Senator fires back at U.S. family upset with seal hunt

[stignasty]

Senator fires back at U.S. family upset with seal hunt

Last Updated Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:16:34 EST

CBC News

A Liberal senator has replied to a family in Minnesota upset about Canada's seal hunt with a letter denouncing the United States for executing prisoners at home and killing people in Iraq.

The McLellan family had written to Canadian senators to say they cancelled a vacation in Canada because of the hunt, which they called "horrible" and "inhumane," Montreal's La Presse reports.

In her response, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette said that what she finds horrible is "the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners – mainly blacks – in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, the destabilization of the entire world by the American government's aggressive foreign policy, etc."

Okay, that's just dumb. Can you feel the support for Senate reform getting even stronger?

[Argus]

Senator fires back at U.S. family upset with seal hunt

Last Updated Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:16:34 EST

CBC News

A Liberal senator has replied to a family in Minnesota upset about Canada's seal hunt with a letter denouncing the United States for executing prisoners at home and killing people in Iraq.

The McLellan family had written to Canadian senators to say they cancelled a vacation in Canada because of the hunt, which they called "horrible" and "inhumane," Montreal's La Presse reports.

In her response, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette said that what she finds horrible is "the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners – mainly blacks – in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, the destabilization of the entire world by the American government's aggressive foreign policy, etc."

Okay, that's just dumb. Can you feel the support for Senate reform getting even stronger?

To be fair, I would have responded with a snarky reply myself, though I'd have kept it on the subject of environmental policies and animal rights. Why do these morons think it's okay to kill chickens, sheep, cattle, etc., but somehow evil beyond measure to kill a stupid seal? You know what I'd have liked to have done? Ship this whiner a full grown seal and let them look after it.

[Multirec]

"You know what I'd have liked to have done? Ship this whiner a full grown seal and let them look after it."

Now thats funny!

[geoffrey]

Yup, he should resign immediately. What an embarassment. The anti-Americanism continues when they aren't in office too apparently, there is no getting rid of the Liberal hate.

The seal hunt is fine. There is no difference between a seal and a cow. Just because one is cute and cuddly it deserves protection? Bullshit. Maybe we should decide our social welfare on the same concept.

[seabee]

Senator Hervieux-Payette was on a phone-in show on SRC yesterday in Québec. All callers approved of her move, without exception. Some went as far as thanking her for saying outloud what many people think but are afraid to express.

[geoffrey]

Senator Hervieux-Payette was on a phone-in show on SRC yesterday in Québec. All callers approved of her move, without exception. Some went as far as thanking her for saying outloud what many people think but are afraid to express.

That a sad reflection on Quebecois.

[seabee]

Sad indeed that Québécois are not bloodthirsty warmongerers. Perhaps it is because they were conquered by such people two and a half centuries ago.

[Multirec]

Yeah...that's it seabee, your average Quebecer remembers 2 centuries ago.

[Leafless]

seabee

You wrote- " Sad indeed Quebecois are not bloodthirsty warmongers. Perhaps it is because they were conquered by such people two and a half centuries ago."

Maybe if the French would have immigrated to settle enmasse in significant numbers and not just to ship furs and fish back to France perhaps they would not have been conquered.

Regardless this is a poor excuse for anti-Americanism and Senator Payette should be ashamed of herself for possibly labelling all Canadians as anti-American.

I to think the seal hunt is deplorable in the way it is done and if a more humane way cannot be implemented I say scrap the seal hunt permanetly.

[gerryhatrick]

Yup, he should resign immediately. What an embarassment. The anti-Americanism continues when they aren't in office too apparently, there is no getting rid of the Liberal hate.

You're making this outraged judgement and you don't even know it was a female Senator. Sort of shows the rest of us how serious you are about the truth.

And oh yeah....boo hoo hoo you rightwing bleeding heart!

[seabee]

Yeah...that's it seabee, your average Quebecer remembers 2 centuries ago.

In Québec, history is more than an academic discipline, it is an industry. The greatest hits on Québec TV and on the movie screen had a very strong historic connotations. Some historians are stopped in the street by ordinary people for autographs. Major historical events like "La grande Paix de Montréal, 1701" attracted about 100,000 people; Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France, held each year at the end of august in Québec City usually attracts half-a-million people over a four- or five day event.

Granted that the individual Québécois does not "remember" events that happened before they were born, but yes, the average Québécois knows his history quite well, and is always willing to learn more.

It is not as if the Québécois had no roots.

