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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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 Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 11:58 am Post subject: Canada's governor general eats seal heart |
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Canada's governor general ate a slaughtered seal's raw heart in a show of support to the country's seal hunters, a display that a European Union spokeswoman on Tuesday called "too bizarre to acknowledge."
Governor General Michaelle Jean, the representative of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as Canada's head of state, gutted the seal and swallowed a slice of the mammal's organ late Monday after an EU vote earlier this month to impose a ban on seal products on grounds that the seal hunt is cruel.
Asked Tuesday whether her actions were a message to Europe, Jean replied, "Take from that what you will."
Hundreds of Inuit at a community festival gathered Monday as Jean knelt above a pair of seal carcasses and used a traditional ulu blade to slice the meat off the skin. After cutting through the flesh, Jean turned to the woman beside her and asked: "Could I try the heart?"
After swallowing a piece whole and deeming it tasty, Jean, whose post is largely ceremonial, defended the hunt as an eons-old traditional hunting practice that is not inhumane.
A spokeswoman for EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas offered no official reaction.
"No comment; it's too bizarre to acknowledge," Barbara Helfferich said.
Animal rights groups believe Canada's annual seal hunt is cruel, poorly monitored and provides little economic benefit. Sealers and Canadian authorities say it is sustainable, humane and provides income for isolated communities.
Barbara Slee, an anti-seal hunt campaigner at the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Brussels said she was disgusted by Jean's actions.
"The fact that the governor-general in public is slashing and eating a seal, I don't think that really helps the cause, and I'm convinced that this will not change the mind of European citizens and politicians" because the deal is largely finished, Slee said.
EU governments are to sign the ban into law on June 25th after the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to impose the measure.
The new EU rule offers narrow exemptions so Inuit communities from Canada, Greenland and elsewhere can continue traditional hunts, but bars them from large-scale trading of their pelts and other seal goods in Europe.
Rebecca Aldworth, director of Humane Society International Canada, said Jean's actions were misleading and offensive because of the exemptions.
"Inuit people are protected in the legislation. To suggest otherwise is deceptive on the part of the Canadian government," Aldworth said.
But, Newfoundland sealer Jack Troake chuckled after hearing of Jean's actions.
"That's great stuff," he said. "You've got some of these environmentalists that are going to jump on her, but I think she's strong enough. She can take that, I think." |
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D98E2QEG1&show_article=1 |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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That's hardly news, we all know the Governor General is secretly Predator, as seen here in a recent photo op with an animal rights activist.
In seriousness though, I still don't understand people who defend certain types of behavior by pointing out that they are "ancient traditions." The fact that native Canadians ages ago needed to hunt seals to live is hardly justification to continue that practice today, regardless of whether you think the practice should continue or not. |
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oldtactics
Joined: 18 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| I think it was a fantastic display and while I think that the Governor General position is a waste of taxpayer dollars, I'm glad that she's defending the seal hunt and the people who take part in it. |
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Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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| She's a fruitcake who will do anything in the name of political correctness. |
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The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Middle Land
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 3:04 am Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
That's hardly news, we all know the Governor General is secretly Predator, as seen here in a recent photo op with an animal rights activist.
In seriousness though, I still don't understand people who defend certain types of behavior by pointing out that they are "ancient traditions." The fact that native Canadians ages ago needed to hunt seals to live is hardly justification to continue that practice today, regardless of whether you think the practice should continue or not. |
The inuit of the area still as of this day rely on hunting seals as their primary way of making a living. Why don't you do something more productive and protest the eating of dogs in China nad Korea, which is traditional but not needed? |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:12 am Post subject: |
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| The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: |
| Fox wrote: |
That's hardly news, we all know the Governor General is secretly Predator, as seen here in a recent photo op with an animal rights activist.
In seriousness though, I still don't understand people who defend certain types of behavior by pointing out that they are "ancient traditions." The fact that native Canadians ages ago needed to hunt seals to live is hardly justification to continue that practice today, regardless of whether you think the practice should continue or not. |
The inuit of the area still as of this day rely on hunting seals as their primary way of making a living. Why don't you do something more productive and protest the eating of dogs in China nad Korea, which is traditional but not needed? |
I protest nothing. All I said is that the fact that a practice is an "ancient tradition" is totally irrelevent when considering whether it should continue. That's why I added "regardless of whether you think the practice should continue or not," at the end, after all: because I wasn't trying to criticize the practice itself, merely the debate tactic in question.
Also, dog is delicious, I don't want to protest eating it. Seal likely is too, I just haven't had the opportunity to indulge yet. |
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Sergio Stefanuto
Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:49 am Post subject: |
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This must be a helluva tricky issue for the far-leftist cultural relativists, eh?
