Updated: Wed May. 06 2009 10:55:47 AM

CTV.ca News Staff

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has vowed to "vigorously defend" the Canadian sealing industry from the effects of a sweeping European ban on seal products that could come into effect by the fall.

"Canada will, both domestically and in front of international tribunals, vigorously defend our sealing industry," Harper said Wednesday.

Harper, who is in the Czech Republic negotiating a proposed free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), said Canada and Europe have long disagreed on the issue of the seal hunt and "may never see eye to eye."

But the prime minister said Canada's EU trade relationship will not be weighed down by a single issue, such as the seal hunt.

Harper's remarks come the day after European countries voted to ban the import of seal products -- a move that would severely curtail exports for some 6,000 Canadian sealers who sold $5.5 million worth of seal products to Europe last year.

A final vote on the ban is scheduled for the end of June, which could put the ban into effect by October.

The EU ban would apply to all products derived from seals, including fur, meat, oil blubber and omega-3 pills made from seal oil.

Some narrow exemptions would apply to Inuit communities from Canada and Greenland, in order to allow them to continue their traditional hunts. But it will slam the door on any large-scale trading of their pelts in Europe.

Some "small-scale" and non-commercial hunts would also be allowed in order to control seal populations. But these seals cannot be sold under the proposed European ban either.

On Tuesday, Canada immediately vowed to fight the EU ban, which calls the practice of commercial seal hunting "inherently inhumane."

In a brief phone interview from Prague, International Trade Minister Stockwell Day explained why Canada intends to seek an exemption from the ban through the World Trade Organization.

"The seal hunt is conducted along humane, internationally-recognized practices and guidelines, it is environmentally sustainable," Day told CTV's Canada AM on Wednesday. "Because of that, we're asking for an exception clause in the EU ban on seal product that includes the seal hunt in Canada for these reasons, and also it includes our indigenous communities."

Day said the Canadian government had been pushing hard to prevent the ban in recent months, even assigning a full-time ambassador to the file.

The result of Tuesday's vote was not received well in Newfoundland and Labrador, where politicians have spoken out about the reasons behind the EU ban.

Tom Hedderson, the province's minister of fisheries and aquaculture, said the ban has resulted from pressure being put on politicians by people who object to sealing in principle, rather than from ecologists or scientists.

"This was purely driven by the lobbying of the special interest groups, and it's based more on, I guess, morality than science," he said.

Danny Williams, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, has said the commercial seal hunt is a necessary measure to control Canada's seal population, which could harm fish stocks if it grows too large.

Critics of the sealing industry, however, say the EU ban is long overdue.

Sheryl Fink, a senior researcher with the Canadian branch of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, says the EU ban is "the sign of the future" and other countries -- including Canada -- should follow suit.

"We would hope that Canada would take the lead from Europe, and take a look at its own commercial seal hunt, take a look at the facts," she told CTV's Canada AM in an interview in Toronto on Wednesday morning.

Fink believes the economic benefits that can be gained from the sealing industry are not worth selling out Canada's reputation in order to obtain them.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Steve in Manotick
If Harper had any guts he would tell the EU to pound salt until the Ban was lifted and only once lifted they would talk free trade

NB
Stop beating a dead horse already and ban the seal hunt once and for all. Even if the ban is lifted (which it won't), Europeans will NOT buy seal products. Russia is becoming aware of the cruelty of the seal hunt and is heading towards a ban itself. The markets are drying up.
I only wish the government who is only fighting this to get the votes from the Maritimes, did not spend millions of our tax dollars to prop up a collapsing industry.
In this day and age, you have to evolve in order to survive- computer companies have to do it, auto makers have to do it, the sealers will have to do it too, no buts about it. I wonder, if the market for my products dried up, would the Government appoint an ambassador to lobby on my behalf?

Wesley
We need a gov't that will stand strong, and stand up for our hunt.

The other Lowell in BC
Its time the sealer find a new livelihood. The markets are drying up and it is time for change. As for over seal population ruining fish stocks, don't seals have natural predators too. Mother nature will take care of herself.

Dan from Northern Ont
I don't know why we're even bothering with the EU. The reason Canada and the US exist today was the exodus of people from those countries.

Brian
Harper is wise not to press the seal hunt issue here. This can (and will) be resolved through a WTO challenge. In the meantime, grandstanding at this meeting will only be detrimental to furthering Canadian business interests abroad. There is a time and place for everything, and this summit is to generate more business, not alienate potential partners.

Ray Jacques, Glen Robertson, ON
Perhaps the time is right to reconsider humankind's attitude towards animals.

There isn't any religion which agrees with the idea of killing sentient beings for any reason.

Humankind are supposed to be the caretakers of the animals, not be their killers.

What if we (humankind) were to allow ourselves a higher and more noble ideal to rule our behavior than killing, we would find that it is not necessary to kill any sentient beings for either food or clothing.

These thoughts are in good company: The Bible states that the fruits of the tree and the grains of the field should be "as our meat" and should be our food.

The European Union's decision
is the correct one.
We shiould retrain the Canadian people who used to rely on the seal hunt to do other work, work that is more noble for humans to undertake.

We should all also reconsider this whole idea of killing sentient beings as it is morally and ethically reprehensible to kill.

In this day and age, it is not difficult to give-up being carnivors and killers (directly & indirectly), as there are multitudes of food available that are derived from other than killing. One can purchase vegetarian ham, turkey, chicken, sausages, hot dogs, beef, virtually every food we have become accustomed to eating but without having to kill sentient beings.

The Bible is very clear on this matter "DO NOT KILL" as are all religions.

Before responding in a knee- jerk reaction "this is a personal choice", or "it will harm our killing-based industries"; please consider the more important issue: that IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!