[Shakeyhands]

Yup, he should resign immediately. What an embarassment. The anti-Americanism continues when they aren't in office too apparently, there is no getting rid of the Liberal hate.

You're making this outraged judgement and you don't even know it was a female Senator. Sort of shows the rest of us how serious you are about the truth.

And oh yeah....boo hoo hoo you rightwing bleeding heart!

Duh Gerry.... it doesn't matter if its a he, a she or an it... the article says he/she/it is a Liberal... MORE than enough reason for Geoffrey to want a resignation... Jeeez.

[August1991]

Senator Hervieux-Payette was on a phone-in show on SRC yesterday in Québec. All callers approved of her move, without exception. Some went as far as thanking her for saying outloud what many people think but are afraid to express.

I don't know what phone-in show you are referring to and I am always doubtful when someone claims "all the callers agreed"...

In any case, your post implies that people in Quebec are anti-American and that is simply false. IME, Montrealers tend to be anti-American but outside of Montreal, Quebecers tend to be pro-American or neutral. Rene Levesque, from the Gaspe, went to war in the uniform of the US Army.

Levesque and the US Army notwithstanding, Quebecers share with Americans a strong streak of isolationism. They generally do not like to get mixed up in foreign wars.

Overall, Quebecers are much less pre-occupied with the US than English-Canadians are.

[geoffrey]

Yup, he should resign immediately. What an embarassment. The anti-Americanism continues when they aren't in office too apparently, there is no getting rid of the Liberal hate.

You're making this outraged judgement and you don't even know it was a female Senator. Sort of shows the rest of us how serious you are about the truth.

And oh yeah....boo hoo hoo you rightwing bleeding heart!

Duh Gerry.... it doesn't matter if its a he, a she or an it... the article says he/she/it is a Liberal... MORE than enough reason for Geoffrey to want a resignation... Jeeez.

What does it matter what he or she is? The comments that were re-posted on this forum are dispicable. She is a sad reflection on an element of our society that wishes to spread hate towards the Americans at every available opportunity. "the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq" my ass. The US isn't there to just kill everyone like she implies. Killing all the blacks, typical of a Liberal response... too bad any intelligent people don't think the US is on a genocide against their blacks.

I want her gone, she in no way reflects an intelligent opinion and there is no reason for my tax dollars to pay for her to ramble off such hate speech from a public office.

[Leafless]

seabee

You wrote- " It is not has if the Quebecois had no roots."

Quebec's roots are the same as any other part of Canada since confederation in 1867.

To go back beyond that is inconsequential pertaining to any argument since Quebec's dependency and existence relies on being part of confederation. To include historical facts pertaining to any political argument Quebec clearly would have to be it's own country completely separate from Canada, which it is not.

But I to agree Quebec a shown a linguistic animosity towards anything English especially against the U.S. which is not understandable since Canada's well being is derived from a close association with the U.S.

[GreenWhiteandPink]

Leafless said

I to think the seal hunt is deplorable in the way it is done and if a more humane way cannot be implemented I say scrap the seal hunt permanetly.

Actually 90% of the seals in the seal harvest are shot by bullet (just like Beef cattle in Alberta), only 10% are killed with a "club". Do you believe the "Cattle Harvest" in Alberta is inhumane?

[geoffrey]

It's just because the seals are cute and cuddly. If it were a porcupine, no one would care.

It's awful ridiculous. Ban all hunting or just leave the seal hunters alone, thats your moral dilemma of the afternoon. And don't ban all hunting...

[jowlflapper]

A Canadian Senator (Céline Hervieux-Payette) who is a rabid supporter of Canada's glorious Seal Hunt trashed the US in response to a US family's protest letter to her about the Canada Seal Hunt Slaughter:

"the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners – mainly blacks – in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, the destabilization of the entire world by the American government's aggressive foreign policy, etc."

Isn't Canada killing innocent people in Afghanistan as a member of the Enduring Freedom operation (a father in a taxi last week)?? If this diatribe isn't a good reason why Canada needs an elected Senate, I don't know what would be!?!

Maybe a Pre-emptive Strike under the New US Policy for rogue uncivilized countries like Canada is called for here

[Leafless]

GreenWhiteandPink

You wrote- " Do you believe the cattle harvest in Alberta is inhumane."

Seals are cute looking critters but that is not my concern.

Cattle in Alberta are raised and slaughtered under humane controlled conditons and are part of the human food chain.

Seals are wild animals and are slaughtered and skinned on ice flows ( this year 335,000 of them 98% under 3-months old ) under UNSUPERVISED conditons leaving a deplorable mess of rotting flesh.

