The post was written by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Senior Research and Projects Specialist Sheryl Fink, who is based in Guelph, Ontario. The article was originally published on Straight.com.

An internal government memo recently came to light urging Canada’s agriculture minister, Gerry Ritz, not to join the United States and Europe in banning cat and dog fur imports. Government officials fear that such action could weaken Canada’s position against countries that have banned imports of seal fur products.

The news that cat and dog fur products can be readily purchased in this country likely comes as a shock to many Canadians. Most of us would be repulsed by the idea of wearing Tigger and Fido, even those of us who eat meat and wear leather.

Cat and dog fur is most often used as trim for garments and trinkets. Fur may be dyed, shaved, and otherwise altered so that it bears little resemblance to the animal from which it came. Such fur—if labelled at all—is often mislabeled, since exporting countries are well aware of our reluctance to wear clothing made from cats and dogs.

The article published yesterday in several Sun media outlets is a good indication of a dawning awareness in Canada.- Sheryl Fink adds her comments below.

Finally! People are realizing that commercial sealing in Canada isn't about economic necessity. No, it is about regional politics, and special interest groups such as the Fur Industry that are wielding their power over the federal government when it comes to this issue. How else can we explain the Canadian government's insistence on supporting the seal hunt, when the majority of Canadians are opposed to it?

Unfortunately, Weston's article repeats the government myth that anti-sealing campaigns show whitecoat seals being killed: highly unlikely since any such photos would be at least 20 years old. The truth is that Europeans - and most Canadians - are equally repulsed by the inhumane killing of seal pups of any age, whether it be a 2 week old whitecoat, or a 3 week old "beater" with its silvery-spotted coat (the current seals targetted in Canada's commercial seal hunt).

40 years ago, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was founded with the goal of ending the cruel commercial seal hunt in Canada.

Now reaching that goal is closer than ever.

The European Parliament voted 550 to 49 to ban the trade of seal products within the EU. This decisive measure truly reflects the will of Europe’s citizenry, and slams the door on the sale of seal products in Europe from this inhumane and unsustainable industry.

In achieving this ban, 7 of Canada’s 10 top export markets, representing 85% of total exports are officially closed for business.

In Canada, some sealers have started to close down shop as well, citing poor pelt prices and lack of buyers. On April 16th of this year, only six “longliner” sealing vessels left port to start the hunt in Newfoundland compared to more than 113 ships active only a few short years ago.

Jack Troake, one of Canada’s most outspoken proponents of the commercial hunt, opted to stay home. With pelt prices having dropped to as little as $15 each, this was clearly an easy and wise decision to make.

The implementation of this ban will have a permanent quantifiable impact on the remaining international trade in the fur of these helpless creatures.

IFAW believes it may be the beginning of the end to the Canadian commercial seal hunt. This landslide vote demonstrates an enormous resolve to institute this ban across Europe as quickly as possible.

However this victory is only for one battle, the war continues to be waged and we need your continued support to help us put an end to the cruelty once and for all…we must now shift our focus back to Canada to support the courage of Senator Mac Harb and his efforts to ban the practice in his own country.

IFAW is calling on everyone to help make a final push and tell the Canadian embassy officials in their countries to end commercial seal hunting forever.

The end is in sight, will you take 5 minutes to help the seals? Please visit www.stopthesealhunt.org right now.

It has long been said that in war, truth is the first casualty, and that certainly applies to the highly political "seal war" that currently rages in Canada and Europe.

An illustrative example is provided by Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette’s letter in the March 25 edition of Embassy in which she attempts to demonize organizations that hold views contrary to her own. When opponents use such tactics—as the Liberals and their former leader know only too well—the facts invariably take a beating.

UPDATE! Here is an editorial comment by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Sheryl Fink:

Re: 'Putin enters seal hunt debate,' Peter Worthington, March 16.

I greatly enjoyed Peter Worthington's column.

