new to the flock Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 PETA asks Iqaluit to protest seal hunt Council to invite animal-rights group to visit Inuit Last Updated: Thursday, April 12, 2007 | 9:08 AM CT CBC News Iqaluit city council rejected a request that it use the Canadian flag to protest the seal hunt and instead invited a U.S. animal rights spokesman to come North to learn how anti-sealing campaigns hurt the Inuit. At its council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik read a letter from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals asking the city to fly the flag half-mast as a symbol of mourning for the seals that will be killed during the annual commercial seal hunt. The letter, sent to the mayors of all Canadian capitals, stated that many baby seals are slaughtered before they've learned to swim or eaten their first solid meals — a message that also appears on the organization's website. A video accompanied the letter. "They have to come and learn and realize that what they're doing will impact us," Sheutiapik said Wednesday. "They may not understand it, but we felt it already. We're just in the last, I'd say, 10 years recovering from Greenpeace." PETA senior campaign co-ordinator Matt Rice told CBC News from Virginia that he realized his message was going to Inuit territory, where people hunt and harvest seals. He said his organization takes a bigger issue with the East Coast seal hunt, set to start later this week. "The Canadian government has been trying to hide behind the Inuit in pursuing this commercial seal hunt and they're two separate issues," Rice said Wednesday. "No one, not even PETA, has a quarrel with native people who truly have no choice but to hunt in order to survive. But that's really not what's going on here." Council passed a motion to reply to Rice's letter, informing PETA that it supports the seal hunt and inviting Rice to visit Iqaluit so he could learn about the importance of the seal hunt to Inuit and the impact anti-sealing campaigns have on the Inuit way of life. "Anything that affects the Canadian East Coast harp seal hunt also affects the Inuit seal hunt in Nunavut," Coun. Glen Williams said Tuesday. "The seal hunt is a very important part of the culture and anything that affects sealers in Canada affects Inuit sealers as well. We should also offer Mr. Rice the opportunity to come to our community and find out how important seals are to us culturally." Rice told CBC News he'd be happy to take the city up on its invitation to visit the North. ................................................................................ .......................................................................... Canadian delegation meets with anti-sealing Europeans Last Updated: Monday, March 26, 2007 | 3:34 PM CT CBC News A Canadian delegation including Inuit representatives started meeting with European government officials on Monday, hoping to counter growing opposition to the annual seal hunt. The trip, which is organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, started Monday with meetings in Brussels and will end at The Hague on Friday. The delegation will also meet during the week with the German government, which has said it will move ahead with banning imported seal products out of concerns the Canadian seal hunt is inhumane. The Netherlands has also confirmed that it will proceed with legislation to enact a ban, while the European Union's executive commission plans to conduct a study to see if the hunt is humane. Canada has maintained that an import ban could hurt the livelihoods of seal hunters in the North and in Atlantic Canada. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Mary Simon, who is participating in the tour on behalf of Canadian Inuit, said Friday that they don't want a repeat of the 1980s, when seal pelt prices plummeted due to aggressive anti-sealing campaigns. "There's some indication in Europe that some countries that are part of the European Union … are actually passing resolutions and legislation to ban import of seal skins, even though they say they are not against aboriginal sealing. Past experience shows that bans that include so-called Inuit exemptions have proven not to work," Simon said. Simon said she wants European government officials to know what a negative impact anti-sealing campaigns can have on the economic well-being of Inuit. Meanwhile, an Inuk seal hunter who returned from an anti-sealing protest earlier this month said Inuit must be more aggressive and strategic if they want to send their message to Europeans. Aiju Peter of Iqaluit, who wore a traditional sealskin outfit and took her son to a March 15 protest in The Hague, said she is growing tired of Europeans dictating how she should live her life. 'European society wants us to stay little Eskimos' "European society wants us to stay little Eskimos; they don't want us to progress," she said. "In their mind, we are like a little ideal world. We really have to not buy into that. "I need to make a living. I need to be able to sell my products. I don't want to be constrained, I don't want to be just able to go hunting and eat the meat, but I also want to be able to sell the sealskin." Peter spoke to a handful of anti-sealing protesters and some government officials while at The Hague, in order to give the Inuit perspective. "I didn't realize that they had taken over a lot of the politicians, a lot of the view that they had gone to extremes to brainwash people and even small children, and how far people can go in advancing their point of view in getting what they want," she said. "It was very much like lying … in public, so that was very educational. I realize that we have to be more aggressive in pursuing or educating people." ................................................................................ ......................................................................... Do these people never learn? Our cod stocks have only just started to regain in the last 10 years after the aftermath of the last sealing campaigne The same European counties that are talking on banning seal products are the countries that have been caught inside Canadian waters on the cod banks with their floating processing ships They then say sorry we thought we were in International Waters and return home with full holds. When will the people of this World realize that if Managed properly we have enough RENEWABLE resources for all. It is the gready that figure "we dont have it so no one else will either" and the "well lets just sneak in and take it" that cheat the rest of the world. Antis **** me off, but governments that figure they are qualified to make management decissions on fisheries, forest, mineral, and mammal resources in another country that are dragging this world down even more. That and the fact that most of the people that are trying to make these decisions have NO background in Natural Resources, but are ex lawyers turned politician do to a favour owed. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 I saw about it in the paper and knew you would have the balanced arguement NTTF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 I think the main problem comes when "resources" like fish, animals, mammals etc are seen to be shared by a number of different countries. I am thinking of the outcry over the over fishing of the pelagic species, as they pass down the coast of Northern Spain and Portugal on their migration round the Atlantic. When these shoals pass the eastern side of the US and Canada, they are commercially fished for, but to strict quotas. You also have the complaints about the Japanese still fishing for the Worlds whales, when other countries ban whaling, or severely restrict it. However, if an Eskimo wants to kill seals to make a living and they are not an endangered species in their local population, then how is that the business of any other country ? Unfortunately the method of killing (clubbing baby seals), gets them some awful publicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted April 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Cranfield, I can see your point when it comes to migrating spiecies and how they could be over fished or in the case of birds and mamals over harvested in one part of the world while strictly controlled in another. I believe that this could be over come with a world wide management plan, where world numbers were taken into account, the migration routes taken into account and a management plan put in place. Yes It would require the co operation of all countries involved and would require representation from all countries, but as this world shrinks and we all become closer and closer as neighbours I dont think that this is un achievable. As for countries that are still whaling. If it is a renewable and sustainable resource that is in their waters than fine, however if it is a resource as you mentioned above then it should be managed globely. I am not saying that it should be stopped but it should be managed. Lastly as to the "clubbing" of seals...... and this is not directed at you Cranfield....... How many people use a priest on wounded game and fish. How many Veterinarians, nacker houses etc. use bolt guns which do the same job....just delivered in a nice neat little package with no arm swing? NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Dan, I try to tap a trout lightly on the head with my priest, without the World's TV, Press and Paul and Heather McCartney watching me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted April 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Dan, I try to tap a trout lightly on the head with my priest, without the World's TV, Press and Paul and Heather McCartney watching me. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Good post NTTF Now will you please send a me a recipe for that can of Seal meat you gave me!!!!!!! LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted April 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Sorry Mate thought I had posted a couple ....will have a look and post them up. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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