Responses to “Why the Green Party should support the seal hunt”
The following is a response to Devon Rowcliffe’s posting about the seal hunt on I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today. Sadly, his comments form didn’t want to accept my thoughts, so I shall subject you to them instead, dear reader:
I agree with your perspective: we should treat all animals equally. Singling out seals for better treatment than cows, chickens, pigs, or any other food livestock ignores the suffering of those creatures. The science policy I worked on in 2004 had a very similar bent. Looking at the GPC platform on animal welfare we don’t see much. The only solid indication of actually policy is that the Green Party supports bill C-50 (which apparently strengthens existing animal cruelty laws).
If we accept that seal hunting is a contentious issue, then I don’t think that such an approach would really work. Folks that I know like the idea of animals being treated fairly, but would rather not think of the food on their plate as having suffered. Essentially, they prefer to think that food on their plate led a pretty decent life, and died quickly and painlessly (if they are willing to think of their food as having been an animal). Unless some organization works to highlight the cruelties that exist in large-scale farming, I don’t think that most of the electorate would accept that connection.
I’m not sure if a majority of the electorate thinks of the seal hunt as a contentious issue. In my group of friends, most people don’t think of the hunt as an important issue. I suspect that there is a vocal minority that thinks of it as an issue.
Cheers for the feedback, e.
It seems to be a highly contentious issue, but as you quite rightly point out, predominantly amongst a vocal minority.
However, the Green stance to ban the seal hunt has alienated many people in Newfoundland and Labrador, so much so that candidates had to be parachuted into N&L from other Maritime provinces during the January 2006 federal election. For people living in Ottawa and Vancouver, it’s only an issue when it hits the headlines – but I suspect most Newfies actually know someone involved with fishing/hunting, whose livelihood is threatened by federal policy ideas dreamt up by Ontaronians or BCers.
P.S. Surprised to hear that my site didn’t allow you to post a comment. Would you mind having another go? Clear the “name” and “website” fields, enter your details, and try to post something (even if just “test”). If the comments feature doesn’t work for you, then surely it doesn’t work for other people as well, and thus I may need to sort it out. Thanks!