Canadian Prime Minister to Face Flak from PETA ‘Seal’ in Montreal

Shame of Seal Slaughter Clouds Harper's Visit

For Immediate Release:
April 23, 2010

Contact:
Emily Lavender 757-622-7382

Montreal, Quebec -- Holding a sign reading, "Harper: Stop the Seal Slaughter," a PETA member wearing a seal costume will trail Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper while he's in Montreal attending the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony. The "seal" will appear outside the event today.
                  
Where:  Bell Centre, 1909 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal (Windsor Station entrance), Montreal
When:    Friday, April 23, 6:20 p.m.

"The seal slaughter is a bloody stain on Canada's reputation, and Prime Minister Harper can't escape that stain no matter where he goes," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA's 'spokesseal' won't give up until the slaughter is stopped once and for all."

PETA wants Harper to use his influence to end Canada's annual seal slaughter, the largest massacre of marine mammals on Earth. During the slaughter, tens of thousands of baby seals have their heads bashed in or are shot. Sealers hook baby seals in the eyes, cheeks, or mouth to avoid damaging their fur. They then drag them across the ice, often while the animals are still conscious. Many of the seals are too young to swim away from their attackers.

The commercial seal slaughter is an off-season profit venture for the fishing industry, and it accounts for less than 1 percent of Newfoundland's economy. It is not a subsistence activity for native peoples. Inuit sealing accounts for only about 3 percent of the slaughter. The European Union and the U.S. have banned seal products, and world leaders--including U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and His Holiness The Dalai Lama--have spoken out against the carnage.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.