Not Worth It: Canadians Don't Want Tax Dollars to Support Seal Slaughter

by Annie Hartnett · 2011-04-29 05:00:00 UTC
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The latest message from Canadians? The seal hunt isn't worth it.

A new poll conducted by International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) shows that over two-thirds (68 percent) of Canadians are opposed to using tax dollars to fund the commercial seal hunt. The survey was conducted by Environics Research Group for IFAW, and compiled the information from a random sample of 2,140 Canadian adults, between the dates of April 12-21, 2011.

With the federal election just around the corner, Canadian politicians should pay attention to these poll results. The current Canadian administration set a record-breaking quota for the seal hunt this year, sanctioning the deaths of 400,000 seals.

These deaths were approved despite that fact that the Gulf of St. Lawrence is experiencing the worst ice conditions on record, which has already cost the lives of many harp seal pups. But Canada's current Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who The Economist recently called "a dinosaur on climate change," doesn't give a hoot about wildlife populations.

The Harper government continues to push the seal hunt, even though the hunt isn't very profitable. The seal hunt is estimated to cost Canadians about three times more in government support than the hunt is worth.

Still, Harper stubbornly vowed to challenge the EU's ban of seal products at the World Trade Organization, even though challenging this ban would cost Canadian taxpayers an estimated $10 million. IFAW's poll revealed that 71 percent of Canadians are opposed to using taxpayer money to challenge the EU's ban.

Hopefully, on May 2nd, Canadians will vote in a more seal-friendly federal government, and perhaps the new Prime Minister will end the hunt for both ethical and financial reasons. But if not, the rest of the world can make sure that the seal hunt doesn't make financial sense by boycotting the Canadian seafood industry.

The Humane Society of the United States started the Canadian seafood boycott in order to put pressure on fishermen to stop the seal hunt, since many Canadian fisherman hunt seals during their fishing off-season. The U.S. is responsible for about two-thirds of the profits of the Canadian seafood industry, so a boycott would be difficult for the industry to ignore.

Help put pressure on Canada to stop the seal slaughter. Join The HSUS's boycott of Canadian seafood.

Photo Credit: spencer77

Annie Hartnett is a writer and animal advocate who has worked for several wildlife rehabilitation centers and environmental programs.

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