Doug BC
Europeans still see Canada as colonies.They have no clue about seals or any other kind of wildlife management,and those in the city probably think the animal products they consume is grown on trees.Face it,if these seals weren't cute and cuddly,there would be no issue.
I do question the motives of Russia.I tend to think smaller markets are more likely a reason for the changes there.I have no reason to believe that "cruelty" has anything to do with their decisions.
Given that many of those who earn a living hunting seals,Canada must certainly look for ways to re-coup those lost dollars from the Europeans,and use tariffs collected as income for those unemployed now.Unlike urban workers,many have few options when it comes to making a living.It's to bad almost nobody cares about them.

Goldens
6000 Canadian families will be affected directly by this ban putting additional strain on food banks at a very difficult time. In addition 10 times that will be affected in the spin off. Higher fish prices for a dwindling stock that is going to feed an every increasing seal population, damage to fish pens, closing of fish plants means Canadian children will go hungry. It should not be Canadian children who have to suffer. A complete ban on all EU fishing boats from fishing Canadian controlled waters an a ban on port of call for these vesels should come into effect as soon as the ban is implemented.

Alan - Toronto
Some seem to think there are only two options. Build seal exports to smaller markets that are still open to seal pelts and where people are still willing to wear fur. Most Europeans are not. Consider that market dead for many reasons.

Harper should FOCUS (and will) on establishing free-trade with Europe. We've just seen the impact of focussing primarily on the U.S. The European market will make us less exposed to U.S. ups and downs. The government must keep relations with the U.S. strong while developing ALL other markets for Canada - an exporting nations.

We export a LOT more than seal pelts. To focus on seals only is to succumb to Sheryl Fink and her buddies who use Canadian trade as a soapbox to trumpet her agenda.

BTW - perhaps Danny Williams should get his butt over the Asia where there is a market for seal pelts. Be nice. Make new friends. It's a stretch but it would help the 6,000 sealing families in NFLD.

Red X
Given that state of the U$ economy it would be good to diversify. The potential increase trade in the billions is worth more than the $13-15 million seal trade.

What the EU should do is require Canada to honour it's Kyoto obligation on the year 1990 baseline before increasing business...

Samual
Harper's not the man for the job.
Look at Canadian support for Harper, under 30%, no one is listening to him here in Canada. So why would anyone from another country listen to him?

J.C.
To Ray Jacques,Glen Robertson, On
I don't know what bible you are reading but the one I read also states to eat meat only from animals of cloven hooves and fish from the sea.

As far as the EU is concerned, they have the right to ban seal products if they so wish to. It is time for the fishermen of the east coast to move on and find another livelihood. The fur trade is a dying industry and has been for some time. The sealers need to find ways to restock the ocean with cod etc. and our government needs to enforce fishing rules to the other countries invading our waters for the cod etc.
It is time to move on and find another source of income. There is no doubt that change is hard having lived your life this way, but you will overcome it. You are not the only ones to face change. Many Canadian industries are gone and those people had to deal with the change in their lives as well. I being one of them after more than 20 years in an industry that died. You will overcome.

Alex from BC
First off HAHAHAHHAHAHA... seriously

The EU violates our sovereignty and and pulls off a hypocritical move. The UK and Sweden have the same practice as us in regards to seal hunting.

The WTO will rule in our favor and will likely fine the EU to pay compensation. Furthermore Its nice to see Harper continuously fight for our place in this world.

Cheers Prime Minister Harper!

Penelope from Dorval
If Harper were smart, he would stand beside the EU in these trade talks to get more business for us all, instead of acting like their enemy!

Harper siding with Nfld. and Labrador will not get him more votes, so why ruin our trade futures, when the US (90%) trading wants more made in USA!

We now all need more trade with the EU, not Harper destroying it for more votes for him that he will never get!

As for morality, does it not make sense to do the right thing? How far gone are we?

There is food on the web available to try, such as veggie chicken nuggets, ham, salmon, beef stew chunks, delicious "roast duck" - also we have tofurkey at Easter, Christmas, etc..

Let's be smart, be nice, get more business from the EU, subsidize making veggie meats to employ them, make more money & DO THE RIGHT THING! I agree with Ray!

Bill in BC
The PM should negotiate from a position of strength. The EU wants what we have more than we want what they have to sell.
Another point, just what do the seal hugging idiots at the EU and Greenpeace think would happen if there was no seal cull? The fish stocks are screwed up enough, do they think the seals will just stop eating fish and turn to seaweed instead?! (News Flash: seals aint vegans!) Not only is there already an overpopulation of seals, but they would decimate the fish stocks and then starve en-mass. Way to show concern for the environment.
Face it, humans are omnivores and eat meat. Seals are meat and leather, and they are just animals. Stop hugging them and consider reality.

neocon_nemesis in NS
I think that a good many of Canadians suffer from small man syndrome.
Go ahead and ignore the EU ban or as many of the less astute out there have suggested, ban EU imports. Yes, now that’s a smart move. Shut down trade with the EU, a market of several hundreds of million consumers. Canada has 34 +/- million, we’re a blip on the international trade market. The EU has the largest GDP of all our trading partners.
The US banned the import of seal products back in the 70’s or 80’s. Now the EU, thankfully, wants to do the same. As I understand, the majority of Canadians want to ban seal hunting. I know that I do. It’s barbaric and perpetrated by cowards. I say take it one step further, ban hunting all together. Let the small men with big guns find another source of amusement. Perhaps, they could hunt each other? I suspect that a good many of them would cower at the prospect, after all the playing field is now even.

JB in Calgary
This should not be Harper's fight, the Premier is closest to this and should be the one dealing with it. If the U.S. banned Canada's oil (extreme example) Alberta's Premier would be in the U.S. having countless meetings trying to resolve it. This is typical Eastern Canada wanting somebody to save them.

And considering all Canadians have a "we're right you're wrong" attitude about this, I 100% support the EU. The Premier should be in Prague finding out what the exact issues are. They say that this ban comes from the hunt being "inherently inhumane," we should be finding out what they consider humane.

We changed to a more humane method of slaughtering cows, an animal that is bred to be killed, so what's wrong with rethinking our methods when it comes to seals?

