Beware the Ides of March
The International Day of Protest Against Canada’s Seal Hunt
WHERE:
Office of the Consulate General of Canada
1251 Avenue of the Americas
6th Avenue between 49th & 50th Street
New York, New York
WHEN:
15 March 2006
Noon to 2:00 pm.
Open to all.
Soon before being killed, Julius Caesar asks a fortune teller for advice. The answer: “Beware the ides of March.” And for over 2,000 years since, the 15th of March has been the ominous “Ides of March.”
For seals shot or bludgeoned to death off Newfoundland’s northeast coast during the spring kill, there’s reason to beware. We’ll be in New York, telling Canada to call it off.
And, in Argentina, the animal advocacy group Ánima will hold a protest near the Canadian Embassy. Information on the action in Spanish can be found on their website.
Soon the Canadian Department of Fisheries will unveil a new plan to dispose of hundreds of thousands of seals. Over the last three years, about a million seals were slaughtered on the ice. Last year, on the Ides of March, more than 200 activists rallied before the office of the Canadian Consulate General in midtown Manhattan in protest.
Canada’s government supports the annual slaughter by establishing quotas for the kill and providing assistance on the ice. Seal pelt exports to Europe and Asia have risen as Canada continues marketing efforts. Key markets include Russia, Norway, Denmark, Hong Kong, Greenland, France, Germany, Finland, Greece, Ukraine, and South Korea. Seal fur is also sold in Canada, at around $70.00 per pelt.
Each pelt represents the irreplaceable life of a harp seal pup. Mother seals defending their pups may be killed along with the youngsters.
On March 15, Friends of Animals will bear witness to this tragic and senseless practice, in an international day of protest. On the same day, activists will hold vigils in solidarity with the seals throughout Europe, and in Central and South America.
We come to the door of the Canadian Consulate in Manhattan, to alert New York residents that the world’s largest commercial hunt continues. We call on all people to join us in urging Canadian Consulate General Pamela Wallin and Canada’s new Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, to end the seal hunt now:
Pamela Wallin, Canadian Consulate General
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY, United States 10020-1175
Telephone: 1.212.596.1628
Facsimile: 1.212.596.1790
The Right Honourable Stephen Joseph Harper
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0A2
Facsimile: 1.613.941.6900
Email Address: pm@pm.gc.ca
Ask these leaders to make Canada a beacon of a humane global society. If Canadian leaders wish to help Newfoundlanders, it shouldn’t mean the skin off a seal’s back. Supporting Newfoundlanders doesn’t have to mean supporting the seal market.
Tell them that we, along with people throughout the world, look forward to hearing that they will press for an immediate stop to the seal hunt.
Not a Fish Boycott
Several animal protection groups have promoted a so-called seafood boycott campaign. We do not see fish or other marine animals as seafood and we reject the notion that the public ought to use their capacity to eat fish as leverage in support of seals. Thus, we simultaneously oppose both Canada’s seal kill and humane groups selling out of the other living beings in Canadian waters. Seals are part of a diverse marine biocommunity which we respect in entirety.
And the boycott, if it has any effect, may simply cause the fishing communities to pick up the financial slack by selling more seal pelts.
This is because the pelts comprise a lucrative market in Norway, Germany, Greenland, and China — not to mention in Canada itself. Activists in all of these regions should firmly and constantly make it known that fur of any kind is a deprivation of other animals’ lives, not a wardrobe accessory.
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31 Comments
On February 24, 2006, Mary Ivey wrote:
Hi!
Seals are beautiful animals and they should be protected at any cost. God put these animals here for us to enjoy and protect. Please, please let us protect God’s little animal. I urge everyone to speak out against the seal hunt. Please don’t let any more of these beautiful animals be slaughtered.
Thanks!!
Mary Ivey
On February 24, 2006, Mary Ivey wrote:
Please protect the seals! Please stop the seal hunt once and for all.
On February 24, 2006, Jordan C. wrote:
I feel sorry for those poor little seals. Save the seals! Stop it once and for all.
Thanks,
Jordan
On February 24, 2006, Kylise Howell wrote:
I still can’t believe that in today’s society this barbaric seal hunt is even an issue. We should have come to realize by now that these little creatures deserve to be left in peace and not be killed in such a brutal way.Please speak out!! We must help stop this terrible waste of innocent life.
On February 25, 2006, Claudine Wilson wrote:
This is such a cruel act. We all must do what we can to stop this! If we don’t, what usually happpens will happen- the gpvernment will not do anything until there are only a few left and then maybe they will be protected!