Consider: (1) animal cruelty (bad!) yet (2) the practise is done by a non-caucasian indigenous culture (which is automatically beyond reproach and any criticism of it is racist) and (3) their impoverishment at the hands of rich Europeans and their ban on seal products.
Ouch. Glad I'm not a far-lefty. Personally, I go with (1) and the cruelty issue. I think it's a foul practise.
Kill any animal you like, by all means, but clean up your act. If you can't kill an animal in a nontorturous manner, or at least try, or pretend to try, then your culture is one of primitivism and barbarism. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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The international punditry on this has been awesome.
Here is the best:
http://gawker.com/5269798/
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| Now, the question on everyone�s mind has to be, �How will Sarah Palin top this one?� Maybe she can take down a polar bear to eat its heart AND its liver? She�s got to do something, because as it stands now, it appears as though Canada is easily winning the �Who has the kookiest female Governor� sweepstakes, and couple that with the fact that they have health care for all their citizens, and it becomes increasingly clear that America is nothing more than Canada�s bitch.� |
The Europeans are stunned. The diversity that represents the British Queen ate raw baby seal heart to make a political statement.
Last edited by mises on Wed May 27, 2009 7:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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yawarakaijin
Joined: 08 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| What the hell is the big issue? For all we know that one particular seal could have been shot the day before for the purpose of the feast. Is it now reprehensible to eat an animal that hasn't been raised on an farm? PETA is a joke, as is anyone else attacking the GG on this issue. |
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supernick
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 1:03 am Post subject: |
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| Brave woman. If the seals weren't so cute, who would care? |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 9:31 am Post subject: |
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http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/1124269.html
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RESOLUTE BAY, Nunavut � Michaelle Jean launched a passionate defence of Canada�s seal hunt against international critics who have decried her participation in an Inuit ritual.
In fact, the Governor General�s response could hardly be more defiant: Jean was invited by a group of Inuit to join them on a seal hunt Wednesday evening.
And she accepted.
She said in an interview with The Canadian Press she was aware how her gesture Monday at a community festival in Rankin Inlet would be interpreted.
When she was presented with a seal carcass, Jean cut through the flesh, swallowed a piece of its heart and wiped her blood-spattered fingers clean with tissue. |
I don't really know anything about the seal hunt. I eat meat, have leather shoes and have been known to gun down the odd animal so.. But I appreciate her stubborn defiance to our European tsk tsk chatterboxes. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 9:39 am Post subject: |
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| I don't really know anything about the seal hunt. I eat meat, have leather shoes and have been known to gun down the odd animal so.. But I appreciate her stubborn defiance to our European tsk tsk chatterboxes. |
The beauty of this is that she didn't violate the protocol of the office by making a political speech about the seal hunt. She just went to the inlet, participated in a local custom, and left everyone else to put whatever interpretation they wanted on it. She really did manage to walk a pretty fine line there. |
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Manner of Speaking
Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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Last year she visited Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan. She arranged her photo shoot so that she would only be shot with female soldiers - who number one in 10 among Canadians serving in Afghanistan - and told the male troops that they should "get down on their knees and thank the female troops for being there."
Nice thing to say to guys who are putting their lives on the line every day so that Afghan girls can finally get an education and learn how to read and write.
She's an arschloch. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Sergio Stefanuto wrote: |
This must be a helluva tricky issue for the far-leftist cultural relativists, eh?
Consider: (1) animal cruelty (bad!) yet (2) the practise is done by a non-caucasian indigenous culture (which is automatically beyond reproach and any criticism of it is racist) and (3) their impoverishment at the hands of rich Europeans and their ban on seal products.
Ouch. Glad I'm not a far-lefty. Personally, I go with (1) and the cruelty issue. I think it's a foul practise.
Kill any animal you like, by all means, but clean up your act. If you can't kill an animal in a nontorturous manner, or at least try, or pretend to try, then your culture is one of primitivism and barbarism. |
Hunting white coat seal pups is illegal in Canada, so why to supposed animal rights groups keep putting them on their posters? They are cute. Which would convince you to fork over your cash: the thought of a cute seal pup being killed or that of a pig being made into ham?
"The harp seal question is entirely emotional. We have to be logical. We have to aim our activity first to the endangered species. Those who are moved by the plight of the harp seal could also be moved by the plight of the pig - the way they are slaughtered is horrible."
Jacques Cousteau
PS. Killing a seal by smashing its brain to a pulp with a swift blow to the head is quick and humane. Soare me the videos of the seal being killed. It's a reflex, just like how chickens flap their wings when their heads are cup off or snakes twitch after they've been run over by a car. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Hmm is it ironic that a traditional government role such as the Governor General is taking flak for participating in a traditional native ritual? For those saying native rituals need to go in today's modern age, what about redundant government such as Governor Generals? |
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