We've just heard that Senator Mac Harb has now received around 60,000
messages/letters of support for his bill! So thank you for your help! I
also wanted to update you on further actions you can take...

NEW ACTION: Senator Mac Harb has suggested 5 senators who he thinks
might second his bill. It would be great if you could take a moment to
email them about this.

The contact details are at the end of this email. Please also copy Mac
Harb on this - he is on harbm@sen.parl.gc.ca

I have also pasted a suggested letter, but a personal one would be more
effective (if you have time). We need their support on this - so its
probably most effective if its personal (and polite).

ANOTHER ACTION: We have some action cards addressed to Senator Mac Harb,
if you think you can get some filled out, please let me know how many
you would like.

Thanks again for your support. Best wishes,

Ellie Dickson

IFAW Campaigner

Ottawa, ON.

Sen Atkins - atkinn@sen.parl.gc.ca <mailto:atkinn@sen.parl.gc.ca>

Sen. McCoy - mccoye@sen.parl.gc.ca

Sen. Murray - murral@sen.parl.gc.ca

Sen. Prud'homme - prudhm@sen.parl.gc.ca

Sen. Spivak - spivam@sen.parl.gc.ca

Dear Senator,

I am writing you as a concerned Canadian to ask you most sincerely to
second Bill S-229, the Harb Seal Bill.

You are no doubt aware that Canada's commercial seal hunt is a
controversial issue . I believe that you should know a little about
Canadian public opinion on the seal hunt before you decide if the issue
should be considered by Canada's chamber of sober second thought.

Public opinion polling conducted by Environics for IFAW shows that a
strong majority of Canadians - 6 in 10 - oppose Canada's commercial seal
hunt. The same polls find that 75% of Canadians think that "the federal
government should stop spending money and effort defending Canada's
commercial seal hunt, and concentrate on more important issues instead."
As Senator Harb can tell you, public opposition to the hunt has also
been demonstrated by the tens of thousands of Canadians who have
contacted him to support Bill S-229.

Finally a Senate debate on Bill S-229 would serve to demonstrate the
utility of that very institution. As you are surely aware, the Senate is
often criticized and its role in promoting legislative deliberation is
ignored. A careful consideration of a heated political issue where most
politicians are opposed to the position of the majority of Canadians,
like the seal hunt, would do much to demonstrate the continued utility
of the Senate.

Whatever your ultimate vote might be on S-229, I urge you to lend your
voice to second the bill so that Senator Harb can speak up for the
majority of Canadians that wish to see an end to Canada's commercial
seal hunt.