Four Sealers died on the way to the annual mass murder of seals. This is regrettable and I do not wish death on any living being. This is not to say that death is a negative part of the Process. It is simply part of the Process.

However, if you go out onto the ocean through ice-packed waters in a small boat, you are taking a risk, a risk that you might drown.

However, if you are simply lying on the ice, part of your environment, part of your life process, because you cannot swim yet, you are not taking much of a risk. Unless, of course, you know that there are many other beings on the way to club you to death or shoot you or skin you alive. Unless, of course, that you are old enough to know that there are beings who want to do this to you.

Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Society condemn the exploitation and murder of non-human animals around the world. They are tireless in their quest. More specifically, they again denounced the largest mass murder of animals in the world, the Canadian Seal Hunt.

For this they were ostracized by the people of the Maritimes. Captain Watson said that the death of four sealers was a tragedy but that the annual death of 275,000 or more seals was a greater tragedy.

Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada immediately quit the society's advisory board. It is my contention that this move on her part was an attempt to placate the people of the Maritimes in order to enhance her chances to be elected in one of the Maritime constituencies.

If real change is to come to this planet, everyone with a conscience is going to have to stand with all the non-human animals that are murdered daily for the ravenous appetites (both gustatory and monetary) of human animals. At present it is not the correct political stance.

The Party of which Ms. May is the Leader opposes the "hunt". It would seem that she denies that plank of the party platform. It seems to me that she is seeking to be politically expedient. It seems to me that she could have said that she did not agree fully with Captain Watson's assessment and remained on the Board. It seems to me that she could have stated that she stands against the exploitation of all animals, including the human. It seems to me that she could have said that she supports compensating sealers in order that they do not have to claim that they have to continue the merciless slaughter of seals in order to support their families.

We are passed the time of political expediency. Any elected member of a legislature or of The House of Commons who will not take a firm stance against cruelty and the exploitation of the Earth and its inhabitants, all of its inhabitants, will never garner my support! It would be my hope that Ms. May be removed from the leadership of her Party. Perhaps Captain Watson could take her place. How politically inexpedient would that be!

You cannot have a green planet while the blood of the absolutely innocent flows at all. What you can have is a red, bleeding planet. We have that already!

For me, Elizabeth May has betrayed the philosophy of the Green Party of Canada.

For me, she has betrayed the seals!