This is a very American attitude to think that everybody else is arrogant and ignorant and in the end the only ones that look this way on a world scale are the ones that think it.

Randy
I hate to say this, but I agree with Danny williams. Without the seal hunt, from my minimal understanding, seal populations would explode and fish stocks would shrink. And think about it, if cows were butchered out in the open, we might be calling for a ban on the beef industry?

Scott
What the government should do is open the hunt for everyone. I for one would go out on the ice and club a seal. As for the EU they should mind their own business and stay out of our affairs. We should start a trade ban with the EU.

BMM
This is feel good issue for the EU that is not based in logic or science. These ill informed do-gooder morons in the EU have not saved the life of one seal by invoking this ban. The fact is that the Cdn govt will now have to hire the sealers to cull the herds anyway as Sweden now does. This must be done to prevent the extinction of cod. Even with the current hunt quotas the seals consume an unsustainable 1.6 B pounds of cod each year, and also to prevent disease in the seal herds from inbreeding and eventual extinction once the cod is depleted. But who cares about the facts, it plays well for the upcoming EU elections and that is all these phoney do-gooders really care about.

Image
Good for the EU to ban the seal products - this inhumane killing must stop. The sealers will get all kinds of monetary compensation, we know that, and perhaps they could take retraining opportunities and get a real job earning real money.

Sharon from Ontario
There is a food chain for a reason. Leave the seals alone and let nature take its course

Mathieu
Why are people sticking up for a cruel and needless slaughter? I praise the EU and I hope that our lame duck PM learns to listen to other people instead of being pompously stubborn.

Shannon
Heads up!!!

"Harper's not the man?"

HE is the one who has got the ears of the Europeans while Ignatief is hob-knobbing with Obama's clan (not Obama himself). Just as dreaded Mulronney gpot Canada into the G7, internationally Harper has credibility with and access to the most powerful leaders in the world. Harper has the vision to cement our relationship with the U.S. AND build storng trading ties elsewhere.

Give yourselves a shake if you think an academic would get the same audience.

We're on track. Growing and building trading ties globally. Go, Harper, Day, Flaherty, and team.

Steve in PEI
I think Harper is actually handling this file fairly well, and I'm far from being one of his fans. Still, while Harper is doing the right thing not to let this issue derail the trade talks, Danny Williams would also be doing the right thing to do everything in his power to derail the trade talks over this issue - after all, the Europeans are looking for provincial buy in in certain areas of the proposed agreement.

In the meantime, selling to China is actually not a bad idea. Parts of China do get very cold and the current recession notwithstanding, China has a growing middle and upper class who could appreciate beautiful, natural, hand-crafted products such as furs. And the Chinese are seem not to be afflicted with the bizarre, namby-pamby sentimentalism about animals with sex appeal that the Europeans are (if anything they go too far the other way).

Pip
Part of the problem with the EU - and all those who live in it - is the fact that they have no concept of size. Their cities are just a few minutes apart, they all have high-speed rail links, and their population density is high. Thus they have no idea that it can take hours, in Canada to get between two cities of half a million, and days if one were to go from Quebec City to Edmonton by rail..

Speaking to an animal rights activist in the UK last winter on this topic, I was told that sealers and trappers should just get another job. When I asked if he would be willing to move a thousand miles away (I gave Moscow as an example) for employment, his response was "good God, NO!". Having no concept of the size - and low population density - of Canada, he was unable to appreciate what the loss of trapping or sealing income meant.

Apply that to the EU parliamentarians and you have one of the resons their ban was passed. Add on the irritation of people like McCartney et al, parading their misinformed views over the media and generally making like unpleasant for the MEP's.

Canada has no clout with that body, regardless of the rightness of the cause, and it is in our best interest - viewing how much it will cost us to get the ban lifted or exemption made - to accept the inevitable and move on. And banning EU products in retaliation is simply a matter of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

On the other hand, I do not propose that unemployed seal hunters move to the West in search of work, if a smaller move within their province or county would suffice.

Bill in calgary
I bought so much EU cheese and wine yesterday !!! BAN THE SEAL HUNT !!! Harper should create real jobs in this country

Margaret / Calgary
Ban the seal hunt. I'm getting fed up with the yearly battle, and the humiliation of being the citizen of a country which inflicts such bloody brutality on helpless animals.

Face it. Time is up on the seal hunt. Think of something else to do. Be creative. It took an immigrant from India, I believe -- to see that the blueberries in Newfoundland could be used, not just for picking and exporting - but to make blueberry wine, for example. Think outside the box.

Miramichi Kid
Don't forget that consumers of Canada in support of our seal hunters can easily boycott EU product and service.

Margaret / Calgary
"
We changed to a more humane method of slaughtering cows, an animal that is bred to be killed, so what's wrong with rethinking our methods when it comes to seals? "

***********

That's total nonsense. "Bred to be killed", is a myth that people tell themselves so they're not made uncomfortable about slaughter; any slaughter is painful and terrifying to the animal. Complete terror - that's why in a slaughterhouse there is liquid manure and urine everywhere - just as you would lose control of your body because of extreme fear, so do the animals.

David Holdrinet
It is about time this barbaric hunt was banned. Instead of protecting a harmless animal, the government if more interested in protecting Newfoundland's financial interests? Man has become a monster, I am embarrassed for humanity.

Stephen Schettini
Any industry that ignores the perceptions of its customers is doomed to fail.

Concerned Canadian
Does anyone else find it rather coincidental that this ban is taking place at the same time that Mr. Harper is in Europe negotiating a trade deal?

I suspect that although in public he may talk about supporting our fishermen and women, in reality he probably threw the seal hunt under the bus in order to get some concessions somewhere else. The EU gets to look like humanitarians by banning seal products, and Mr. Harper can pass himself off as the defender of our interests, while cutting the real deals behind the scenes.

And what does he lose? It's not like he was going to get many votes from the east coast anyway. Now he looks like a hero, even when he fails, while Ontario probably benefits from the deals cut behind the scenes. In fact, he may even pick up some support, based on the false premise that he's trying to help!

