“Up the Anti” Rally Challenges Seal Hunt Opponents – Sustainable Seal Harvest Supporters Say “We are the true environmentalists!”
OTTAWA, March 15 – People involved in every aspect of sustainable seal harvesting in Canada – from seal hunters to veterinarians – plan to “set the record straight” today on Parliament Hill.
“This is the first time, to our knowledge, that such a rally will be assembled,” said Rob Cahill, Executive Director of the Fur Institute of Canada. “After 40 years of animal rights groups marginalizing people who hunt seals, it is time that unbiased information be presented to the public.”
Advocates for the sustainable and respectful use of nature’s resources participating in the rally include representatives from Newfoundland, Quebec and Nunavut seal hunting communities, Omega 3 seal-oil producers, as well as veterinarians, industry spokespeople and government representatives from Newfoundland/Labrador and Nunavut. These representatives will be available for interview on Parliament Hill from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Newfoundland Fisheries Minister Tom Rideout said recently that his province must challenge animal activists instead of ignoring them. “We’re not going to be content to sit back and have lies, in particular, misinformed opinion, go unchallenged so we’re going to be proactive from here on in, defending the hunt of a sustainable resource humanely harvested,” Minister Rideout said.
Taking the lead from Minister Rideout, the “Up the Anti” rally signifies the intention of people involved in all aspects of the hunt (and other supporters of sustainable use principles) to finally challenge animal activists for their misleading campaigns.
“Activist groups have exploited and distorted this issue to make millions of dollars for more than 40 years. It is hypocritical to mount multi-million-dollar campaigns attacking the hunting of some 300,000 seals (from a population of almost 6 million) while the rest of North America and Europe consume literally hundreds of millions of cattle and billions of chickens annually!” Mr. Cahill stated, and concluded that, “People who live closest to the land and sea have the greatest respect for healthy wildlife populations and respectful harvesting practices. I’m pleased their voice is finally being heard.”
The “Up the Anti” rally begins at 10:30 a.m. In order to dispel the myth that seal carcasses are wasted, sealers will be giving away traditional seal flipper pies.
The Seals and Sealing Network (under the umbrella of the Fur Institute of Canada, a national non-profit organization promoting sustainable and wise use principles) is committed to the conservation and respectful harvesting of the world’s seal species through sound scientific management and internationally accepted sustainable use practices. The Seals and Sealing Network is comprised of government, Inuit, veterinarians, conservationists, health care practitioners and industry representatives. Visit our new website: www.sealsandsealing.net.
For further information: Robert B. Cahill, Executive Director, Fur Institute of Canada, (613) 231-7099 x 226
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