20150326 Tilly ONeill Gordon - seal hunt

• Report rights infringement
• published: 27 Mar 2015
• views: 20

Mrs. Tilly O'Neill Gordon (Miramichi, CPC): Mr. Speaker, our government has always been clear about its support for our Canadian sealers and the sealing industry. Unfortunately, earlier this week, we learned about a woman from Newfoundland and Labrador who recently had her seal skin purse confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection because seals are on the endangered species list in the United States. She is now forced to pay a $250 fine for trying to take her purse across the border. The seal hunt is the most humane hunt in the world. Sealing is a proud and historic tradition, one which is a part of rural, northern and Inuit life, and is always a way of life. Our government remains steadfast that the seal harvest is a humane, sustainable and well regulated activity. We stand behind the thousands of Canadians in coastal northern communities who depend on the seal harvest to provide a livelihood for their families, and recognize the important role that sealing plays in the management of aquatic ecosystems.