If that's true, then those of you praising Mr. Harper are cheering for the man who sold you down the river, much as the Conservatives did when Mr. Harper caved into the coalition, claiming that that was the plan all along, and giving Mr. Harper credit for what he was forced to do.

Cleaver politician, that Mr. Harper.

James Earnshaw
It really bothers me that so many Canadians seem willing to defend this move by the EU, which is clearly becoming more fascist by the day. The position they have taken is breathtaking in it's hypocrisy. Unless they are going to ban ALL traditional hunting, then this decision can only have been made based on ignorance and bad information. I disagree with Harper on a lot of things, but this is one issue we agree upon fully.

Mel Blake
"Won't be weighed down by a single issue .." is what Harper said. This is code for the fact that he will make some strongly worded statements, then basically do nothing to actually penalize Europe, and then sell out the sealers because Newfoundland only has seven seats in parliament. We wouldn't want to cost Ontario and Quebec jobs or increase the cost of chardonnay. But then again, being from NL, maybe we just have a "culture of defeat" as Harper said about us.

Tono
It seems everybody is picking at Canada these days, for whatever reason.

The seal hunt. NATO. Our Arctic. Our beef. Our pork. Whatever it is, the world has a problem with us.

For being the second biggest country in the world, Canada sure isn't demonstrating the power it very well could be capable of.

meerkat
Maybe if all these countries that are imposing this ridiculous ban had populations of fisherman that were dependant on fish stocks for their livelyhood, I'm sure they would think differently about the seal hunt. As cute and cuddly as these little creatures are, they breed at an incredible rate and they deplete fish stocks. That's right, these beautiful cute little creatures are PESTS!! Just like rabbits, raccoons and kangaroos.

Gone are the days of barbery... these animals are culled humanely in spite of all the bad press that states otherwise.

People need to research these issues properly before condemning countries like Canada and Greenland for this hunt.

Sharon
They havn't killed a baby seal for over 20 years here in Canada, according to fishery minister Shea...I believe that. These famous celebrities like Anderson, and McCarthy have the bucks to turn this into a propaganda to people that no nothing about the real deal... Seals eat their own weight everyday in cod and other fish, they are hit once and die, just like beef and pork are in the slaughter houses...Seals are taken from a quota, and are not in anyway an endangered species...do some homework before you get all teary-eyed about the "poor" seals,folks! I applaud Harper's government crying foul over this!

Frank Buchan (Vauxhall, Alberta by way of Ontario)
The EU can ban anything they like; we have to get over being so sensitive. They have the right to ban toothpicks if they so choose.

We also have the right to seek other emerging markets, and whichever market gives us the best deal is the one that should get the best deal in return. Simple.

As for the seal hunt itself, the problem is the method of killing is barbaric (or at least looks barbaric), and the animals are cute (or at least look cute). To those who say clubbing them to death is the only way, you do your cause a serious disservice with that lie. I'm pretty sure the same kind of capped stick that defends against sharks would produce a fairly instantaneous result, and most people would believe it less brutal. (It isn't, but this is about beliefs.)

And to those who differentiate between cows and seals, wee cows are kind of cute too, and have big soulful eyes. Next time you chow down on beef or slip on your leather shoes, I hope your misplaced guilt is as strong as when you think about these poor baby seals.

5th Generation Canadian
The "humane" reference to the seal hunt is rather disturbing. Bludgeoning a small animal over the head until it dies is considered "humane?" But, then, of course, water boarding is not torture......

Matt
The European market for seal products isn't dead.
If it was there would be no reason for a ban.

The problem is that the anti-animal product lobby isn't happy with simply not buying the product themselves, they don't want to let anyone else have it.

This is the problem with most prohibitionists, whatever they don't want or use personally, they see no reason to allow ANYONE to have it. This way they can get whatever perceived benefit from not having it, at no cost to themselves as they don't care.

It's simple
I don't smoke, ban tobacco.
I don't like drugs, ban drugs.
I don't like your religion, ban your religion.
I don't drink, ban alcohol.
I don't like what you're protesting, ban your protests.
I don't like what you're saying, ban your speech.
I don't drive, ban cars. (Or restrict their use via taxes, or limit parking)
I don't shoot, ban guns.
I don't hunt, ban hunting.
I don't wear fur, ban fur.

I don't eat meat, ban meat.
I don't keep pets, ban pets.

For the last 2 they're attacking them from the outside. For meat they're banning seal meat now, but there are groups working on banning other meat.
For pets they start with "exotic" animals, ie anything not a cat or dog. That means no pigs, snakes, birds, or even fish.

Enough is enough people, we're sliding into a police state where nothing is allowed.
Unless there is a compelling reason to stop something, we should allow it.

Doug
The seal hunt is a travesty!
Obviously, there is a hidden agenda lurking here that we know nothing about. Otherwise, any responsible government would have banned it years ago.
They say that 6,000 jobs are dependent upon this annual slaughter. How about some retraining to bring these people into the 21st century. Surely, these people do not want their children to follow in their footsteps.
Ban the Seal Hunt!!
Doug

Ian- Alberta
Thank you CTV for allowing both sides of this debate. Unlike the CBC (Conservative Broadcasting Company). Anyways people are saying if you support the seal hunt... ban EU products. Well I'll go the other way if your against the seal hunt ban everything Newfoundlander.

Most smart and ambitious Newfoundlanders have left home. Think we all know why. Pretty sad state when you have to rely on a institution and product no one wants to make a living. Also, do Newfs think if the ban is lifted all of the sudden seal pelts will be in demand?.. the prices have been falling faster than space debris since 2006. No one wants what you have to sell. Get it?

Also; I find it funny how when a sealer gets lost at sea he gets a free ride home from SAR. But you get lost in the rockies and SAR comes for you you get a bill. Double standard much?