I no longer eat at Red Lobster since they buy much of their seafood from Canada and I have told family and friends to ask where their seafood is from before buying any and if from Canada, not to buy it!!!!!
[Blog editor’s note: Hello to Claudine Wilson. We hope you’ll consider just not eating any fish. No matter where one gets fish (it doesn’t matter if it is Red Lobster or somewhere else), the rest of the biocommunity goes out of balance. This has happened the world over. Moreover, a number of important studies over the recent years show that fish are conscious animals. If you are looking for Omega 3 oil, you can buy flax seed oil. Otherwise, eating fish is not necessary for good health. For still more information, click on our new cookbook from the right side of the page. Thank you for writing in.]
On February 25, 2006, Kylise Howell wrote:
You made an excellent point about the so called “seafood boycott” possibly causing more Canadian seals to be killed just to get back any revenue that might be lost.I am a vegan, so I think that any exploitation of animals is wrong. We must continue to speak out loudly about the seal hunt and make people realize that every living creature deserves our respect.
On February 26, 2006, Dianne Beskenis wrote:
In today’s society there are many other options to turn to than the murder of innocent animals for their pelts. Do to the vanity of man baby seal pups and their mothers are slaughtered needlessly. Faux fur is an option that we now have with out the result of such barbaric brutality. Stop the slaughter. All living creatures deserve dignity and respect. Please, stop the insanity.
On February 26, 2006, jessica brannum wrote:
hello,
I just want to say damn those people that think they should kill the seals just because people say they drive off the fishing produce, why not relocate them to a different area instead of depopulating them, I mean hello animals as well as people must adapt to their environment so i say move them to a different location, or fishers find a different spot to get your food and money produce this year.
[Blog editors’ note: Harp seals are just passing through on their migratory route toward Greenland. They rest on the ice to have their babies, and that’s when Newfoundland residents kill them because of a market for seal fur and products inside Canada, Russia, Asia and Europe. The seals are guilty of nothing, and Canada is a major economic power . The federal government should halt the massacre and assist Newfoundlanders to achieve a decent livelihood.
On February 27, 2006, Lucas Palichuk wrote:
well i am a candian and while i admit that the seal hunt may seam bad to some, but we have to understand that most of the people hunting are natives that have been hunting seals for generations. why should they change there way of life?. the seals are still alive so it couldnt have had much of a impact.
[Blog editor’s note: Hello, Lucas. The annual slaughter is done by Newfoundlanders when they’re not fishing for two months. That there are harp seals left in the world doesn’t justify the carnage, or the fur industry in Canada, Russia and Europe that supports it. In truth, the bludgeoning of seals shames Canada and the world. It’s high time for Canadians to press their federal and provincial governments to halt the killing now, and to spend some of the country’s wealth on the Newfoundlanders so that new, decent livelihoods can flourish. That’s good for seals and people.]
On February 28, 2006, Jennifer Maupin wrote:
I am deeply disgusted that these cruel people are killing such beautiful, innocent creatures all in the name of money. These animals feel pain just like humans and they should not be slaughtered, but respected and left alone. I am so angered by this and I pray that it stops and these heartless people lose the battle that takes away from God’s marvelous creation!!
On March 1, 2006, Alycia Einstein wrote:
This senseless slaughter of the seals must stop. It is so imcredibly inhumane that they are clubbed to death, many just babies, in front of their Mother’s, and skinned , many while they are still alive. This is untenable.. Are we barberians? This has been going on for too long. We must boycott Canadian seafood, Red Lobster, and any other commercial means at our disposal, to have our case heard. Let’s tell everyone we know and give these pups a chance.
[Blog editors’ note: Hello to Alycia Einstein. We hope you’ll consider just not eating any fish. No matter where one gets fish (it doesn’t matter if it is Red Lobster or somewhere else), the rest of the biocommunity goes out of balance. This has happened the world over. Moreover, a number of important studies over the recent years show that fish are conscious animals. If you are looking for Omega 3 oil, you can buy flax seed oil. Otherwise, eating fish is not necessary for good health. For still more information, click on our new cookbook from the right side of the page. Thank you for writing in.]
On March 2, 2006, Lenora Edwards wrote:
I urge everyone to stop the senseless killing of all seals, as I do for all animals (ie. minks, etc). I do not believe animals should be farm raised and killed for their fur, either. I do not wear or encourage anyone to buy real fur. If God had wanted humans to have fur, we would have been born with it. We have the resources to create all types of materials for clothing, killing and stealing an animal’s hide is NOT one of them. Without animals in our world, humanswill cease to exist. There is a balance that must not be broken. We are all God’s creatures, and should live together in peace and harmony.
