OTTAWA, December 16th, 2009 - “ Honourable senators, I am caught up in the enthusiasm for uniting everyone and giving the gift of hope to our citizens on the east or Atlantic coast, whether on the Magdalen Islands or Newfoundland, and to our friends in Nunavut and all those involved in the seal hunt.”, said Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette in response to the Senate’s unanimous adoption of her motion on the Protection of Animals and Ecosystems.
“I would also like to thank Daniel Shewchuk, Nunavut Minister of the Environment, Quebec Minister Claude Béchard and Mr. Tom Henderson, former fisheries minister with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, who all supported me in preparing this motion,” continued Senator Hervieux-Payette.
The adoption of this motion by the Senate of Canada sends a clear message to vegetarian groups who manipulate public opinion to finance their ideology. The Senate renews its commitment to preserving the balance of the ecosystem, promoting animal welfare and protecting human communities. Humans have a right to utilize natural resources such as animals when done in an ethical and sustainable manner. “We are talking about people who deny that in the order of things human beings are authorized to use what the land provides, which in this case is essential revenue for our people living in the North and also on the coast,” added the Senator.
The Senator emphasized the importance of the ethical harvest of animals by clarifying the definition of the term “ethical”: “this provision was included in response to professional standards developed by the veterinarians, anthropologists and other experts who have worked with me toward the goal of having all countries ratify the Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals,” emphasized Senator Hervieux-Payette.
The Senator lead a panel of experts to create a Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals (www.sealsonline.org) which has been officially supported by the governments of Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec and the IWMC World Conservation Trust.