If Newfoundlanders want to bash in seal heads that's their business what needs to happen though is the end of tying every other Canadian to this barbaric activity. Seal hunting is a Newfoundlander thing and should be subsidized by their own province... get sealers off of the federal dole. Rides home from SAR (give em the bill)

JB in Calgary
In Reply to Margaret/Calgary

There is liquid manure because there is no point in having a cow with a full stomach if it's about to be slaughtered. It's a waste of food and a waste of money.

I can tell you really don't know the process. And they ARE bred to be killed. I went out in the fall and choose a calf, they feed it till the spring, and we just cut it up last weekend.

So I don't think there is much of a "Myth" there. I haven't seen many cows as house pets have you?

There will always be people like Margaret that think no animals should be killed, EVER. At least there is no waste when it comes to a Seal or Cow, everything is used. Why don't you focus on Sharks, that is killing that is the true shame in this world.

I agree with the Hunt, I just don't agree with the method. And for the people who thinks the bible says we should not kill animals, Jesus fed his people Fish, so get off your pedestal.

Lorne
PM Harper can defend the seal hunt all he wants.
The fact is the EU is bigger than Canada and the ban will remain in effect.
EU countries will just not buy seal pelts, which will dry up the market.

Gary from Kingston/Toronto
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The move to place a ban on the selling of seal products in the EU has nothing to do with foreign policy but everything to do with internal political posturing by the EU parliamentarians to make them look good for future elections. It is a shame that non-issues like this can play a role in getting one reelected. This happens in out country as well. I have no doubt that the EU members know that their ban will be removed when the WTO investigates their action. WTO will remove the ban of selling seal products in the EU by the simple virtue that the EU does not have sufficient grounds to put the ban in place.

With regards to the “curial” and “inhumane” treatment of animals, we consume and indeed wear many other products from animals that have seen more suffering then these “furry” and indeed “cute” seals. Why is the focus on this animal and not the despicable conditions of our chicken farms or those smelly 18-wheeler pork transports that I find myself behind on highway 401?

abbey
It's time to move on and leave the seals alone, let nature take it's course and evolve naturally, we might be surprised how things evolve in the future. The rest of the world knows it's time to let go, so why can't Harper and Canada. Instead of fighting for a dying industry and making enemies of Europeans, Harper would be better to invest dollars into training and finding a new industry and trades for these workers.

Dave in Halifax
The hunting of wild animals just isn't a pretty sight. Thanks to our modern society we no longer see where most of our food comes from. When looking at these issues we have to rely on science and put emotions aside and the science backs the need to control the seal population. I also think the EU is being very hypocritical with this issue given their own exploitation of wild animal stocks expecially the constant over fishing on the Grand Banks. It seems their goal is to completely extinguish fishing on the East Coast through over fishing and now a promoting a hunting ban on the fish's main predator. I for one do not look up to the Eu in this instance and totally agree with controlling the seal population. While I have never eaten seal I still do enjoy a meal of fish and would like to continue this in the future. As for the Seals predators, thanks to climate change polar bears will soon be extinct. So we have interferred with the natural cycle and now we have to control things the best we can.

Raoul Duke from Flin Flon
Well thank you Mr. Harper for opening up free trade talks with the EU, something that the Canadian people never actually asked you to do. Since this "free trade" agreement comes with it restricting Canadian products in Europe I do not see the public putting much support in this.

By the way, shut yer pie hole about another NHL team in Canada Harper...stop trying to distract Canadians from your nonchalant attitude of representing our country on an international scale.

Jason Daniel Baker, Toronto
Okay, so now we are going to start legislating ourselves out of the top position in the food chain just because a few bleeding hearts think it is cruel?

No, it is not a fair fight when sealers club seals. But it isn't a fair fight when seals chow down on creatures smaller than they are either.

That is nature.

Y
Times are changing for good. We shouldn't fight against it, we have to move forward and end the seal hunt.
Kudos to EU for the ban

Linda in Vancouver
I'm one who strongly supports more diversity in Canadian trade.But I'm curious as to what exactly people think the EU is going to buy from us.
We manufacture almost nothing they need,and they fiercly defend their farming industry through subsidies and non tariff trade barriers.They could easily be more difficult to deal with that the USA.
While I support the seal hunt itself,I also agree that it has to be done as humanely as is reasonably possible.Beyond that,no foreign nation should be dictating how Canada manages the harvesting of an abundant,and sustainable resources.
I would feel differently if seals were less abundant and decreasing in numbers.I see no evidence of that what-so-ever.In fact,the opposit appears to be the case.
Canada MUST fight this ruling through the proper channels,and in diplomatic ways.Grandstanding is almost always counter productive.

Cameron Widrig - London, England
Do the math! $5.5 million divided between 6,000 sealers is less than $1,000 per sealer. Give it up guys. That's not even enough to pay your boat expenses, even if it entitles you to EI. Stop trying to characterize it as an industry; it falls much more on the "socio" side of the "socio-economic" scale than the "economic side.

Ian In Mississauga
BMM
This is feel good issue for the EU that is not based in logic or science. These ill informed do-gooder morons in the EU have not saved the life of one seal by invoking this ban. The fact is that the Cdn govt will now have to hire the sealers to cull the herds anyway as Sweden now does. This must be done to prevent the extinction of cod. Even with the current hunt quotas the seals consume an unsustainable 1.6 B pounds of cod each year, and also to prevent disease in the seal herds from inbreeding and eventual extinction once the cod is depleted. But who cares about the facts, it plays well for the upcoming EU elections and that is all these phoney do-gooders really care about.


This is a baseless arguement. Before we had seal hunts the seals and fish went back and forth as nature intended for millions of years. It is mankind that has overfished and depleted the fish stocks so you can go to your local A+P to get fish for dinner. The seals are not eating any more fish than they did 1000's of years ago because if they had, both the seals and the fish would have been extinct long before man stepped on to the N American soil.

