Quebec willing to review seal hunting methods, says Premier Jean Charest

By Martin Ouellet, The Canadian Press

BRUSSELS - Quebec Premier Jean Charest says he's ready to yield on the
commercial seal hunt if it means appeasing European sentiments over the
controversial practice.

Charest broached the thorny issue in Brussels on Sunday during a closed-door
meeting with Stavros Dimas, the European commissioner for the environment.

The premier told a news conference he wanted to smooth over some of the
issues that led to the European Union banning seal products last spring.

The key sticking point was the tool sometimes used to kill the animals - a
traditional weapon called a hakapik slammed by animal rights activists like
Brigitte Bardot and Paul McCartney as cruel.

They have shocked European politicians with the images of baby seals being
bludgeoned to death on ice floes.

Charest says while the traditional hunting method conforms to international
norms, he's nonetheless willing to consider an alternative if the Europeans
are likewise willing to review their embargo.

"It's a question of perception, but it's a false perception," said Charest.

"We're ready to discuss it if we need to. It may be a path towards a
solution. If we have to review our methods, we will."

Last May, EU members of Parliament endorsed a bill that would impose a tight
ban on the import of seal products to all 27-member countries as of 2010.

Only seal products from Inuit or Aboriginal hunts would be exempt under the
ban.

The decision has met with stiff opposition in Quebec, where fisheries
ministry statistics suggest it could cut revenues for seal hunters on
Quebec's Magdalene Islands by as much as a third.

In March, the national assembly unanimously passed a motion in support of
the province's seal hunters.

But Christiane Bosmans, employed with the Quebec government office in
Brussels, says it's a highly sensitive topic in Europe.

"We only see images that seem to show the poor animals are being
mistreated," she said.

"Ordinary citizens don't understand that it's also an economic matter."

According to Charest, Dimas was open to exploring options and to adapting
the embargo's rules - but he doesn't want to raise hopes too high.

"At the same time, we can't give up," he said.

"We couldn't miss the chance to tell the commissioner the hunt is in line
with international norms. Quebecers need to do everything they can to keep
the hunt open."