An upcoming trip to Europe provides the Federal Government with an ideal opportunity to stop a potential ban on Canadian seal products, said the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. Premier Williams has written Prime Minister Harper today, requesting that he place the seal industry on the official agenda in light of a possible ban on the importation of seal products by the European Union (EU).

"Given the Prime Minister's new promotional brochures whereby he portrays himself as a fighter against anti-sealing activists, I look forward to seeing the results of his upcoming meetings with European leaders in this regard," said Premier Williams. "The Prime Minister must put the seal industry on the official agenda of these meetings, as time is quickly running out before the EU takes a vote that could seriously impact the people of our province and other affected Canadians. The seal hunt is an important part of our province's fishery and provides significant income to many families. As the Prime Minister tours Europe, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and indeed all Canadian sealers, will watch with great anticipation to see if he can successfully protect the seal industry before it is too late. We hope his recent campaign placing him against anti-sealing celebrity activists is the beginning of definitive action on the part of the Prime Minister personally."

It is anticipated that the EU Bill will be introduced in June, and will be voted on in the fall of 2008. Canadian officials recently toured the EU to convince politicians that the harvest is sustainable and humane and that a ban would be detrimental to many rural Canadian communities.

"This is a particularly critical issue for Aboriginal communities, who have historically depended upon sealing both from an economic and cultural point of view," added the Premier. "We have worked closely with the Government of Nunavut who have said clearly that a ban would be devastating for their people. They have also said that any exemption from a ban for Aboriginal people would not have positive results as even a partial ban will likely destroy their industry."

The Premier said that as Prime Minister Harper puts forward his position on climate change while in Europe, he has an opportunity to present the connection to the seal hunt. "Nowhere is climate change more pronounced than in northern Canada. The territories and other northern regions see every day the negative impacts of climate change, and as they adjust to the associated pressures they need more than ever to ensure that traditional activities that promote economic growth are not negatively impacted," said Premier Williams.

The seal harvest is extremely important to coastal communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and indeed across the country. Eighty-five per cent of the Canadian harp seal harvest happens off the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador. Sealers have stated that up to 35 per cent of their annual income comes from the sealing industry.

"Our government, and I personally, have worked extremely hard to educate the world about the seal industry," added the Premier. "Given the serious implications of an EU ban, we require leadership on the part of our Federal Government; not just promotions and brochures by the Prime Minister at home, but words and action abroad."

The proposed ban of the European Union is unjust and it threatens the livelihood of thousands of people. The trade action under consideration by the EU is being done with total disregard for the livelihood of over 6,000 individuals in Newfoundland and Labrador alone. In 1983, the European Economic Community ban on importation of whitecoats and bluebacks reduced the total Inuit income in Labrador alone by one-third. Clearly, a ban today will have serious negative impacts on people who are depending on this industry.

Despite propaganda to the contrary by anti-sealing activists, the Canadian seal harvest is one of the best managed harvests of animals anywhere in the world. It is humane, it is sustainable and it produces a wide variety of products such as seal meat, clothing and seal oil capsules.

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