And who, you ask, is Danny Williams? I'm not talking about the heavyweight boxer... I'm talking about Newfoundland's beloved premier! (Newfoundland is a Canadian province, people!!!) Newfoundland is home to the much discussed seal-hunt that has been a "cause célebre" for several years in the past, both in Canada and internationally. I watched a debate on this subject take place on Larry King Live yesterday night (yes, I was watching TV on a Friday night). Today, I found the CBC article that talked about it.
It's interesting that even though the entire world is being told by strong media and celebrity endorsements that the seal-hunt is extremely inhumane and cruel, the Canadian media tends to be supportive of the hunt. General Canadian reporting seems to indicate that everyone else in the world is being misinformed. Although most internet sites and international media will make the seal hunt sound really bad, it is very interesting to see the Canadian government's page on Seal Hunt myths, which supports the opposite viewpoint.
This debate came to a head in the live CNN debate where Paul McCartney and his wife attempted to convince people that the hunt is cruel, not to mention their economic solutions for Canada. I was initially swayed by their argument, until premier Williams came on (about half way through), and started questioning their facts and arguments. Not that I think Williams presented a greatly eloquent argument, but he did make me stop and actually contemplate the other side. To be honest, I'm now a little unsure of what the truth is, but I'm more in favour of the hunt than against it. The premier raised some very interesting points, including that he felt that the McCartneys were being used (he's a brave man!) by some sensationalist and very well funded organisations like PETA, while more reputable organisations like the WWF supported the hunt.
The McCartneys (Paul was wearing a nice Canada sweater) were in favour of banning the seal hunt and setting up an eco-tourism industry akin to the whale-watching industry that replaced the now-illegal whaling industry decades ago, along with government subsidies that would supplement the fishermen's incomes. It should be noted that the seal population is not currently endanged, even though the McCartneys said it was only a matter of time that it soon would be, an assertion which was challenged by the premier. The show did show some live video of the seal hunt which was admittedly not pleasant, but I wondered how representative of the hunt this video is or isn't, as it is hard to judge. It didn't show whether or not the seals suffer much, or at all. I also wondered if there is any good way to kill any animal. I guess this animal suffers more because it is so cute.
In my opinion the premier didn't come off as the most eloquent person, but he did force thoughtful viewers to consider that there is another viewpoint. The McCartneys were defensive at times, but they presented a fairly unified and consistent approach that was on-topic. I think the premier felt defensive, since he was going off topic a little, but really, how could you not be defensive when arguing against McCartney, whom everybody loves. It was probably a lost cause to start with, so I think he did really well.
Best quote from McCartney's wife:
KING: Well, what do you make of the argument that most of them are shot, Heather?
H. MCCARTNEY: Well, it's just not true. It's complete and absolute rubbish. It's just not true. Most of them are shot and clubbed in a hacky pick thing, which is a tall, long hook and then they hit them once with it and drag them along the ground. And they only use the one bullet. Again, because it's used for fur. It's not used for any other thing.
Best quote by Danny Williams:
WILLIAMS: Larry, let me tell you a couple of things. First of all, Heather is incorrect. There are 90 percent of these animals that are basically killed by firearms. So I had to set the record straight because I live here and I actually know. As well, you know, there's an unfair comparison that if you go into a beef slaughter house or a pork slaughter house or a chicken slaughter house and you put white sheets down on the floor, well then you're going to see blood. And that's not nice and that's not pleasant.
Here's a full transcript of the show.
Daniel
14 comments:
You may also remember Danny Williams from the 'flag' incident. You see, when Martin would not allow Newfoundland and Labrador's oil revenues, as per the similar agreement with a province of Alberta, Premier Danny Williams removed all Canadian flags from provincial buildings...
-Kirk
Balanced Nature Not Balanced ARA's check books
Myths
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/seal-phoque/myth_e.htm
Canadian veteranarian study
http://canadianveterinarians.net/Documents/Resources/Files/130_Seal%20Hunt%20Report.pdf
Seal killing 8 foot sturgeon
http://www.katu.com/stories/76832.html
Video of dead fish on bay from seals
http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1999/03/09/56.asp
Real reason
http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/oid/131
Meet your meat
http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=meet_your_meat&Player=wm&speed=_med
Endangered fish
http://nl-outsidethebox.blogspot.com/2005/09/cod-wash-i-cant-see-difference-can-you.html
Interesting how people say they want to debate when all they want to do is rant. Problem is, if people are against something, there's very little you can do to change their mind - facts or no facts. Let's just say I'm no big fan of celebrity activists.
it would of been better if williams had the same air time alloted to make his point.i guess celebrity status like the mccartneys have an advantage.
