you the research. There have been a number of attempts made to market the very rich seal meat to the world, but the so-called animal rights organizations have been successful in blocking this. Now they claim the meat is not being used. Go figure.
As for handouts to Newfoundland. Again, educate yourself. Newfoundland is now looking for the same conditions which allowed Alberta to become a "have province". But the Harper Government has said no to Newfoundland benefiting fairly from its off-shore oil reserves. So it looks as though you have a choice. Speak out on the double standard or shut up about handouts to Newfoundland.
As for the boycotts you mentioned, surely you are not talking about the very EU which continues to rape the few remaining cod stocks off our east coast?