Russia's announcement truly demonstrates that the Canadian government now stands almost completely alone in its insistence that commercial sealing is anything more than an inhumane and unnecessary slaughter for fur coats. No country seems to enjoy killing seals as much as Canada. Public opinion in this country has remained fairly consistently opposed to commercial sealing, and there are indications that more than a few savvy fishermen have caught on as well. Eventually, the markets for seal fur will disappear. Seal fur is not used to make necessary products, and even within the fur trade it is recognized as a "niche" market. But the feds are like a dog with a bone on this one, insistent on throwing away our tax dollars to try to keep this industry alive even when it is apparent that it makes no economic sense to do so. Putin is right -- sealing should have been banned long ago.

SHERYL FINK
INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE

Re-posted from the Times Colonist March 13, 2009 (Victoria, BC)

When today's Russia, hardly a model of heightened sensitivities, decides its seal hunt is too barbaric to continue, the end is near for Canada's sealers.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the ban on killing very young seals would be extended to all of the animals. It's a "bloody industry," he said, and the hunt should have been banned long ago.

Canada's government still defends the hunt on the ice off the Atlantic coast. There are lots of seals, hunters in a poor part of the country need the money and it's not much more cruel than a typical slaughterhouse, the government says.

There's great debate about the economic impact, but it's likely somewhere in the $7 million range.

Clubbing animals to death on the ice might be humane, but it doesn't look it. The 2008 regulations were amended to require sealers to slit the arteries under the seals' flippers after clubbing them; that was to avoid any risk they would be skinned alive, but it highlights the grisly nature of the hunt.

It's galling for hunters from Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands to be lectured by pop stars and politicians who have never witnessed the hunt about something they have done all their lives. And they have been the victim of misleading campaigns against the seal hunt.

But now the European Union is considering a ban on seal fur, a change Canada is lobbying against. The publicity itself means markets will dwindle. Prices are expected to be low this year. And now Russia, with its gangs and crimes and assassinated journalists, has decided the seal hunt is inhumane and must be banned.

There comes a time when a traditional practice becomes too great a liability to continue. For the Canadian seal hunt, that time is now. The hunt, by most standards, is cruel. The potential damage to Canada's image and economy is significant.

Help the sealers, by all means. But don't let Russia set a higher standard for humane treatment of animals.

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

The International Herald Tribune is reporting that Russia has pledged to ban the killing of all baby harp seals less than one year old.

Read the article here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/27/europe/27seals.php

The International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) Director in Russia, Masha Vorontsova was quoted in the article as saying ""It should not be confused with an actual ban, remember 35,000 baby seals will still be killed in the White Sea next month unless Russian ministers act swiftly to complete their pledge."

Here, also is a link to IFAW's press release.

How will this move by Putin's government affect the upcoming deliberations of the European Union on their potential seal product ban?

Stay tuned...

Filed by J.C. Bouvier, IFAW Hunt Watch team member, en route to the Isle de Madalein in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...follow his travels and experiences on a seal pup watch this weekend, and IFAW actions in general on Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/action4ifaw

FROM: Cape Breton Post

DATE: Mon 23 Feb 2009

Letter to the Editor: Cozy cabal at work promoting seal industry

The Feb. 19 article, Fur Institute Helps with Seal Harvest, reveals a dizzying level of collusion existing among the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Fur Institute of Canada, certain "independent" veterinarians, and the seal processing industry. You report that the fur institute stepped in to assist Cape Breton sealers by lining up a buyer, NuTan Furs, to purchase 200 pelts.

It is, of course, no coincidence that the director of sales of NuTan furs, Dion Dakins, is also a vice-chairman on the board of the FIC.

Similarly, the lead veterinarian conducting the undescribed "research," Pierre-Yves Daoust, is also a director of the FIC.

The FIC has received funds from DFO for initiatives relating to the seal hunt. Similarly, the "research" on Hay Island is being funded by DFO.

Dr. Daoust was also a member of the so-called Independent Veterinarians' Working Group whose report is often misrepresented by DFO to support its claims that Canada's commercial seal hunt is humane.

In retrospect, it is clear that such collusion has been going on for some time. As part of its marine mammal regulatory review process last year, for example, DFO reportedly created a working group to provide advice on improving animal welfare in the seal hunt. This group included both the fur institute's director, Dr. Daoust, a pathologist, and the pelt processor executive, Mr. Dakins.

