NationStates Jolt Archive

This time, can we not talk at length about binge drinking, penis size, Central/South America, immigration, or Fass' sexual proclivities? Here's the story, if you missed it the first time:

Senator fires back at U.S. family upset with seal hunt

Last Updated Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:16:34 EST
CBC News

A Liberal senator has replied to a family in Minnesota upset about Canada's seal hunt with a letter denouncing the United States for executing prisoners at home and killing people in Iraq.

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/hervieux-payette_celine_cp_.jpg
Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette says Americans are in no position to criticize the Canadian seal hunt

The McLellan family had written to Canadian senators to say they cancelled a vacation in Canada because of the hunt, which they called "horrible" and "inhumane," Montreal's La Presse reports.

In her response, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette said that what she finds horrible is "the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners – mainly blacks – in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, the destabilization of the entire world by the American government's aggressive foreign policy, etc."

She said Americans are not in a position to criticize others. "They must start to look at their own behaviour, the permanent heightening of the planet's insecurity since the election of Bush," she told La Presse.

"All senators received the letter from the McLellans and I was the only one to respond," she said.

The family "did not choose a good cause," she added.

In their letter, the McLellans said they love Canada and have Canadian ancestors but cancelled a trip to Canada last year because of the seal hunt and will scrap plans for one this year if the spring hunt goes ahead, La Presse said.

Hervieux-Payette, a lawyer and former Liberal MP, was appointed to the Senate in 1995 by then prime minister Jean Chrétien. She last drew public attention with a private member's bill in 2004 to outlaw spanking of children.

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/sealers_040412.jpg
Canadian sealers (file photo)

In defending the seal hunt, she called it a centuries-old practice and part of the livelihood of coastal residents both native and white.

She invited the McLellans to come to Canada to see a humane society that lives in safety and respects the traditions of its native people.

It is not clear whether she might pay a penalty for remarks that could be seen as anti-American. Once appointed, senators have a job until retirement at 75.

A Toronto-area MP, Carolyn Parrish, was thrown out of the Liberal caucus in 2004 after she stomped on a George Bush doll and renounced her loyalty to the party. She stayed in Parliament as an Independent but did not seek re-election this past winter.




Now, personally, I support an expanded seal hunt. There's over six million not-at-all-cute harp seals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a grossly overinflated number for the herd. Frankly, they need to be culled back by at least fifty percent. Harp seals are nowhere - nowhere near to being endangered in any sense of the word. What is endangered, however are the stocks of fish both seals and humans make use of.

What do you think - of the kerfuffle described above, of well-intentioned celebrity morons (Paul McCartney, for example) sticking their noses where they don't belong, the seal hunt in general, Canadian senators, or US-Canadian relations?

Poll coming.

shocking..

Meh, it's only natural for people to like cute little seals more than murderous rapists. Personally I'm against the death penalty and in favor of hunting.

snippies
Hey, you just missed the last of about a million of these threads. That one got locked because it turned into a large conversation about binge drinking.

Anyways, I have to agree with you. There are way to many seals for the amount of fish there are. Overfishing has the fish stocks so low that most commercial fishermen have had to find a new job or retire. If we didn't ruthlessly slaughter those seals, they would starve. Its kinda like that episode of Futurama, were the Pengiuns overpopulate Pluto.

Meh, it's only natural for people to like cute little seals more than murderous rapists. Personally I'm against the death penalty and in favor of hunting.
*Resists urge to talk about huntings related alcoholism*

Which option of the poll means you support the senator?

Which option of the poll means you support the senator?
"Lionized" means you support her.

Hey, you just missed the last of about a million of these threads.
Scanning through the first four pages of General turned up just the one - the one that everybody leaned on 'til it broke. What are you referring to?

Scanning through the first four pages of General turned up just the one - the one that everybody leaned on 'til it broke. What are you referring to?
Well, threads about the Seal Hunt in general. I've seen so many its hilarious, but w/e, its usually only the first couple pages where any progress is made in any thread.

Anyways, thanks for openning a new thread. I wasn't done bitching about how everyone is wrong.

I'm a Canadian (something I'm sure most of you already know), and I think the Senator is, as you said in the poll question, 'right on the money'. I couldn't give a damn what uninformed suburbanites and aging rock 'n' roll stars think - sure they're all cute and snuggly when they're pups, but they're miserable, aggressive bastards when they mature. And ugly as all get-out.

It's high time we pointedly ignore the wailings of Minnesotans and Londoners, and increase the seal quotas substantially.

