More bullyboy posturing from Ottawa
Canada’s Trade Minister Stockwell Day and Fisheries Minister Gail Shea are at it again – resorting to schoolyard bully tactics, threatening the EU with WTO reprisals should it follow-through with an EU-wide seal product ban.
“Should the EU choose to adopt a seal products trade ban that does not contain an acceptable derogation for humanely harvested seal products, Canada will defend its rights and interests under the relevant World Trade Organization agreements,” the Ministers declared in a statement released today.
As both Ministers Day and Shea are fully aware, Canada’s seal slaughter is neither “humane” nor “sustainable.” There is ample present-day evidence of the extreme and revolting cruelty inherent in the commercial seal kill. Therefore, Canadian seal products would never be eligible for the derogration for “humanely harvested” products they are demanding. The Ministers are fooling no one with their political posturing.
Ministers Day and Shea while speaking of “Canada” and “its rights and interests” need to be reminded that the majority of Canadians oppose the commercial seal kill and object to their tax dollars being used to subsidize the annual atrocity and to defend it both at home and abroad. Further, Canadians recognize the right of other nations to ban trade in products they find objectionable and support the EU-wide seal product ban.
Canadians are fed up with their tax dollars being used to prop up an inherently cruel and unprofitable industry. It is past time the Canadian government respect the wishes of Canadians. Rather than spending yet MORE of our hard-earned tax dollars on further bullyboy tactics, the Canadian government must abolish the commercial seal kill and implement a license buyback program.
I urge everyone to write to Trade Minister Stockwell Day (DayS@parl.gc.ca) and Fisheries Minister Gail Shea (min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca), with a copy to Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca). You might also want to send a copy to your MP. You can find the email address of your MP HERE.