On March 2, 2006, Brittany wrote:
THIS IS HORRIBLE
They deserve to live. I encourage everyone to speak out against this!! Thanks, much love,
Brittany
On March 2, 2006, judy pringle wrote:
my heart aches,..my soul cries out,…my GOD!!..how can people be so cruel? so heartless?? so unbelievably murderous???…have these people no soul??? this insanity MUST STOP!!! God help us all
On March 2, 2006, Anna wrote:
All that buy real fur are as much killers as those that kill the animals personally.
On March 4, 2006, fred henderson wrote:
I am a canadian living in montreal and would like to know if there are any groups in montreal, quebec city, toronto or ottawa organizing a demo or something up here in canada during the march 15 day of action to stop the canadian commercial seal hunt (cull). I would like to contact them to get involved.
[Blog editors’ note: EXCELLENT point, Fred. We hear little about demos inside Canada, which is where the uproar must be expressed. If you’ll identity a site for a March 15 demo — outside a government office, or any of the many fur stores that sell seal and other fur, we’ll publicize your activity. ]
On March 4, 2006, mayra hart wrote:
i think that the killing of baby seals should stop…hopefully the canadian people and goverment agencies will get the message and stop this inhumane killing.
On March 4, 2006, Janice Goguen wrote:
I can’t believe how ignorant you all are of the facts of the seal hunt, this has been a good way for the “celebrity do gooders” that feel they need a “cause” to get their pictures splashed all over the world. The seal hunt does not kill the pups they harvest the adult seals, but I notice no pictures are shown of these adults, I guess they are not as newsworthy as as “cute” as the pups.
There are many hunts all over the world of animals and yet we don’t hear anything about those. What about the “safaris” that the well to do hunt big game in Africa?? This is purely for sport and I don ‘t hear about any protesters for these.
At least the hunt in Newfoundland, the “adult seals” and not the pups are harvested and not just for the furs they utilize all meat, oil etc.., it is no different than people who hunt for deeror moose, will the McCartney’s have their pictures splashed all over the media for these hunts. I don’t think so, they are not as cute, hey what is uglier then a Moose, it would not make as good a photo op..!
I am not a hunter and I could not kill an animal, but I also understand that some people hunt animals and fish the ocean’s in order to earn a living. Something, that the rich and famous seem to forget, there are people starving all over the world, why are you not focusing your energies on that???
We are not all vegetarians and we do not tell other people in the world how to live.
…….
[Blog editors’ note: First, the seal pups killed are 12 days to a few weeks old. That makes them infants, not adults, despite your political view of whether seals should be battered for the fur industry. Next, Friends of Animals is a vegetarian advocacy group. A move away from animal agribusiness would let us feed the world without wrecking havoc on the environment, human helath, and tormenting animals. Chew on that.]
On March 4, 2006, Laura wrote:
I don’t understand how anyone could be so barbaric and try to hurt the seals. I mean just looking at their cute little faces….. how could people do such a horrible thing? Seals are the absolute cutest, and most innocent creatures and are being killed by soul-less people just for their fur. personally, i can’t stand people who wear animal fur, it’s not attractive, it just shows me that they don’t really care about the animals that were hurt in order to get thier coats. The people who kill seals for this reason are heartless individuals who don’t deserve to call themselves human. save the seals!!!!!!
On March 6, 2006, Jean Scott wrote:
I am a Canadian citizen and I am ashamed that my country has this horendous seal hunt. It is inhumane and needless. It must be stopped once and for all. How can we as humans treat animals so abominably, like they do not matter. We are nothing without the animals. We are their caretakers. How awful we have been treating them. Le’ts stop the cruelty and we will be better for it.
Canadians do care.
Jean Scott,
Colwell, Ontario, Canada
On March 7, 2006, Anna Maria wrote:
In fact, this is a protest against fur and hunt. If there are people or organizations that only thinks in seals, well, it’s not our problem. We work for the end of the war humans hold against animals. And the hunt of seals is one of the best examples of this.
On March 8, 2006, Paul wrote:
I am Canadian. unfortunately I have not had the time to organize anything and was hoping something was going to happen again in Toronto but it appears not.”sigh” I have been actively writing but would have liked to participate. Good luck.
P.S. I too have been uncomfortable with the fish boycott as I too feel it will just push more to sealing.
[Blog editors’ note: We’ll post any demonstrations in Toronto that may develop, so please watch our Web site and blog.