The other rediculous thing (I HATE CNN) was the stupid Larry King (I HATE CNN) kept referring to Newfoundland as (I HATE CNN) New Finland.
As you can see I fought against the current of my hatred for CNN to watch Danny williams. But this was a rare occasion. CNN has been banned in my presence since 2000.
Cheers,
P
Daniel can you please tell me what you're email address is? If you have my email just email me and I'll get it.
Thanks,
Patrick
Darn, I thought this was going to be a "Smitors" competition.
My vote would definitely go to the Walrus!
yes it really annoyed me that Larry King couldn't say Newfoundland, and yes the article was also doubling as a fake "Smitors" article to bait you for my next blog! And it would have been fair to have Danny Williams come on earlier, although, I do wonder if the McCartneys and Williams ever got together after. IF I were them I'd have to put my money where my mouth is and go talk to the guy. I mean they'd probably be able to, since they can pretty much do anything they want right?
I don't think they'd be able to 'talk' to him. They'd probably be able to shout a lot and interupt him but that's about it.
As I walked down the street last night there was thsi woman in fur boots, a furt coat and a fur hat. She was actually kind of attractive but the fur clothes got me thinking.
Would paul and heather help a human 'wearing all fur' who was being beaten by someone else? A question for the ages I suppose.
Cheers,
P
I have to say.....I never watch Larry King because frankly I find him extremely unentertaining!!! I did watch this interview on Friday night though, since I am from Newfoundland and just had to hear what both sides had to say. My favorite comment from "Sir" Paul McCartney was when Premier Williams invited him to come to Newfoundland to learn more about the seal hunt and he said that he was there....he could see first hand what was going on. Ummm....guess what Sir Paul, you are in Prince Edward Island which is a completely different province..talk about doing your research!!! I heard every argument that Danny Williams had to say, and he knows what he is talking about. It might not have come accross like he did at times, probably because he didn't have a chance to speak over Heathers repetative arguments!! The McCarneys seem to think that seals are an endangered species and that Newfoundland and the rest of Canada could actually profit from banning the seal hunt..by using it as a tourist attraction and profitting from the fishery! First of all, yes Whale watching is a great tourist attraction and people love it.....but Whales aren't hunted anymore because they are endangered...seals are not. In fact, if we continue to let the seal population grow, we will have no fishery....so how exactly are we supposed to profit from having all of these Boycotts removed when there will be no seafood to Export?!? Another thing that really annoyed me about the show was that Mr. McCartney and his lovely wife kept arguing with Mr. Williams about changing the subject whenever he would make the comparison to killing chickens and other animals. But it was ok for them to keep comparing the seal hunt to "killing babies"...and to keep talking about Whales. They could compare to support their argument but Mr. Williams couldn't!! Nothing like using a couple of celebrities to try to convince the world that what has been a part of a culture for so many years-is wrong. Do they think that we are going to listen to them because they are famous (actually, Paul is the famous one...I think Heather likes to pretend that she is!) that we are going to listen to them...that we are going to say "you know what, you are right. The way we have been living for hundreds of years is wrong. Thank you Paul and Heather for opening our eyes!!" The fact is, is that Seals are used for a number of different things as Mr. Williams pointed out such as clothing, shelter, food, and even medicine....not just the fashion industry. Canadians, and Newfoundlanders especially, are not people who can be brainwashed by the media...or celebrities. We don't care if we see a celebrity walking down the street...or in a restaurant...or a club, or wherever. We live our lives (quite comfortably I might add)...and I wish that they would go and live theirs.
You would not need to kill these little baby seals for med's for the heart if you drank the juice of one lemon every morning. And as far as fashion? People in it don't even care about the kids working in it... so... why would they care about baby seals?And can you please tell me who is eating baby seals? Is it the French and do they still eat that...blood sausage? Thank's, C.Singleton P.SHey so leave those little baby seals alone OK
In the Province of Newfoundland/Labrador the EI program requires that the minimum anual family income must not exceed 20,000 - 30,000 dollars per household. In 2006, the EI program required a person to work 420 hours (not exceeding an anual family income of $30,000). If the total hours is not meet, then the person would be required to work 910 hours in 2007. So, between a small family of 2 people they must work 840 hours but not make more than 30,000 dollars. Yes, most people would say than work full time all year round, but keep in mind that the minimun wage is $6.75 for adults. At minimun wage, the people of this province are living of $1080.00 per month. They still pay just as much money for housing and hydro. They still have the same bills as you and I. So after paying your rent, hydro, cable, telephone bills how much money do you have left over for food when you start with $1080.
