Something Fishy in Canada. Very Fishy.

RanchHand

Electoral Member
Feb 22, 2009
209
8
18
USA
Canada continues to receive near universal bad press for conducting their baby seal clubbing harvest. It's possible that it is among the top 5 most reported stories about Canada in the global media (my guess) during a typical year. The US banned the import of the harvest years ago. The EU will have their annual debate on it soon.

"Animal rights group denounce the hunt as cruel. In past years actors and activists including the Dalai Lama, Brigitte Bardot, Paul McCartney, Kim Bassinger and many others, have campaigned against the cull.
Last week, Russia banned the hunting of harp seals less than a year old, after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized the "bloody practice," its natural resources ministry said."

Paul McCartney and Vladmir see eye to eye on this and there is no question it tarnishes Canada's reputation.
In the same article:

"The value of the Canadian seal hunt in 2008 was six million dollars (US), according to the Canadian fisheries department, down from 10 million in 2007 and 27 million in 2006."

Why would Canada put itself through this for six million dollars? What is at stake here? This makes no sense whatsoever. Unless I'm quoting a typeo it makes no sense.
AFP: Canada seeks EU approval for seal hunting code
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
Canada continues to receive near universal bad press for conducting their baby seal clubbing harvest. It's possible that it is among the top 5 most reported stories about Canada in the global media (my guess) during a typical year. The US banned the import of the harvest years ago. The EU will have their annual debate on it soon.

"Animal rights group denounce the hunt as cruel. In past years actors and activists including the Dalai Lama, Brigitte Bardot, Paul McCartney, Kim Bassinger and many others, have campaigned against the cull.
Last week, Russia banned the hunting of harp seals less than a year old, after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized the "bloody practice," its natural resources ministry said."

Paul McCartney and Vladmir see eye to eye on this and there is no question it tarnishes Canada's reputation.
In the same article:

"The value of the Canadian seal hunt in 2008 was six million dollars (US), according to the Canadian fisheries department, down from 10 million in 2007 and 27 million in 2006."

Why would Canada put itself through this for six million dollars? What is at stake here? This makes no sense whatsoever. Unless I'm quoting a typeo it makes no sense.
AFP: Canada seeks EU approval for seal hunting code

Work?
 

Cannuck

Time Out
Feb 2, 2006
30,245
99
48
Alberta
Why would Canada put itself through this for six million dollars? What is at stake here? This makes no sense whatsoever. Unless I'm quoting a typeo it makes no sense.

Put itself through what? Criticism from Paul McCartney? The seal hunt has value. It will continue. If anything Canada should maybe educate people of the value.
 

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,833
7,780
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Canada continues to receive near universal bad press for conducting their baby seal clubbing harvest. It's possible that it is among the top 5 most reported stories about Canada in the global media (my guess) during a typical year. The US banned the import of the harvest years ago. The EU will have their annual debate on it soon.

"Animal rights group denounce the hunt as cruel. In past years actors and activists including the Dalai Lama, Brigitte Bardot, Paul McCartney, Kim Bassinger and many others, have campaigned against the cull.
Last week, Russia banned the hunting of harp seals less than a year old, after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized the "bloody practice," its natural resources ministry said."

Paul McCartney and Vladmir see eye to eye on this and there is no question it tarnishes Canada's reputation.
In the same article:

"The value of the Canadian seal hunt in 2008 was six million dollars (US), according to the Canadian fisheries department, down from 10 million in 2007 and 27 million in 2006."

Why would Canada put itself through this for six million dollars? What is at stake here? This makes no sense whatsoever. Unless I'm quoting a typeo it makes no sense.
AFP: Canada seeks EU approval for seal hunting code



What you are quoting isn't a typo, but a misquote. The profit from the Seal hunt
decreased by $6 Million dollars in one specific year. The profit from the Seal hunt
isn't large (a bit over $14,000,000.00 for the pelts alone), but that's not the point.
That's not factoring in the meat, etc...but that's still not the point. Greenpeace
and other activist groups draw far more in contrabutions to their causes from
video shot in the 1970's of the Seal hunt, than the Seal hunt profits annualy, but
that's not the point either. Reread the last couple of paragraphs of the Thread
you posted.

"Vladmir" isn't asking for an end to Our Seal hunt, or His, but a minimum age of
one year for culled Seals. That's also in the Thread you posted.

From: http://forums.canadiancontent.net/news/81269-canada-greenland-come-under-fire.html#post1041342

Seal meat (not consumed domestically in Canada) mostly gets shipped to Asia.

Seal pelts (not utilized domestically in Canada) are shipped to Norway, Germany,
Greenland, China, Finland, Denmark, Greece, South Korea, & Russia.
-5 of those countries are in Europe, and all of those are in the EU. If those
countries didn't want these seal products, then they wouldn't buy them with or
without the EU telling them what to do....

