Canada's barbaric seal slaughter continues its downward spiral—and it appears to be taking Canada's integrity with it.

Last week, the European Union (E.U.) rejected an attempt by the native Canadian Inuit to challenge the E.U.'s ban on seal products. Interestingly, the Inuit live far away from the area where the mass commercial slaughter takes place and are responsible for only about 3 percent of Canada's annual seal kill. In addition, the E.U. already exempts Inuit seal products from the ban.

So why would the Inuit fight a ban that doesn't even apply to them? We're not saying that Canada is desperately exploiting native peoples to try to keep the dying seal slaughter going, but if a Marion Barry–esque tape surfaces of a shady hotel room dealing, we won't be surprised.

In the meantime, you can tweet Stephen Harper (@pmharper) and tell him to stop allowing hunters to bash in baby seals' skulls and skin them alive.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

Seal Enemy Number One, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was seeing double (or rather, quadruple) at a dinner marking the anniversary of his fifth year in office. More than a dozen PETA members, including some wearing masks of Harper spewing blood, joined Sammy the Seal in braving minus-32 temperatures to swarm the Ottawa Hampton Inn, where the dinner took place.
 

Is it just me, or do they still not look as sinister as the real Stephen Harper?

Five years of turning a blind eye to the largest marine-mammal massacre on the planet doesn't really seem like anything to celebrate, does it?

Written by Michelle Sherrow

In an apparent effort to recoup profits lost as a result of the dwindling demand for seal products, Canada will begin selling seal meat to China. Why China? Well, the sealing industry can't seem to find anybody else to buy the stuff.

Amid an international public outcry against the seal slaughter—in which baby seals are hooked in the eye or cheek, bludgeoned, drowned, and sometimes skinned alive—the European Union recently banned the import of all seal products from Canada, and the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for an end to the massacre (sales of seal products are already banned in the U.S.). As a result, the price of a seal pelt has dropped from $100 just a few years ago to only $15 last year.

You can help keep the pressure on by e-mailing Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and telling him to stop the seal slaughter immediately. You can also post a pro-seal message on Facebook or Twitter.

jomilo75/CC by 2.0

Written by Michelle Sherrow

PETA Germany took the fight for Canadian seals to Berlin on Saturday, bringing Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's motorcade to a halt when a "seal" ran in front of the procession. Three police officers hauled the demonstrator off, but not before reporters—and presumably the P.M. himself—saw the "seal." "Seals" have been trailing Harper all over the world on behalf of PETA and its affiliates.

Later, the same "seal" stood outside the Bundeskanzleramt (where Harper was meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel), made sure Harper spotted him in the wings when the convoy arrived, and then—not done yet!—moved on to the Canadian Embassy, where he and another activist distributed nearly 1,200 leaflets.

Berliners, Canadians, Americans, and anyone anywhere with a conscience: Let Prime Minister Harper know that the pressure won't let up until the massive slaughter is brought to an end.

Written by Jennifer O'Connor