Many Newfie/Labradorians rely on seal meat as a main diet to feed their families. Not only do they eat seal to survive but also wild duck, turr, moose and carribou. So when you go to the store and buy your pork, lamb, beef and VEAL (which is in fact BABY cow) take note of how much you spent on these things. Is it that hard to believe that substituting these meats for wild ones is a necessity for some, rather than a barbaric act. Perhaps, you don't even eat meat. You think the killing of ANY animal is barbaric. You, with your vitamin supplements and your soy milk. Go down to a small town in Labrador. Look for soy milk and green salads. You'll be more likely to find carrots, cabbage, potatoes and turnip, because those are the only vegetables you will find. They don't have the luxury of vegetarian friendly groceries. So, personally people I think you should cut these "archaic, barbarians" some slack, they don't have much but they do a damn good job with what they do have!
I would like to inform you that it is absolutely Illegal to kill a baby seal. The cute white coat that you see in the magazines are taken by animal activists who are trying to promote their campaign. It is also illegal to skin a seal alive. Not only is this act illegal but nearly impossible! A seal easily outweighs a human, and seals are extreamly aggressive. They are not going to lie there 'crying' as you put it, while a person skins them alive. They are preditors of the sea.
There is however 'one' case where these animal activist leaf lickers did film a 'baby' seal being slaughtered and skinned alive. They had one of their own people tranquilize the seal, and then payed a man $5000 to club and skin the seal while it was still breathing. So what kind of people are you defending here.
i would like to say that I do not, have not and never intend to hunt seals.'I' am lucky enough to live in a province that supports my survival. But I'm not going to sit on my high horse and look down my nose at those less fortunate than me.
have you ever been to a slaughter house? For beef I mean. You should go, you'd be surprised at how much blood gets around when animals are being slaughtered. Those poor animals, some of them never see the light of day. You see, it makes the meat more tender when they don't move around to much.
My point is, the blood it's everywhere! Horrifying! I mean, sometimes, it's hard to tell because it all soaks into the dirt and stuff. But there's still alot of it. I thought to myself, just to get a better idea, what if dirt "white" this would absolutely terrify me! Oh.... wait a minute, snow is white. Yes, I could see how this my concern you now. Well, maybe if they could just turn all the pretty white snow flakes into brown dirt you wouldn't be so disturbed.
Newborn pups are about 85 cm long, weigh about 11 kg and are yellowish in colour. In about 3 days the fur turns to a fluffy white from which the pups derive the name "whitecoats". Young harp seals rank among the fastest growing and most precocious of young mammals. They are nursed for about 12 days and then abandoned by their mothers. During this period they more than triple their weight on milk which contains up to 45% fat (compared to 4% for cow's milk). When weaned, pups weigh an average of 35 kg. More than half of this weight is fat in the form of blubber.
After the pups are abandoned by their mothers, they begin to lose weight and to moult their white coats. Partially moulted pups are called "ragged jackets". After about 18 days this coat is completely shed and is replaced with a short silvery one, flecked with small dark spots along each side and sparsely flecked on the back. The pups are now young adults called "beaters".
Ipsos Reid poll
Fisheries Department has armed itself with a $5,000 poll that suggests the majority of Canadians support the hunt.
The Ipsos-Reid poll, completed in February, found 60 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they supported to some degree Ottawa's current policy on the annual hunt.
The telephone survey found 22 per cent of respondents strongly agreed with the federal policy and 38 per cent somewhat agreed, while 23 per cent strongly disagreed and 16 per cent somewhat disagreed.
I think you will find that in The eastern and northern provinces, people are more likely to support the hunt. In the western provinces majority of people will be opposed to it and that in the Interior Provinces, majority of people are either undecided or don't give it much thought. But don't take my word for it. Just read the press releases, that's where all of your other information come from.
I must say, I love the role model's you animal activist choose as the faces of you cause
Brigitte Bardot - Racist, fined for inciting racial hatred after attacking gays, Muslims in her book
Pamela Anderson – Porn Star
Paul McCartney – Drug addict
Heather Mills – Hooker
In what way did you find Williams ineloquent?
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