Jude Horrocks
The EU has the right to ban products if that is what their voters want, it is called democracy. A lot of Canadians do not agree with the hunt, and they get no say in the matter!! While I feel badly for families that use this as a means to subsidise their living, it is time to move on to more viable industries, such as Ecotourism, etc. It is not a viable industry given the view of it around the world. The government should be putting money into other industries and help these people find something less horrifically viewed by the rest of the world, or at least a large part of it. I am a Canadian living in the UK and am originally from the Maritimes, against the hunt, and I can tell you, people are horrified by the hunt in this part of the world, not all, but a large majority and it stains our reputation, oh, and the ice!!

Jackie Barrett
Sounds like our Prime Minister is being hypocritical and having no backbone as he is making a free trade deal with the same devils who killed Canada's sealing industry, the European Union.

If Stephen Harmer has any backbone whatsoever, he should suspend all trade talks with the European Union until Canada will be allowed to sell seal based products to European Union member nations again.

That way, the uneducated and ill-informed European Union politicians will learn that they can't have their cake and eat it too, and that their actions to ban the seal hunt will have profound consequences on our aquatic ecosystems.

Stephen Harper has to learn this lesson. Sometimes you have to burn bridges with the enemy, which is the European Union in our case, to make a point and build new bridges.

Shame on Harper for not standing up for Canadians on the seal ban issue while in Prague.

NorSask Keith
I have no problem with the sealing industry and am all in favor of culling the seal numbers for environmental and economic concern. But, according to the numbers of 5.5 million in sales for 6000 sealers, does an income of 916 dollars per sealer even pay the gas?

If the Newfoundland and Canadian governments feel that this is important from an environmental sustainability and economic point of view, just put a per seal price on each head, up to a scientifically determined quota, and create a domestic (albeit subsidized)industry that is not dependant on foreign governments.

jimmy-nova scotia
This is the BEST thing about capitalism. Supply and demand, if there is NO demand why waste resources trying to supply. If Harper can change this fundamental rule of life then he should be running the world.

George in Calgary
Maybe Canadians should support the industry more by buying the products. It's a controlled cull just like forests have controlled burns. In this case however the animal is harvested and used while in the burns the timber is wasted.

So demand more seal meat at the grocery stores - oh I forgot there isn't any. Too bad it's not bad at all. Have it listed as an exotic meat and people will buy it and our awarded chefs should sit up and take notice. I bet all those chef "reality" shows never serve up seal. I also bet most of the chefs have never even tried it let alone actually think about challenge of preparing seal meat.

So we as Canadians could support the hunt and actually use the products ourselves. As one poster said industries have to evolve and suggested several but all of those industries are still with us; they did not die. If to evolve is to die then I suggest there are three manufacturing companies that should die as well.

Jim Lad
If we were to concentrate on a creating a domestic market, the industry would flourish. I'd love to sample some seal meat but seriously doubt that any of the grocery chains would have the courage to supply them.
This would be an excellent opportunity for the First Nations to step in and show us what they are made of. Sell the products to us. Make some money. Create employment. Help your kin in the far north with absolutely no fear of public boycotts.
Think about it......... then do it.

Nick in Sudbury
This country needs a strong leader like Stephen Harper to look after our best interests on the international scene.

Angie
How would it feel if humans were hunted down and clubbed to death for the misfortune of being on this planet. Humans think that they are superior, which only makes them total ignorants...those poor seals have every right to live and breathe the same air we do..

Tommies
Harper should still continue to negotiate with EU for a free trade agreement especially if it brings in 12billion as opposed to the seal hunt bringing in a maximum of $17million. I'm all in favor of the hunt and against the band, but $7 million for 6000 sealers can't compare to the other gains. Where is our new leader of the liberal party on this? It was his caucus member that brought in a bill to establish the ban on all sealing??!

TO: Ray Jacques, Glen Robertson, ON
There is flawed thinking and facts in your argument.

First: Modern translations of the Bible do not say "Do not kill." Since our understanding of ancient languages has greatly improved reliable modern translations read; "Do not murder"(Exodus 20:13). The definitions for both words are different, check it out.

Second: In Genesis 9:2-3 God grants mankind the right to eat Animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Don't you remember that Jesus fished, and cooked them himself? (John 21:4-13)

Third: God was the first recorded person to use animals for clothing (Genesis 3:21) "God made clothes out of animal skins for the man and wife."

Last: Don't jump to religious arguments for such frivolous matters. It's offensive, and embarrassing.

Chad
If we want to keep the seal hunt then we have to let European countries, like Norway keep on hunting whales. We always make a big stink about killing whales, granted most are endangered, but when other countries cause a stink about our sealing industry, we get up in arms? Really?
I'm all for the ban, but the government will have to invest in industries in the Maritimes to make up for the lose of income stemming from the ban. The seal hunt is past it's prime, it's time to move on. Change hurts, but in the long run, it's for the best.
Now if Harper just grew a pair and bans the hunt we can move on. We need the trade deals with the EU more than we need to keep the hunt, in the end we would gain more jobs and a better economy than all the income and lost jobs resulting from the ban of the seal hunt.

Mark L
The seal hunt should stay and thank goodness, we finally have a PM who has some balls to stand up to those foreign influences like the EU, to tell them to go stuff it in their pipe and smoke it.

Frankly, Europe shouldn't worry so much about the humane treatment of animals, since they have one of the worst records in recent history of ethnic cleansing and of course, the holocaust.

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones and as far as Europe is concerned, they have a lot of broken windows.

Supply and Demand
Way to go Harper!!

For all you pro-ban supporters out there ranting on about supply and demand and the fact that people don't want to buy the seal products, why even put a ban in place. Let the economics of it all play out and according to you the sealers will be out of work soon anyway so the ban won't even matter. But in the interim, fight the ban and let the consumers decide. If companies and individuals in the EU want to buy seal products they should be permitted to do so.