They are NOT slaughtered for human consumption but rather for leather goods mainly in Europe.

The seal harvest represents 1/10 of 1% of the provinces economy in Newfoundland for example and only adds a few hundred dollars to seaslers net income according to my info.

Obviously if these seals were raised in captivity it would not be financially feasiable to kill these animals only for their skins.

The seal harvest in my opinion is cruel and unnecessary and is depriving these small defenceless animals their right to their existence especially if not needed to support the human food chain.

[GreenWhiteandPink]

Seal are also killed under humane conditions, the hunt is supervised by DFO. All parts of the seal are utilized as well. There is no difference between the seal harvest and the cattle slaughter is Alberta

The seal harvest in my opinion is cruel and unnecessary and is depriving these small defenceless animals their right to their existence especially if not needed to support the human food chain

Acording to your logic the cattle is also cruel and unnecessary, as cattle are not needed to surport the food chain, and cattle are also defenceless animals.

[stignasty]

It's just because the seals are cute and cuddly. If it were a porcupine, no one would care.

A few years ago a couple of teens were convicted in Lethbridge, Alberta of clubbing a porcupine to death with a 3 iron.

I agree with you though. If they weren't pretty animals you certainly wouldn't see Paul and Linda Heather on the ice posing. Perhaps if someone would go to the third world and pose with some of the 10,000 kids who die every day because they can't get safe water I would be more sympathetic.

[Leafless]

GreenWhiteandPink

You wrote- " According to your logic the cattle is also cruel and unecessary, as cattle are not needed to support the food chain and cattle are also defenseless animals."

No, sorry.

I did say cattle are a necessary part of the human food chain to supply meat for human consumption since humans are carnivorous who have the ability to kill, digest, and absorb the nutrients from animal life.

Cattle and poultry for example are bred specifically for that purpose to be consumed while very little of seal meat is used for human consumption and is basically killed for pelts fins and seal penis only, which are really not required in to-days society.

Seal cubs are defensless compared to the adult variety and cannot be compared with cattle or other animal species bred specifically for human consumption.

http://www.american.edu/TED/harp.htm

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/sealhunt/

[FTA Lawyer]

For me, what is being completely missed here is the failure to discharge the duties of a public office in a professional manner, and in keeping with the best interests of the public being served.

Personally, I don't have a lot of problem with the specific criticisms being made by Senator H-P, BUT...put this letter in context and you can see the incredible impropriety of her conduct...

A former-resident family who feels strongly about an issue going on in their previous home decides to embark on a highly commendable form of political protest...no jihads nor threats nor bribes nor slanderous media pandering. They simply communicated by letter to the Upper House (all Senators got the letter) that they disapproved of the seal hunt and that as a result they would spend their vacation dollars in a country other than Canada.

These are concerned citizens of another democratic nation simply participating in the democratic process.

Instead of responding in a statesmanlike fashion, our Senator blames these concerned citizens for all of the bad things that their new country's government has been doing. I'm pretty sure (without having read the letter) that it didn't start with, "On behalf of the current U.S. Administration..." nor did it say "the U.S.A is infallible and we don't hunt seals so your country is shitty compared to ours..."

So, Senator H-P, the next time a police officer pulls me over to give me a speeding ticket, I should scream at him about all of the recent incidents where the cops have breached Charter rights or used excessive force or done some other inappropriate thing? Such behaviour is so stupid it's embarrassing to think about it let alone to actually do it.

Her letter should have thanked them for their concern, pointed out the misinformation they had about the hunt (if any) and respectfully put forth the arguments in favour of the hunt in an effort to persuade them to change their thoughts on the issue...this isn't rocket-science, it's how professional people conduct themselves.

Instead, this Senator, acting officially on behalf of our government, insults the proactive citizens and manages to trash-talk the U.S. Government in the process.

If you want to write these kinds of letters, resign your post and write to your heart's content to every editor of every paper in the entire continental U.S. Otherwise, grow up, have some small inkling of personal pride and integrity and act like someone with the title "Senator" ought to.

FTA

[August1991]

Excellent post, FTA.

[GreenWhiteandPink]

Leafless

No, sorry.

I did say cattle are a necessary part of the human food chain to supply meat for human consumption since humans are carnivorous who have the ability to kill, digest, and absorb the nutrients from animal life

Humans can also eat and digest seal There are 800 million people that live without beef in India, so I wouldn't consider it a neccessary part of the food chain.

Seal cubs are no more defenseless than cattle that and kept locked up behind fences untill there big enough to pushed inside of a slaughter house, shot and chopped to pieces.