Save the Seals, One Email at a Time

Hon. Justin Trudeau - Prime Minister
Hon. Joyce Murray - Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Hon. Steven Guilbeault - Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson - Minister of Natural Resources
Hon. Mary Ng - Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade
Hon. Melanie Joly - Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and La Francophonie
Mr. Clifford Small - Fisheries Critic, Conservative Party
Ms. Lisa Marie Barron - Fisheries Critic, NDP

Subject:

Dear [Decision Maker]

Message: [Edit below]
I have learned about the slaughter of seals in Atlantic Canada and am appalled that Canada allows such a cruel and unnecessary massacre to take place each year. I understand that the seals who are killed - clubbed, shot, and gaffed - are just 3 weeks to 3 months of age. They are babies, years away from adulthood, but their lives are robbed from them so that their fur can be made into unnecessary coats. I have heard that the government promotes and even subsidizes this slaughter. This is unconscionable. Even though the government and sealing industry are now trying to confuse the public into believing that the commercial seal hunt is conducted by Inuit and that Inuit will be harmed by ending the commercial seal hunt, I understand that the commercial seal hunt is an activity of off-season fishermen of European descent, that the Inuit are not affected by sealing regulations, and that they can still sell seal pelts obtained in their traditional hunts to the EU. I also have read that they receive fixed payments from the government for seal skins, regardless of the international market for seal skins. I understand that commercial sealers believe that they will catch more fish with a smaller seal population. This reflects a poor understanding of complex ocean ecosystems. Seals are essential to the ecosystem. Over-fishing and destructive fishing practices lead to fish population declines. Seals and cod coexisted in large numbers for millennia. I have heard that BC fishermen are now pushing for a seal and sea lion cull, claiming that their populations have exploded and that they are eating too many fish that fishermen want to kill. They are even breaking the law, killing, maiming, and harassing seals and sea lions. They are just as misguided as east coast fishermen. The DFO must prosecute them for harming marine mammals and must stop spreading lies and propaganda about seals. The seal slaughter must stop. No culls of seals or sea lions should be allowed. The sealing industry's request for new sealing licenses must be denied. As a Canadian official, it is your responsibility to tell Canadian citizens the truth. It is also your responsibility to protect marine life and uphold the Precautionary Principle. Harp seals are profoundly affected by climate change. They should receive special protection, not be subjected to commercial slaughter. Harbor seals and sea lions are not overpopulated and must be protected from attack by fishermen. The most responsible form of management of natural systems is to tread lightly and leave nature alone as much as possible. Taking from the oceans so much that systems collapse and then blaming seals is disingenuous and dangerous. It is time for sweeping reforms of the DFO and an end to the seal slaughter once and for all.

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