The seal hunt has been proven time and again over recent years to be just as humane as the mass killings of all other animals commercially. If I hear one more person bring up the cute white baby seals I'm gonna lose it. Seal pups are a moot issue since they are NOT clubbed during the seal hunt. Just this morning on Canada AM there was an animal rights advocate saying the majority of the seals killed and pups. This is an outright lie. The public, just like the policy makers in Europe are being fed propoganda that they take as fact.

This whole issue is ridiculous. Humans inherently consume meat (we need protein - and I don't mean from beans or soy!) and animals have been put on this earth as a source of that meat. They provide clothing. They provide food. They provide medicine(Omega 3 capsules). There are HUGE numbers of seals to be killed and the hunt is sustainable.

Let the hunt continue for as long as there is a demand for seal. If the demand dries up, the hunt will cease.

Let the consumer decide, not the government!

AndyL
Many people here point out that 6000 sealers could lose their livelyhood if the hunt is banned. Well how many oil industry workers who will lose their jobs with all the "green initiatives". How many people building hummers and truck will lose their jobs? How about those 6000 people find something else to do, just like the GM workers building hummers! As Bob Dylan said "the times they are a changing"

MuskyBuck
Yeah you do that Harper.

Perhaps you can convince the EU that like most cracked in the head Canadians believe, up until Newfoundlanders came along, the worlds fish stocks were being eaten to almost extinction because of those pesky seals.

If it weren't for Newfoundlanders those seals would eat up all the fish and there wouldn't be anymore fishing along the ... umm..

Um maybe Harper should just concentrate on finding out why his diplomats are getting kicked out of Russia, in which he's equally clueless.

Taxes Wasted on Cruelty
Supporting the sealing industry is fiscally irresponsible to Canadian taxpayers who fork out 60 million for an industry worth 12 million (in a good year), come on where's the logic. Stephen stop buying votes in the Maritimes and quit ignoring Senator Harbs 1/2 million signatures (& growing) by Canadians to end the seal hunt. This cruelty is unjust and as a taxpayer I'm appalled. Vanity & politics is no justification to massacre a species. Our country is already in the red, which will be the color Canadians will vote if you keeping throwing our hard earned money away. How much will Stockwell Day spend trying to win back 5 million from the EU. Pay the sealers their EI & buy back their licences and be done with it.

Fred in Calgary
Come on folks!... They're just animals!

Last time I checked, they're somewhere below me in the food chain!!!

Ban the products if you like... if the fishers perceive the seal herds are putting the fish stocks at risk, they'll likely continue to shoot whatever seal they see in passing anyhow - and let it's carcass sink to the ocean floor for the shrimp to devour...

Mykey, The Lakehead
Stephen Harper is where it's at. During the tense drama at Montego Bay, the P.M. was on the island for an official visit. Now, as the EU announces a ban on seal products, Harper is nearby in the Czech Republic, ready to stand on guard for the nation's interests. Mr. Harper is everything we need in a Leader. He's a real Canadian who loves his country. Don't settle for less.

Matt F, Halifax
I can't believe there are people who believe the seal hunt is wrong. As many people on here have probably already mentioned, the overkill of fish is not only because of humans, but seals. Seals have multiple reasons to be hunted. The Europeans are backwards when it comes to this issue, and many more as well. I commend Steven Harper for doing this, but would be very surprised if he hadn't of done this.

Marion Bakes, Mississauga
Ban the seal hunt once and for all - it's absolutely atrocious in this day and age. The sealers need to be clubbed, retrained and dragged into this century!

Alex (Toronto)
It's not up to the Europeans to protect jobs on Canada's Atlantic coast.

The government can simply subsidize a seal cull, to protect our environment and our economy, and negotiate a free trade with Europe, which will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in Canada and tens of billions of new tax revenue. That should cover the government's cost of a seal cull. Canada's sovereignty can be protected with an in-Canada solution.

Karen in Calgary
There is a reason most of the world considers the seal hunt cruel and inhumane and it is because for years people have seen it through pictures and video, long before the advent of photoshop, so stop pretending the cruelty and barbarism don't exist. Sealers may not take the soft white pelts of seal pups anymore, but only because they have been told they can't, not because they wouldn't like to.

Louis-Paul in Markham
Animals are our food supply. End of discussion. If a person wishes to not eat meat. that is their problem and under no circumstance can they be allowed to force that view upon normal people.
We should ban all European products while this ban is in Effect. Canada has no need for Europe anyhow. Too bad we can't send the Nazis we defeated back to them...

Deanne from BC
The EU has every right to impose bans in their own countries. Good for them. Harper's current position on the seal hunt will go a long way toward ensuring that I never ever vote for him again.

Rod (Calgary)
Just a few comments from the Prairies. First off the comments of some posters here that the sealers should go and get a different job is laughable. Obviously most of you have not been to these outports in NFLD. Life is very hard there and people will do almost anything to make ends meet. You just don't go down the street and find a new job. Sealing is very dangerous and these people would probably do other better paying jobs if they existed. Someone also said that the market is drying up well obviously that is not the case seeing Canadian sealers sell $6 million of seal products to the EU annually. Who do you think is buying this stuff! Finally I was glad that someone mentioned the way we treat livestock and coming from a farm background I can say that it is true. How to you think Sobeys, Safeway, etc. get your beef, pork, lamb chops and steaks? If you don't believe it I suggest that you take yourself and a camera to your local abattoir and see how 'domestic livestock' is killed!

Glen , SK
It is time the animal huggers stop using the bible to push their own agenda at the expence of others. We as Canadaians need to stand up for our Maritime countryman instead of trying to send them to the unemployment line.
By the way the rest of the verses that "Ray Jacques, Glen Robertson, ON" were quoting also say man is to have dominion over the fowl of the air, beasts of the fields and creatures of the seas and "Do Not Kill" is from the 10 commandments which is referring to humans not animls.

Dave from Toronto
This guy talks from both sides of his mouth! first...defend the seal hunt, then go talk free trade with the EU. Make up your mind! I feel Canada's image has been damaged these last few years on the world stage.

