NEWS WINNIPEG

Wed, March 29, 2006
Boycott all cruelty, not just our seal hunt

By LAURIE MUSTARD

MUSTARD: Slaughter should be a painless, mentally and physically as possible.(ROBERT J. GALBRAITH, CP files)

Update on the seal hunt and related issues. While I am radically opposed to the cruelty of the "harvesting" methods of the seal hunt, I am also dismayed by the boycott Canada/Canadian products initiatives used as a lever to force policy change, the goal being to end the seal hunt permanently.

The issue for me is not one of stopping the seal hunt altogether but of correcting the "harvesting technique" injustices.

This is still very much a meat-eating/animal products world and unless we're all ready to wait for natural causes to supply our demand for meat, slaughter is the only way to go. I just want it to be as painless, mentally and physically, as possible.

In an effort to apply pressure on the Canadian government to stop or significantly alter harvesting techniques used in the hunt, we're hearing more and more calls for boycotts of Canadian products, ie: Morrissey refusing to tour here and asking his fans to boycott Canadian goods.

While the seal hunt is extremely high profile and contentious, it is not a symbol of Canada's overall philosophy/attitude toward animal welfare. The "drama" is out of context with who and what we are as a nation, which is one of the most conscientious and compassionate on Earth with regard to human/animal rights, international affairs, and so on.

No question, the cruelties documented through constant video monitoring of the hunt, make Canada look nasty indeed.

However, even under the most humane conditions, there is no optics-friendly way to harvest a seal (particularly a baby), a calf for the veal so many people enjoy, a lamb, etc.

ELEMENT OF CRUELTY

All slaughter has an element of cruelty to it.

I'm just saying, if we're going to boycott countries for the cruelty to animals happening within their borders, particularly in the animal-"harvesting" biz, no nation would be free from attack. Trade and travel between countries would end.

Since writing the seal-hunt column, I've received a number of e-mails from non-Canadians supporting my anti-cruelty position but adding that although they like our country, they feel an obligation to stop buying Canadian products, especially seafood, and will not visit here until after the seal problem is fixed.

Seems to me we have to look around our own back yards a lot more diligently before picking a public whipping boy to unload on. Detest the seal-hunt cruelty as I do, it is not justification for ostracizing Canada.

While I respect the intent of the boycotters, the approach is misguided and unfair.

Every meat-eating/animal processing country on Earth has its cruelty issues, many much worse than our seal situation. If you were going to stop buying from/visiting every country with a seal-hunt-level problem, there's no-one you could purchase products from or visit, including your own. And those are 12-month-a-year cruelty situations.

It's too easy and too "token" to target Canada punitively in this way. I'm with protesters on the cruelty aspect but not with labelling all Canada at the level of this one issue.

Boycott ALL offenders or none. Regardless, keep the protests coming.