Christian Conservative Christian "Independent"

I'm an evangelical Christian, member of the CPC, but presently & unjustly exiled to wander the political wilderness.
All opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Seal Hunt protests

...with a twist. It's the pro-hunt forces protesting this time, preventing the observers from the Humane Society of the United States from observing the hunt. (interesting that most lefties don't seem to mind THESE folks from the United States dictating policy to us... just an observation)

Here's a quote worth a laugh...
"Rebecca Aldworth, the humane society's Montreal-based Canadian issues director, criticized the people in Blanc-Sablon who interfered with the observers' work."
Let me get this straight... you're upset because they're interfering with your work, when you work is to interfere with their work... have I got that straight?

Then there's this quote, which is right on the money...
"If somebody [does] one bad shot, that's the picture you're going to see over the TV for years," said fisherman Jean Richard Joncas.

posted by Christian Conservative @ 4:38 p.m.  

9 Comments:

  • At Thu Apr 13, 05:15:00 p.m. EDT, Blogger Christian said…

    I agree with Dirk. In Canada, this is not really a left/right issue. I think you will find most left minded people in Canada support the seal hunt, understanding it to be both sustainable, humane and a vital part of the economy for Native people living in Newfoundland. In fact, most NDP bloggers I have read are supportive of the hunt.

    I would also add that the American Humane Society is hardly representative of the entirety of the American Left, any more than Christian Fundamentalists are of the Right.

    Most of my American, Kerry-voting, Bush-hating Democrat friends, that I have spoken too, find the antics of the seal hunt protestors somewhat embarrassing.

    I am left minded Liberal, and I find the hypocrisy of the seal hunt protesters really annoying too.

     

  • At Thu Apr 13, 09:04:00 p.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I also consider myself a left minded liberal but I support the hunt and think those animal rights protesters are nuts... Especially PETA, but thats another story...

    Anyway, glad to see more canadians supporting this hunt...

    lataz

     

  • At Thu Apr 13, 11:29:00 p.m. EDT, Blogger Mark Richard Francis said…

    Many greens in Newfoundland and Labrador support the hunt, as long as it is ecologically sustainable.

    The 'lefty' observers want to record but are beign prevented from doing so. In previous years, they recorded multiple violations on camera and reported them. The sealers are trying to prevent that.

     

  • At Fri Apr 14, 10:31:00 a.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    "Many greens in Newfoundland and Labrador support the hunt, as long as it is ecologically sustainable.

    The 'lefty' observers want to record but are beign prevented from doing so. In previous years, they recorded multiple violations on camera and reported them. The sealers are trying to prevent that."

    I think that they should be allowed to document violations of regulations but that instead of using propaganda (Via only showing the one or 2 violations they get vs. the rest of the non-violaters) they give the footage to the gov. to reprimand via a small fine and some training in propper techniques.
    Im not in favor of stopping observers, but they must be objective and not these animal rights nuts that tend to flock to anything like this in an attempt to push their agenda >.<

     

  • At Fri Apr 14, 05:10:00 p.m. EDT, Blogger Blake Kennedy said…

    Dirk:

    "One of my sisters became a vegan last year"

    My condolences. I have to work with a 19-year old bisexual vegan who confronts everybody here in an attempt to convert everybody to bisexualism and veganism. She even hit on my wife once, the little skank.

     

  • At Fri Apr 14, 07:30:00 p.m. EDT, Blogger Christian Conservative said…

    Ben C, my point EXACTLY. For sure, if they wanted to monitor for violations, I'd be 100% behind them... the hunt should be conducted in a humane way. (when I kill a fly or spider in my house, I ensure that I do it right the first time, not do a half job and let them writhe until they die)

    However, these activists are only interested in getting those one or two clips that they can bombard the public with via the media to turn the tide and stop the hunt in subsequent years.

    By the way... props to this Liberal MP, Todd Russell, who's joining the hunt to show his support. (he's of native background with rights to hunt)

     

  • At Fri Apr 14, 08:30:00 p.m. EDT, Blogger OMMAG said…

    I am very proud of our friends in Blanc-Sablon PQ and Cartwright NL....
    BTW I had a mealy mouthed vegan thumbsucker comment on my post about this.....http://ommag.blogspot.com/

     

  • At Wed Apr 19, 10:10:00 p.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Seals taste funny.