Left the EU 400 yrs ago for a REASON!!!
Asia is a much more lucrative market anyway. Screw the EU!

ccc
It's about time this "hunt" ended. Canada has a multi-billion dollar tourist industry that is marketed aggressively to Europeans. Sealing is a little industry that's a big embarrassment. Tourism brings more dollars into Newfoundland than the seal industry ever did. And it has been held hostage to this "holdover" from the 18th century far too long. If you want to be hunter-gatherers, do it from schooners with spears, not from factory ships and helicopters. Sealing is like the fishery. It's gone.

Tony
These EU members are so clever! Europe has a long history of geopolitical thinking! The increase in seal population will just deplete our fish stocks, making the fish travel away from our coastal borders. We will have to fish on their waters. The EU has the better part of our free trade: they get natural/agricultural resources that can turn into an even greater profit for them. Canada can only purchase so many goods. And fellow Canadians: Finding work in the EU countries is HIGHLY competitive!

Kris
Ya, Im with all the rational thinkers who have posted here. They're sea cows. If you didn't see it, it wouldn't bother you. Its not inhumane, the hunters are strictly monitored while they kill these pests. And as some astute person pointed out above, culling these animals will cost even more to protect the fish stocks. Mother nature!!..bah..She left this planet long ago. Go start a Facebook page...let the hunters do their thing.

Mike T.
Hey, it takes a Real Man to whack a pup seal.
Why don't we just pay these eternal welfare, seasonal workers a few millions to keep them in smokes, screech, and food for their families, and then move forward on this file. End the brutal seal hunt by force, if we must. Tories and Newfies don't seem bright enough to understand the cruelty and stupidity of a massive wildlife slaughter for a few fur collars on the jackets of some babes in Paris.
The "seal industry"? Give me a bloody break. Tradition? Ah, yes, it certainly is that---of mindless, moronic, low-brow cruelty.
Furs for "fashion"? A few chunks of flipper for flipper soup? Intelligent Canadians allow THIS to happen?
Naw, just pay off those backward Newfoundlanders to stop the whacking, and slouch their ways into this century.

Reece
Vigourously defend? That's a better than the ol' tried and true 'half-assed defend'.

Ummm...Harper, you can't force countries to accept dead seals for trade.

MAL
Ahh MATT... banning is wonderful [I'd love to see smoking GONE] but even now while it's legal we have organized crime in the cigarette industry... banning all the 'not liked' things would just create more crime... and no I don't have the solution, wish I did.

At some point we need to decide if we are carnivores/predators [I am] and if so we will live off the lower species and if there is an answering to come, we will all reach that day.

At least Harper seems to recognize there IS something on the map east of Quebec.

Cam W
If the Europeans love our cute seals so much get busy building an eco-tourism industry. It would make a great holiday visiting these remote areas and going on hikes to view the seals and learning about the culture and history of the people who live in these regions. Hunter becomes tour guide and storyteller.

Erin in Kingston
It's interesting that Harper plans to "vigourously defend" the seal hunt even though the majority of Canadians and many other countries in the world have condoned it. I think this is a weak attempt to gain support from the maritimes provinces least he is forced into an election.

Raymond
"Shame on Harper for not standing up for Canadians on the seal ban issue while in Prague"

You don't know what you're talking about.

Harper has consistently supported the seal hunt domestically and internationally.

Bruce
Just wondering if 'Vigorously' defending the sealers means the same as how he defended the forest Industry.BUY SELLING OUT.

guppies
I am too new to this issue. Don't know Seal hunting is right or is wrong.

For sure there are demand for seal product that's why there are 6000 familys member in Canada still hunting seal to make a living.

And if there is a demand for it, there is market beside EU. Not matter what ? Or can be sold to Asia (don't we).

If the demand in Europen drop. Ban or no ban make no different. So the EU should educate their people not to purchase seal product instead of banning them. If they think is wrong doing.

Like Canada or other country, you can buy cig. but you can't smoke in public.

Just my point of view.

Goldens
I wish people would quite calling this scientifically controled seal management program a hunt. It is not a hunt there is no hunting to be done. Sealers go on the ice until they meet a quota and have to leave. Rightfully, it is called a seal cull or a seal management program.

John Wilson
Bridgetown NS

Jay Mater
The Canadian people are not behind the fight against the ban. It should be banned once and for all. Seal hunts are inhumane and disgusting.

There must be other industries that these hunters can become part of. I'd rather pay for the re-trainings and relocations, then a legal fight involving the WTO.

KMC (Markham, ON)
Steve in Manotick

The problem is, the seal industry employs about 6,000 people and produces less than $10million in revenue.

Canada's trade with Europe earns about $12 BILLION and creates tens of thousands of jobs.

Getting the ban lifted, under WTO rules, may, in any event, ultimately,prove meaningless if the European countries simply refuse to buy seal products, ban or no ban.

If the seal hunt is unpopular with the European "street" then the various governments, in Europe, will react accordingly, just as the governments of Canada have always done. It's what the peolpe want.

Rob
Good job Stevie.

One of the only "Real" faults in Mr Harper as the PM is his lack of respect for NL, in a large part to the antics of Danny Williams.

If the two of these guys could get along, NF and Canada would be better served. Both are good in there own right, but when they deal with each other...turns very personal...

Denis
5.5 million $ divided by 6000 sealers =
917$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're telling me all this fighting is over 917$ for 6000 seal hunters for the entire year of 2008????????

Hmm I think you need to give up your day job and find something else. Even welfare pays more than 917$ a year!

I'd love to know how much money the government is spending to fight this!

Mike from Mississauga
The seal hunt is barbaric, and anyone who supports it is barbaric. I never thought I would support a ban of something from my own country!

jeff
Why doesn't Harper stand up for some real issues? Harper is coming off like an idiot along with McKay. Time to ban the seal hunt....we must learn to play with others. Natives only should be able to hunt for community/family food.

A from Vancouver
If I still got my math right revenues of $5.5 million for 6000 sealers means an average of about $900/year per sealer. Why do we bother fighting this fight?