On March 9, 2006, Jeremy wrote:
I liked your idea of giving money to the government of Newfoundland. Maybe instead of asking the Canadian government to give it to them, maybe the money that’s going to support different groups can go directly to the sealers themselves? Why go hunt seals when you’ve already got money in your pocket?
You could have a “adopt a sealer” program.
And why wasn’t there an international outcry when the cod stocks collapsed? You’re right when you say fish have feelings too (sorry to paraphrase).
On March 13, 2006, Amy Hafkin wrote:
I don’t believe anyone with a soul or conscience imagines that these poor creatures don’t suffer unimaginable pain and suffering during this horrendous and shameful “harvest.” And, what a word…harvest…one that to many represents bounty and fullness…but for whom? What horrifies the world is the inhumanity of the methodolgy of killing. It brings to the surface the most banal, the most dark side of humanity in its capacity to inflict unspeakable pain on those who have no voice. We, humans, are capable of such great things…where did the disconnect occur that created the chasm between us and our environment? Surely, a moment spent thinking about what we take from nature and at what cost must shake us, wake us to the price of lost connection to creatures sentient on levels we do not understand. Pity these poor animals that have no way to defend themselves, no way to change their fate without our help…pity us that we are capable of such behavior. Save these babies, their mothers and fathers…save us.
On March 21, 2006, Chris Northcross wrote:
HELP!!! Washington seals in Puget Sound are being targetted for slaughter by a short-sighted legislature who blame the seals for the decline in salmon stocks- NOT fecal oceanic spills, locking up the fish-ladders upstream from dams for hydro-electric support, and OVERFISHING in the Pacific Northwest. While I’d like to continue to support the end of seal-clubbing, there is a crisis getting skewed attention from a pro-fishing industry media, and my attempts to remind them of the other reasons for the decline in fish stocks has fallen on deaf ears.
PLEASE, PLEASE alert the public about this terrible crisis- 16 seals are currently targetted for elimination, and that could result in a weakening of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
THANK YOU!!
Sincerely, Chris Northcross
On February 18, 2007, rachel wrote:
its horrid save the seals!
On July 31, 2007, Shawn Palichuk wrote:
The seal hunt is a gruesome act of our society and is found cruel and wrong to some. but told by a certified conservational officer that if we didnt slaughter a few of there kind then a majority of the seals will die with its high population crisis.
FoA comments:
A “certified conservation officer” should know that all free-living animal population naturally adjust their population levels based on available food and living conditions. Suggesting that slaughter of the seals is a solution to a problem that isn’t a problem is “certifiably insane.”
On July 31, 2007, Shawn Plaichuk wrote:
Quote, ( free-living animal population naturally adjust their population levels based on available food and living conditions) with the way on how fishing companies are cleaning out the ocean of the fish, there food resources are running dry.
I would you rather see seals dying of starvation or somewhat half-assing it to put them out of there misery. i am not a fan of the seal slaughter but i think we should worry about something bigger like the depletion of the oceans fish.
if you fixed the depletion of the fish in the ocean then it would be safe for you to say that the hunt for seals would be a wrong doing. (when it comes to fixing something it should be done in baby steps, cant just jump to the problem and fix it. you need to find the reason why
FoA comments:
It’s wrong to kill the seals and wrong to kill the fish, and the old rule two wrongs don’t make a right applies here. However, even if humans no longer fished (and it is FoA’s position that they should not), the seal population would still rise and fall based on available food supply and living conditions. Humans are incapable of controling their own population, and it is laughable that humans should now attempt to control the population of every single species (but their own) so that no animal ever dies of starvation.
On September 27, 2007, Lucas Palichuk wrote:
Dispite what you may see, the seal hunt is strictly regulated. no baby seals (white coats) are harmed. perhaps you should deal with animal problems in your own country before complaining about others.
FoA comments:
The only relevant regulation would be that none of the animals are killed or harmed, but then they couldn’t call it a seal hunt, could they? Friends of Animals is an international animal rights organization. Rights should not begin or end at any border. They are universal.
On September 27, 2007, David masterson wrote:
humans hunt animals. we have for millions of years. why change now?
FoA comments:
It’s hard to believe that someone using a computer could ask such a sophomoric question or does your cave have Internet access?
Change is good. So is thinking before opening your mouth.
On September 27, 2007, David masterson wrote:
it is my right to hunt. if our ancesters hadnt hunted, humans probably wouldnt be around today. people hunt animals in every country.
FoA comments:
I bet a lot of people that know you also wish your ancestors hadn’t hunted.