     

  • At Sun Apr 23, 10:09:00 p.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Myths and Facts on seal hunt

    Myth #1: The Canadian government allows sealers to kill whitecoat seals.
    Reality: The image of the whitecoat harp seal is used prominently by seal hunt opponents. This image gives the false impression that vulnerable seal pups are targeted by sealers during the commercial hunt.

    The hunting of harp seal pups (whitecoats) and hooded seal pups (bluebacks) is illegal – and has been since 1987. Marine Mammal Regulations prohibit the trade, sale or barter of the fur of these pups. Furthermore, adult seals cannot be harvested when they are in breeding or birthing grounds and younger seals must be weaned, self-reliant and independent.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Myth #2: Seals are being skinned alive.
    Reality: A 2002 independent veterinarians’ report published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal and numerous reports mentioned by the Malouf Commission (1987) indicate that this is not true.

    Sometimes a seal may appear to be moving after it has been killed; however seals have a swimming reflex that is active – even after death. This reflex gives the false impression that the animal is still alive when it is clearly dead – similar to the reflex in chickens.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Myth #3: The club – or hakapik – is a barbaric and inhumane tool that has no place in today’s world.
    Reality: Hunting methods were studied by the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing in Canada and it found that the clubbing of seals, when properly performed, is at least as humane as, and often more humane than, the killing methods used in commercial slaughterhouses, which are accepted by the majority of the public.

    Clubs have been used by sealers since the onset of the hunt hundreds of years ago. Hakapiks originated with Norwegian sealers who found it very effective. American studies carried out between 1969 and 1972 proved that the club or hakapik is an efficient tool designed to kill the animal quickly and humanely. A 2002 report published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal had results that parallel these findings.


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    Myth #4: The Canadian government is allowing sealers to kill thousands of seals to help with the recovery of cod stocks.
    Reality: Several factors have contributed to the lack of recovery of Atlantic cod stocks, such as fishing effort, poor growth and physical condition of the fish, and environmental changes.

    In addition, there are many uncertainties in the estimates of the amount of fish consumed by seals. The commercial quota is established on sound conservation principles, not an attempt to assist in the recovery of groundfish stocks.


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    Myth #5: The hunt is unsustainable and is endangering the harp seal population.
    Reality: Since the 1960’s, environmental groups have been saying the seal hunt is unsustainable. In fact, the harp seal population is healthy and abundant. According to a 2004 survey, the Northwest Atlantic harp seal population is now estimated at approximately 5.8 million animals, nearly triple what it was in the 1970s.

    DFO sets quotas at levels that ensure the health and abundance of seal herds. In no way are seals - and harp seals in particular – an “endangered species”.


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    Myth #6: The seal hunt provides such low economic return for sealers that it is not an economically viable industry.
    Reality: The 2005 seal hunt was one of the most profitable in memory. Given favourable market conditions in 2005, the landed value of the harp seal hunt exceeded $16.5 million.

    Seals are a significant source of income for some individual sealers and for thousands of families in Eastern Canada at a time of year when other fishing options are limited at best, in many remote, coastal communities. Sealing also creates employment opportunities for buying and processing plants.


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    Myth #7: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) provides subsidies for the seal hunt.
    Reality: DFO does not subsidize the seal hunt. Sealing is an economically viable industry. All subsidies ceased in 2001. Even before that time, any subsidies provided were for market and product development, including a meat subsidy, to encourage full use of the seal. In fact, government has provided much less subsidization to the sealing industry than recommended by the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing.


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    Myth #8: The seal hunt is loosely monitored and DFO doesn’t punish illegal hunting activity or practices.
    Reality: The seal hunt is closely monitored and tightly regulated. Fishery Officers conduct surveillance of the hunt by means of aerial patrols, surface (vessel) patrols, dockside inspections of vessels at landing sites and inspections at buying and processing facilities.

    Infractions are taken seriously and sealers who fail to comply with Canada’s Marine Mammal Regulations are penalized. The consequences of such illegal actions could include court-imposed fines and the forfeiting of catches, fishing gear, vessels and licences.


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    Myth #9: The majority of Canadians are opposed to the seal hunt.
    Reality: Animal rights groups currently campaigning against the seal hunt cite a 2004 Ipsos‑Reid poll stating that the majority of Canadians are opposed to the hunt. In fact, Canadians support federal policies regarding the seal hunt. An Ipsos-Reid survey conducted in February 2005 concluded that 60% of Canadians are in favour of a responsible hunt.

     

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