Canada Must Stop Poisoning Predators, Pets And Other Wildlife
Most people are shocked to learn that Health Canada still allows the use of strychnine, sodium cyanide, and Compound 1080 to kill predators such as wolves.
Canada Just Passed A New National Day Celebrating Seal Slaughter
Although the purpose of National Seal Products Day is supposedly to celebrate the importance of the seal hunt for Canada's indigenous people and coastal communities, politicians have inexplicably chosen to focus on seal "products" rather than the people, culture and traditions that have been historically involved in seal hunting.
Sealers Want To Start Annual Hunt During Pup Season. Enough Is Enough
Allowing the commercial seal slaughter to proceed while helpless pups are still nursing from their mothers is absolutely unacceptable. Harp seals are already facing threats from climate change and commercial exploitation; we should not be removing one of the few remaining protections left for this species.
Government Report On Salmon Ignores Science, Recommends Grey Seal Cull
There is neither scientific evidence that grey seals are impacting salmon stocks, nor anything to indicate that a seal cull would improve salmon recovery. In fact, scientists warn that killing off top predators such as seals could make the situation worse, resulting in unexpected and undesired consequences on salmon and other species.
Quebec Rightfully Rejects Proposed Seal Slaughter Disguised As 'Research'
Proposing a research project under the guise of science to provide cover for an ongoing illegal slaughter of wildlife in a protected area and allow individuals to profit financially from it -- and then pretending that this has anything to do with "sustainable development" -- is a joke.
Canada Doesn't Need A 'National Seal Products Day'
The comment was made that National Seal Products Day "makes a statement, not a holiday." But statements will do little to benefit Inuit sealers who could use real and tangible assistance in accessing the markets for products from their full-use seal hunt. They also fail to provide viable alternatives for fishermen in Atlantic Canada.
Government Inaction On Seal Hunt Threatens Both Seals And Sealers
Despite tens of millions of dollars in government support, the hunt is at one of its lowest points in history. Processors have relied heavily on government loans in recent years in order to purchase sealskins, but with 35 countries now banning the import of seal products few commercial markets remain.
Killing More Bears Won't Reduce Human-Bear Conflict
Killing more bears will do little to reduce nuisance bears while municipalities continue to allow plastic bags of garbage at curbside. Reducing attractants and learning to live with black bears is the solution -- not the expansion of a poorly monitored, scientifically unsupported and inhumane spring bear hunt.
This Election, Canadians Want Action on Animal Issues
When we think about election issues, animal welfare is rarely top of mind. Still, a survey conducted by Environics Research Group for the International Fund for Animal Welfare has found that a majority of Canadians -- 55 per cent -- said that animal issues will affect who they vote for on Oct.19.
The Government's Grey Seal Cull Is Not Based on Science
An internal government memo obtained recently by the Blacklock's Reporter and marked "SECRET" confirms that there is no scientific link between grey seals and fish stocks, completely destroying Canada's claims that grey seals need to be culled to protect groundfish.
The Canadian Government Is Failing Endangered Species
In the past two weeks, the government of Canada has come under fire several times over its complete lack of effort when it comes to the protection of endangered species. The gap between what Canada says -- and what it actually does -- for conservation continues to widen, and it is wildlife who pays the price.
Anthony Bourdain Should Eat Crow Over His Seal Hunt Comments
Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain had Twitter all a-flutter when he came out smacking his lips in support of the seal hunt. As so often happens when celebrities wade into unfamiliar issues, his tweets display a gross lack of understanding of Canada, its geography, its people, and its wildlife.
"Polar Bears Could Face Extinction Within Our Lifetime"
Canada, and Canadian Inuit, are fanning the flames of controversy and actively trying to block a proposal to but polar bears on the endangered species list, claiming it would post a "serious threat" to the Inuit way of life. This statement misses a much larger issue: polar bears could face extinction within our lifetime.
The Senate's Seal Experiment Is Doomed
The Canadian Senate, our Senate, has just released its report on the "management" of grey seal populations on Canada's East Coast and recommends spending millions in taxpayer dollars on an "experiment" that is so incredibly flawed that, whatever the result, it will be entirely unreliable.
Bad Call on the Seal Cull, Senators
There was plenty of evidence presented to the Senate Committee that a cull of grey seals would be scientifically risky, unethical, and expensive. Yet, on Tuesday, the senate recommended one anyway. In addition to scientists and sealers -- most Canadians are also opposed to a seal cull.
First, It is unlikely that a cull in Eastern Canada would have a substantial positive effect on cod populations. Second, that the majority of grey seal diets consists of fatty forage fish such as herring, sand lance, and other small fish, and therefore they would not expect much, if any, benefit of culling seals on cod.
Rae to Maher on Seal Hunt: Blubber, Blubber, Blunder
Bill Maher wrote to interim Liberal leader Bob Rae expecting the Liberals to do better than the Conservatives in their blind support of Canada's commercial seal hunt. Sadly, the response was typical of what's usually seen from politicians: excuses and sad attempts to deflect from the issues at hand.
Harp Seals on Thin Ice
The IFAW Seal Team has witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of climate change on harp seal pups in eastern Canada. New scientific evidence is proving our eye-witness accounts to be startlingly real and deeply concerning for seal conservation.
Seal Hunt Has Repercussions for Canadians and the Economy
Evidence of outrageous cruelty and poor enforcement confirms that the Canadian government and the sealing industry continue to ignore concerns about inhumane killing raised by the European Union. And the repercussions to all Canadians -- and the Canadian economy -- could be severe.
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