PLUS DE PEAUX DE PHOQUES DU CANADA AU GROENLAND

[Animal 0]

Jan 6, 2006

La HSUS des États-Unis et la HS Internationale/Canada ont félicité aujourd’hui le gouvernement du Groenland qui a choisi de ne plus faire l'achat de peaux de phoques provenant du Canada, en raison de la cruauté infligée aux animaux lors de cette chasse commerciale.

Cette décision, annoncée aujourd'hui par le Groenland et les médias du Danemark, est une grande avancée qui permettra de donner encore plus de poids aux campagnes contre la chasse commerciale aux phoques du Canada.


The Humane Society of the United States

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



VICTORY! THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES APPLAUDS GREENLAND FOR ENDING ALL IMPORTS OF CANADIAN SEALSKINS



WASHINGTON (January 6, 2005) - The Humane Society of the United States and its international arm Humane Society International/Canada today congratulated the Greenland government for choosing to eliminate all purchases of Canadian sealskins through its sealskin trader and tannery, Great Greenland. The decision, announced today to the Greenland and Danish media, will be a significant move forward in the campaign to end Canada's cruel commercial seal hunt.



Yesterday, footage obtained by The Humane Society of the United States at the 2005 Canadian commercial seal hunt was aired on DR - the leading Danish television station, sparking a massive public outcry in Denmark. Today, the Danish Minister of Justice said on national news that she had been disturbed by the footage, and a few hours later a letter from the Greenland government announced the decision to stop the sealskins imports from Canada. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but with a self rule since 1978.



Thor Hjarsen, a renowned Danish conservation biologist and Arctic expert,
became aware of the sealskin imports recently. He contacted The HSUS and other sources for information about Canada's commercial seal hunt, and then alerted the Danish media to the situation.



"As a Canadian who has observed the commercial seal hunt at close range for seven years, I applaud the government of Greenland for taking this courageous stand after learning how the seals are killed in Canada," stated Rebecca Aldworth, director of Canadian wildlife issues for The Humane Society of the United States. "There is no thinking, compassionate person who could ever tolerate the cruelty in the Canadian seal hunt if they could see it for themselves."




The Greenland government took the decision to ensure the aboriginal
Greenland hunt is not connected to the internationally condemned Canadian
commercial seal hunt. Notably, today, in a comment to the Danish newspaper
Politiken, Mr. Aqqaluk Lynge, Chairman of Inuit Circumpolar Conference,
stated, "In contradiction to the Inuit hunters the Newfoundlanders use
nature as a slaughterhouse."





Over the past two years, Canada has exported more than 90,000 sealskins to
Greenland. Many Danish citizens purchase sealskin garments believing they
are supporting the Greenland Inuit sealers by doing so. But today, well over
one third of all the sealskins on the Greenland market originate in Canada.




The decision will help put an end to Canada's cruel commercial seal hunt, in
which hundreds of thousands of baby seals are clubbed and shot to death for
their fur each year. In Canada, sealing is an off-season activity conducted
by non aboriginal commercial fishermen, who make less than five percent of
their annual incomes from the practice.

The Humane Society of the United States is the world's largest animal
protection organization representing more than 9.5 million members and
constituents. The non-profit organization is a mainstream voice for animals,
with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster
preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in
research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through
education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work.
The group is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives
across the country.


The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
<http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/www.hsus.org>
www.hsus.org
Promoting the Protection of All Animals

[animo-aequoanimo 0]

Je ne sais pas si tu étais là à ce moment mais c'est justement de cela dont Gabriel nous a parlé hier.

[Animal 0]

oui ma belle Cé ! J'y étais !
La nouvelle était affichée dans MA et comme je ne voulais pas copier la même, j'ai affiché la nouvelle en anglais avec petite traduction... et un lien vers la nouvelle en français...

C'est une nouvelle qui ne va pas plaire aux chasseurs de phoques et au gouvernement canadiens.... Je suis très contente !

