The Motives of Anti-Sealers

I’d like to call everyone’s attention to an article this morning on the Toronto Star web site. This article by Joan Forsey helps us to put into perspective the activities of seal protesters and the methods they employ.

I know that we all, or at least most of us, understand that sealing is not only a way of life in Newfoundland and Labrador, but is also a valuable and sustainable economic shot in the arm to the province. Unfortunately many people in the urban areas of the country and indeed, around the world, do not understand this, and it is through the type of article that Ms. Forsey published today that we can help them understand that sealers are not the enemy, the protesters are.

In her article (which you should really check out in its entirety), Ms. Forsey quotes some real numbers, such as the 77.5 million U.S. that the IFAW raised last year in donations. She identifies what we all know are their true motives of these groups, fund raising, and she helps people understand that many experts, including the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) have agreed that the hunt is indeed humane.

Ms. Forsey goes on to identify how, when one IFAW member befriended seal hunters, became knowledgeable of their true character and tried to broker a truce between them and the IFAW, she was fired. This, if nothing else, speaks volumes on the character of this protest group.

I wanted to bring this article to the attention of everyone in that this is the type of press we need around the issue. My take on the matter is that the government of Canada, the government of Newfoundland and the sealers themselves (though some sort of fund) need to build a war chest of revenue to combat the protest groups and bring the true story to people around the world.

I have made similar comments in an earlier article, but I want to go even further by saying that the campaign should not just tell the story of the hunt, but the true story of the protest groups themselves. The story of the money being made. The fact that these groups are actually making more from the seal hunt than the sealers are.

These groups have the money to wage a war against us and we, along with the help of the Federal government (since they are backing the hunt) need to fire back with some heavy ammunition of our own.

Come on Ottawa, step up to the plate. Its in your best interest as well as ours. If you are going to back the seal hunt by allowing it to continue, then you will continue to get bad press, thanks to these groups.

I think we would all be happier if these groups learned that by using the hunt as their annual fund raiser they were opening themselves up to a microscopic investigation and promotion of how much money they really make from it and how they spend that money.

Thanks,
Patriot