letters to canadian politicians

Nadine Saunder's letter to Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams:

Dear Mr. Williams,

With all the Seal Hunt media coverage in the last few days/weeks, I have a feeling that at this point in time most of Canada and the world think that every single person in Newfoundland supports the Seal Hunt. Thank you for putting all of us onto your animal cruelty agenda. I grew up in Newfoundland and lived there for half of my 31 years on this earth..... and I can tell you that not ALL of us feel this way.

The Seal Hunt is unfortunately an ingrained part of the closed-minded part of the Newfoundland population, and has been for many generations. Many Newfoundlanders see this as their God-given right. I'm not one of them.

I think that I can fairly say that a typical Canadian doesn't actually know all that much about Newfoundland. They might know one or two Newfies, or many Newfies if you live in Alberta!

Quebecers (and the media) goes on and on about how Quebec is a distinct society. Anyone who has ever visited Nfld from other parts of this country knows and understands that Nfld is equally distinct, with their own languages, heritage and customs. It is a society on its own in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, an 8 hour ferry ride to the nearest Mainland destination, that being North Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Many Newfoundlanders have a feeling, maybe even a chip on their shoulder, that the rest of Canada thinks we are all 'dumb Newfies', who 'milk the EI system'. By encouraging this seal hunt as some sort of 'temp employment to feed yer kids' you are perpetuating the myth that Newfoundlanders are uneducated and cruel rednicks.

Newfoundlanders have a not-so-great history with their own Government's mis-management of natural resources. The DFO has brought the Atlantic Cod fishery into a state that will never recover.

I fail to understand, after everything that has happened, how so many of my fellow Newfoundlanders, including yourself as Premier, still take what the Government in Ottawa and the DFO says as "gospel." These officials CLEARLY don't know what they are doing!

It doesn't take a Scientist to figure out that the Cod fishery is dead because of overfishing and the wastefulness of the drag nets and the industry in general, not the Seals.

Many individuals live in tiny rural communities in Newfoundland, and have never even left the province. Some only know one way of life...and that suits them just fine.

However, the upcoming "bloodbath" on the ice will remain in our memories and in our hearts for years to come. Regardless of how much money the province of Newfoundland and the country will put into tourism, it will not take that image of seals being brutally slaughtered from our minds.

The rollin' of the sea, won't be beckonin to me, I can guarantee you that, Mr. Premier!

Until this slaughter stops I will be forced to boycott my own province. Newfoundland is a rugged, natural beauty of Canada. I only wish that the people of this country including yourself would see it as such, and come up with more creative methods of bringing money into my home province.

I live in Vancouver now, and B.C . has a HUGE tourism industry because of the 'natural beauty'.

When I walk along the shoreline here in Vancouver with my dogs, I think of my far away home province that I love so much.

The quiet times spent walking among the driftwood, the silence and the stillness. Animals and nature together.

Yet how many Canadians have actually made that 8 hour ferry ride to get to know about the Newfoundland culture and beauty? If the rest of Canada actually saw the rugged coastline, the Whales in their natural habitat, the fog rolling into the harbour in St. John's....you would feel a connection to the sea and the land, as do I, having grown up there.

What we all need to do is to work together to bring Newfoundland into the greater Canadian collective, and in a positive way. With all the blood, sweat, and tears I put into helping animals every day, I don't want to be seen around the world as a cruel, murderous Newfoundlander.

The Seal Hunt gives us a great opportunity to educate people, and show them what Newfoundland and Canada REALLY is. A humane society that cares about animals. There may be some deeply ingrained traditions in Newfoundland 'heritage' and 'culture', but in 2006 we should be showing the world how we've evolved from the cave man days and promote our province instead for it's ski resorts, cozy winter log cabins, snowmobiling, etc.

There are many other ways to subsidize the cold harsh Nfld winters than going out onto the dangerous ice flows, endangering our husbands and boyfriends, and killing innocent animals.

Why do you refuse to see that eco-tourism is the more viable and self-sustaining option for the province in the long run?

I believe that if all of Canada supported Newfoundland with a genuine interest in coming up with creative alternatives for employment, rather than Ottawa just throwing money into band-aid solutions for temporary and seasonal jobs, then things might actually change there for once.

But maybe I'm wrong, what do I know? I'm just another 'stupid Newfie'!

--Nadine Saunders

Pam deserves audience

The prime minister may not agree with Pamela Anderson and the
compassionate people of the world that the commercial seal slaughter
should be banned, but he still doesn't have the right to snub her. He
may prefer to only listen to the intimidating club-wielding sealers,
but every Canadian has a right to be heard regardless of whether or
not Mr. Harper agrees with their opinion.

As Mr. Harper clings tightly to the reports provided by the DFO
(Department of Fish Obliteration) like a scared girl clings to her
teddy bear to keep her safe through a storm, the voices of people,
corporations and countries opposed to the slaughter is getting louder
and louder. Mr. Harper can run around putting a sock in some people�s
mouths, but the cracking of seal skulls is echoing around the globe.
The whole world is listening.


Mike Rogozinski
Port Coquitlam, B.C.