[Animal 0]

Seal pelt ban concerns Nunavut minister

Jan 16 2006

CBC News


A move by Greenland to ban the import of seal skins from Canada has
shocked Nunavut environment minister Olayuk Akesuk, who calls it the latest blow
to the already fragile seal-skin industry in the territory.Akesuk says Nunavut sealers could be seriously hurt by the ban by the Greenland
Home Rule Government, which came into effect Jan. 1.
The Greenland government ordered its publicly owned tannery, Great Greenland, to
stop buying Canadian seal pelts because of its opposition to the Newfoundland
seal hunt.
Denmark is one of the largest buyers of Canadian seal skins.
Akesuk said the decision by the Home Rule Government is another blow to Inuit
hunters' way of life.
He said hunters in Nunavut have been able to earn a decent living recently,
thanks to the Nunavut government's aggressive public education and promotion of
the sealskin industry. The territory also subsidizes the industry with price
supports.
"It's something that we really want to work closely with Greenland as we have
been trying to work with them for a long time and we've done a great job in
working with them," he said.
"And I believe it's time for the government to stand up and say 'look we can't
do that, we've got to work together to make sure that we promote our culture to
the world'." he said.
Akesuk also said sealers from Newfoundland and Labrador ought to do a better
job.
"It's something that Newfoundland should think about how it would they would
promote it better with their seal skin," he says. "How they could use their
byproduct better to make sure that it does not affect Canada's sealing industry
in the future."

FROM CBC ARCHIVES: Pelts, Pups and Protest: The Atlantic Seal Hunt
Akesuk said the impact on Inuit hunters will be great, but he won't know for
sure until the next national auction, in North Bay in December.
He said this is difficult to take, because Greenland is a good neighbour and
Inuit in both countries have a lot in common.
(With notes from Joanna Awa)

[Animal 0]

Canadian industry ready to fight seal fur ban


Last updated Feb 2 2006 09:04 AM CST
CBC News


Representatives of national fur organizations say they've have been caught off guard by the Greenland ban on Canadian seal pelts, but are more ready to fight any attacks on their industry this time.

The Greenland government ordered its publicly owned tannery, Great Greenland, to stop buying Canadian seal pelts as of Jan. 1 because of its opposition to the Newfoundland seal hunt.

Last week Nunavut leaders met with officials in Greenland to discuss the situation.

FROM JAN. 16, 2006: Seal pelt ban concerns Nunavut minister
Today the restriction on the import of seal pelts is the subject at a meeting of the International Fur Trade Federation in Copenhagen.

But unlike the fur bans of 25 years ago, prompted when animal rights activists demanded a halt to the Newfoundland seal hunt, the northern fur industry is preparing to mount a spirited defence.

"The people involved defending our business are more savvy and are able to take the fight to the Danes to explain the facts," says Jim Gibb, a director with the Fur Harvesters Auction in Ontario.

"We're better positioned now than we were 25 ago when the seal boycott started."

Gibb says the Greenland ban on seal pelts has not yet had an impact on the market.

8,000 ring seal pelts from Nunavut were sold at the most recent auction. Prices averaged about $70, and some sold for as much as $142.

According to Gibb, Denmark is no longer the only customer for seal pelts.

"The markets are more diversified now. We're not stuck on a European market," he says. "We're into a Russian market. Hopefully that in itself will help seal prices maintain themselves."

Robert Cahill, Executive Director of the Fur Institute of Canada, travelled to Denmark this week to appeal to the International Fur Trade Federation to lift the restrictions on Canadian seal pelts.

(with notes from Patti-Kay Hamilton)
http://www.cbc.ca/north/story/fur-ban-fight-02022006.html

[animo-aequoanimo 0]

Citation :

Robert Cahill, Executive Director of the Fur Institute of Canada, travelled to Denmark this week to appeal to the International Fur Trade Federation to lift the restrictions on Canadian seal pelts.

Si les gouv. étrangers et la population en général ne veut + de la fourrure, il leur faudra bien arriver à l'évidence.

[Animal 0]

Dans ce cas-ci, je crois surtout que le Groenland ne veut plus de concurrence...

[animo-aequoanimo 0]

Oui, c'est exact; c'est plutôt ça en effet ! Mais s'ils en sont rendus à la concurrence, c'est que la demande doit être moindre.

[Animal 0]

en effet Cé ! J'avais pas pensé à ça !