In addition to the insight that DFO is taking animal welfare advice from a representative of a seal processing company - an industry that doesn't even deal with whole animals, much less live ones - your article confirms that the composition of this working group had less to do with animal welfare expertise than with membership in a cabal dedicated to propping up a dying sealing industry.

Sheryl Fink is a senior researcher and projects specialist, with the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

The slaughter of 2,200 newly weaned grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) opened this week on Hay Island, off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada.

When the DFO authorized the Hay Island slaughter for the first time last year, it was described as a “one-time event”. Not true.

This year, the slaughter opens about a week earlier, and will be allowed until March 14th. About 20-25 sealers are expected to participate. Newly weaned grey seal pups (called “moulters,”) about 8 weeks old, will be herded into groups and clubbed to death with crude wooden bats.

Last year, DFO set the Hay Island grey seal quota at 2,500, in effect authorizing the killing of every seal pup born on the island. By the time it was over, 1,200 seals were killed.

Hay Island is part of the Scatarie Island Protected Wilderness Area, but the Nova Scotia Department of Environment has agreed to give sealers access to the island.

The Nova Scotia fisheries department claims the seals need to be killed to protect fish stocks, a statement that is not supported by any scientific evidence.

The Nova Scotia fishing industry has demanded that the grey seal herd be reduced by 50% over 5 years – a move that that, if “successful” would immediately put the grey seal on a number of endangered species lists!

Hay Island is not the only area where grey seals are hunted, with other regions to be opened for slaughter later this month. The commercial slaughter of harp seal pups is expected to begin late March.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Please send an email to Canadian politicians, letting them know that you oppose the commercial slaughter of ALL seals off Canada’s East coast. Remind them that there is no scientific evidence that culling seals will benefit fish stocks.

Please write to Canada's Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea, copied to Prime Minister Stephen Harper

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OTTAWA, CANADA--(Marketwire - Dec. 10, 2008) - The projected 1.27 billion dollar surplus announced today by Jerome Kennedy, Finance Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador, is being applauded by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

"For years, the Canadian government has been claiming that the commercial seal hunt is economically important to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. With the value of the 2008 seal hunt the lowest in recent memory, and the provincial economy at an all-time high, this clearly is no longer the case," Sheryl Fink, Senior Researcher at IFAW. "The economic necessity of Canada's commercial seal hunt is one more myth that can be laid to rest."

Finance Minister Jerome Kennedy has just announced a projected 1.27 billion dollar surplus for  the province of Newfoundland and Labrador - the very province where the majority of seals are killed during Canada's commercial seal hunt each spring.

IFAW congratulates the Province on this historic achievement. And now that Newfoundland and Labrador can enjoy the status of being among the "have" provinces of Canada, there is no better time to bring an end  its cruel, unsustainable, and unnecessary  killing  of seal pups.

We've long known that Canada's commercial seal hunt brings in very little economic benefit . In fact, this hunt continues to exist only because of support from the Canadian government. Year after year, taxpayer dollars are wasted on trying to develop marketable seal products, on expensive international junkets to lobby foreign governments to keep their doors open to seal products, and on efforts to overthrow national bans on seal products put in place by countries that - quite rightfully - do not wish to be part of this annual slaughter.  In light of the good news out of Newfoundland and Labrador, the federal government should now cease all subsidies and stop propping up the economically non-viable commercial seal hunt.

We also know that in recent years, the value of Canada's commercial seal hunt has plummeted - from $30 million (CAD) in 2006, to $11 million in 2007, and a mere $6.5 million in 2008. One by one, countries are closing their doors to Canadian seal products, and a proposal for a European-wide ban (link to our July 23 release) on seal products is being considered. The reality is that the world does not want - or need - products made from dead baby seals. Canada's commercial seal hunt is a dying industry.  Instead of throwing good money after bad to prop up the seal hunt, investments should instead be made in providing sealers with long-term, sustainable employment opportunities.

As the demand for unnecessary seal products dwindles, and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador becomes more prosperous, there is no better time for this inhumane, unsustainable and anachronistic slaughter to end.

Sheryl Fink is a Senior Researcher with the International Fund for Animal Welfare.