Canadian Seal Hunt Just Isn't Worth It

Globe & Mail by Eric Reguly

Why Canada persists in supporting sealing is a mystery. Officially, the EU's ban on seal products and the launch of the free trade talks with Canada aren't linked. But Canada needs the trade deal more than the Europeans. Canada would gain free trade and investment access to 500 million EU citizens, against the EU's access to 33 million Canadians.

Canadians like to think of themselves as the peacekeepers of the world, beloved for their civilized ways. The Maple Leaf has been the decal of choice for travelling backpackers for decades. But mention Canada to your average European and, increasingly, you get looks of disapproval. The ugly truth is that many Europeans associate Canada with dead seals in the same way Norway and Japan instantly conjure up images of dead whales. Blood in the water, blood on the ice-for most of the world, it's the same thing. In case anyone needed a graphic reminder, this past May, Governor-General Michaëlle Jean gobbled down a raw seal heart for all to see at an Inuit feast.

Canada also keeps promoting the bloody image through its endless defence of the Atlantic harp seal hunt, even though the slaughter makes no political, moral or economic sense. This past spring, when the European Union voted to ban the import of almost all seal products, Canadian politicians and diplomats had yet another pro-sealing spasm. Even before the vote, and as Canada and the EU were launching free trade negotiations, International Trade Minister Stockwell Day vowed to appeal to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

For The Rest of the Article Go Here: