| Tuesday, 30 January 2007 03:45 |
Dear Tami,
Another cruel seal hunt is quickly approaching in Canada and hundreds of thousands of young seals will be slaughtered this spring. Is it really possible to stop this annual tragedy which continues year after year despite being economically and environmentally unjustified
Thanks to your continued support the answer is a resounding YES. Just look what you accomplished last year. Bans on the sale of seal-derived products took huge steps forward in 2006 across Europe and around the world. In fact Belgium has just passed the first national ban on (all) seal derived products in the EU!
Last year alone:
* The European Parliament issued a written declaration calling for a ban on the import, export and sale of harp and hooded seal products.
* The Italian Parliament temporarily suspended the import of sealskins and seal derived products. A legislative proposal to prohibit the commerce in seal products has also been announced.
* The German Parliament voted unanimously on a motion to ban the import of seal products. The motion calls on the government to work towards an EU-wide ban and to institute a temporary ban in Germany until a European ban is passed.
* Mexico banned the import and export of all marine mammals (including seals) and their derived products.
Please join me again on the ice this year
In order to push closer to an end of the seal hunt IFAW will continue to document the commercial seal hunt and its ongoing cruelty as well as push for the enactment of seal product bans across Europe. Although members of our monitoring team have received threats and been physically assaulted with boat hooks and clubs, we believe it is important for Canadians, and the world, to understand the reality of what is happening to these young seals.
This is not a campaign that will be won suddenly in one fell swoop. It will be achieved one small victory at a time until there is no more market for seal products and the Canadian government will be forced to end the hunt once and for all. Victories such as the European product bans in 2006 and the new triumphs we are certain to attain this spring with your help.
Sincerely,
Olivier Bonnet
Director IFAW Canada
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