If the EU bans seal products from Canada, and the seal population (shark pop. down
90%?) spikes....I'll be willing to buy some seal steaks & roasts (and mitts) at my
local Safeway or Superstore. 30+ Million folks here in Canada to market these
products to if need be. I'll do my part as long as the folks on the East Coast buy
some Alberta Beef & BC Apples & Saskatchewan Rye Whiskey!!! Fair trade.


What's my interest in the Seal hunt? You've never heard of "Genuine Saskatchewan
Seal Skins?"
 
Last edited:

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
22,833
7,780
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Canada's Seal hunt is the largest, but in the OP, it seems like maybe
the perception is that it's the only one. It's not. The United States also
has a Seal hunt off of its coast to. Smaller than Canada's. I wonder why
it bothers... Here, I'll provide a link:

AFP: Canada seeks EU approval for seal hunting code

"Mr. Pot, I'm Mr. Kettle....and it's a pleasure to meet you!"
____________________
 

#juan

Hall of Fame Member
Aug 30, 2005
18,326
119
63
Every Spring some moron brings up the seal hunt. The seal hunt has been going on for close to four hundred years. Why don't these same people protest the killing of baby sheep, baby cows, baby pigs. Of course those animals aren't nearly as cute as those big eyed baby seals. Has anyone seen young beef calves kept in a small enclosure, unable to move more than a foot. Hey we want those calves to be tender...;-)
Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland all have seal hunts. This is silliness.
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
285
83
bliss
I'd like people to start protesting rat traps. They're much more inhumane, kill on a much larger scale, and people don't even bother to use the meat or hides... wasteful.

Yet the reasoning is usually the same.... protecting the food supply.

At least with the seals, they get utilized. For a bunch of animal activists who would prefer meat was free range if you have to eat meat at all, it's a bit hypocritical to bitch so much about the seal hunt.
 

china

Time Out
Jul 30, 2006
5,247
37
48
72
Ottawa ,Canada
It's possible that it is among the top 5 most reported stories about Canada in the global media (my guess) during a typical year.[/quot ]Really , what else is there (anything of interest bout Canada) to report ?
 
Last edited:

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
547
113
Vernon, B.C.
I'd like people to start protesting rat traps. They're much more inhumane, kill on a much larger scale, and people don't even bother to use the meat or hides... wasteful.

Yet the reasoning is usually the same.... protecting the food supply.

At least with the seals, they get utilized. For a bunch of animal activists who would prefer meat was free range if you have to eat meat at all, it's a bit hypocritical to bitch so much about the seal hunt.

Yep, it gets downright aggravating. Like another poster said what makes a seal any different from any other animal? As long as the seal is being used and not just being slaughtered for the hell of it how is it any different from a pig, a cow, a chicken or a deer? What is important is that the species is looked after so there will always be seals. Meat/fish is a very important part of most people's diet and many believe necessary to be completely healthy. People like Paul Watson really piss me off. I guess with him it's whales.
 

RanchHand

Electoral Member
Feb 22, 2009
209
8
18
USA
I'm not trying to be inflammatory but it seems no one knows why Canada would stain it's reputation like this for six million dollars. It''s not a matter of "The US is worse when it does ....." or "people should get over it" or "what about lambs" (my paraphrasing). It gets world wide coverage. My conspiracy theory is that it continues because of electoral votes somehow.
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
137
63
Yep, it gets downright aggravating. Like another poster said what makes a seal any different from any other animal? As long as the seal is being used and not just being slaughtered for the hell of it how is it any different from a pig, a cow, a chicken or a deer? What is important is that the species is looked after so there will always be seals. Meat/fish is a very important part of most people's diet and many believe necessary to be completely healthy. People like Paul Watson really piss me off. I guess with him it's whales.

Well it pretty much is slaughtered for the hell of it. Only the pelts are used and only a small portion of the seals slaughtered have the meat used as well.

You can be sure that those who wear seal fur living below the 60th parallel are not eating seal meat to any extent. I've tried a bit of seal and I don't like the taste much. Though some say it's just fine.

There is a question here though and I find it becoming more and more "in your face" as we move along. Do we want to live in balance with the planet or not? So far we haven't been doing a lot along those lines.

I wear leather, I eat beef.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
15,441
150
63
Canada doesn't view this as a stain. Nobody is saying no to Canadian oil, Canadian lumber, Canadian minerals, Canadian grains, Canadian livestock, or any of our other exports because of this.

What it boils down to is gainful employment in rural areas. Jobs in rural areas of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, aren't that easy to come by. Why would the government take away one of the few remaining jobs left in some of these communities? Because of some hypocritical animal right activists? Activists that don't know what they're talking about?

The electoral votes in these communities amount to jack, and in Newfoundland, the Governing Conservatives are about as popular as a pedophile in a nursery school...

Yah, it looks bad, swinging the club down on a juvenile seal, but it's no worse than what you would see if you watched cattle, chicken, pigs, or sheep slaughtered. Horse slaughter is even worse.