Canadian Seal Hunting

EDM number 967 in 1997-98, proposed by Ian Cawsey on 10/03/1998.

That this House condemns the Canadian Government for allowing and subsidising the largest slaughter of marine mammals in the world; notes that this slaughter has been increased yet again to 285,000; deplores the fact that over 80 per cent. of the seals killed are defenceless pups only days or weeks old; notes that the primary purpose of the hunt is to feed the Asian market for seal penises used as aphrodisiacs; deplores the fact that seals are routinely caught alive on sharp hooks, clubbed with illegal weapons, and skinned without even checking to make sure the animals are dead; acknowledges that 27 out of 29 independent scientists stated at a recent seminar that there is no evidence that seals are responsible for the collapse of the cod stocks; agrees with independent scientists that the current rate of killing endangers the harp seal herd; and congratulates the International Fund for Animal Welfare for collecting over one million signatures in Europe calling for an end to the commercial seal hunt.

This motion has been signed by a total of 106 MPs, 2 of these signatures have been withdrawn.