I'm a Canadian (something I'm sure most of you already know), and I think the Senator is, as you said in the poll question, 'right on the money'. I couldn't give a damn what uninformed suburbanites and aging rock 'n' roll stars think - sure they're all cute and snuggly when they're pups, but they're miserable, aggressive bastards when they mature. And ugly as all get-out.

It's high time we pointedly ignore the wailings of Minnesotans and Londoners, and increase the seal quotas substantially.
I've an even better idea!

Lets round up a whole mess of seals, and relocate them to Minnesota.

Anyways, thanks for openning a new thread. I did it because, reading Tactical Grace's message a the end of the closed thread, it was clear that the thread itself was legitimate - I was as much invited to re-start as I could read into his closing message - it was just all the pointless noise and chatter that killed it.
I wasn't done bitching about how everyone is wrong.So you can imagine how I felt - I'd scarcely had the chance to opine, myself, other than the initial OP.

Dobbsworld: I see yet again we're on the same page. What do you think about using seal meat for dog food?

Lets round up a whole mess of seals, and relocate them to Minnesota.
Sweeeet.

Dobbsworld: I see yet again we're on the same page.
I chalk it up to us both being SubGees.
What do you think about using seal meat for dog food?
Well, I like the taste - no reason why Spot shouldn't like it, too. And if there was a greater effort to use more of the seal - meat, bones and all - maybe it'd get some of these idiot baby seal enthusiasts to lay off it.

I did it because, reading Tactical Grace's message a the end of the closed thread, it was clear that the thread itself was legitimate - I was as much invited to re-start as I could read into his closing message - it was just all the pointless noise and chatter that killed it.
So you can imagine how I felt - I'd scarcely had the chance to opine, myself, other than the initial OP.
I'm glad you re-opennied it. I considered doing it but I knew I would end-up totally flamebaiting in the OP and getting the thread locked. I hoped this was still hot enough of a topic for it to create a new thread.

Back to the seals. I say we should try to club more females than males. It would help reduce their future offspring and reduce the number of seals we have to club next year.

baby seals have been the poster children of the US animal rights movement for the past 30 years. "we" thought we had saved all the cute little buggers (when i say "we" i dont mean "me" because i dont give a damn about baby seals)

so to see that y'all are still killing baby seals it makes us upset (and baby jesus cry) because we think that we havent accomplished as much for animals as we thought we did.

or something

so what DO y'all do with dead baby seals?

i think ms Hervieux-Payette deserves a medal and that she should send a similar letter to paul mccartney. when our countries are perfect, we can start criticizing canada for being a bit insensitive to the seal herd.

I'm glad you re-opennied it. I considered doing it but I knew I would end-up totally flamebaiting in the OP and getting the thread locked. I hoped this was still hot enough of a topic for it to create a new thread.

Back to the seals. I say we should try to club more females than males. It would help reduce their future offspring and reduce the number of seals we have to club next year.
Hot? Hell, this is the leading news story on CBC Newsworld tonight. It doesn't get any hotter than that up here...

Hot? Hell, this is the leading news story on CBC Newsworld tonight. It doesn't get any hotter than that up here...
Since I got my own computer, I haven't watched much TV. Just a few episodes of the Colbert Report and The Daily Show.

In her response, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette said that what she finds horrible is "the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners – mainly blacks – in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, the destabilization of the entire world by the American government's aggressive foreign policy, etc."
Now, I have a big problem with this. While I once believed in banning the Canadian Seal Hunt, I also understand the neede to control animal populations that reproduce out of control. Culling might be more humane than it seems - after all, you fish the waters, you manage the waters - and that means forcing a balance. It's not like we're "other than" Nature. We're a part of it, a part that can think for itself yes, but that doesn't mean we're not part of it.

And it's because we can think that we ought to be thinking of the bigger picture. Ugly as it may be, that bigger picture entails us folk (well, you folk up north anyway) doing some pretty nasty things in order to achieve balance. It would be the height of irresposibility to not cull the herds.

Feel better now? You've actually won me over on that score.:)

But as for the rest: Who the Hell do these punk Canadians think they are, trying to tell US how we should or shouldn't run things? This Senator ought to put a cork in it, or your Prime Minster ought to for her. I think her response was totally over the top, had nothing to do with their letter, and damn right she should apologize for it.

What "daily massacres" in Iraq? And everything else she glibly rolled off - where the Hell is all that coming from? I thought Canada was supposed to be our friend, not a backstabber.:mad:

Just a question why do they club the seal cubs instead of the adult seals? Is it because they have better fur?

Hot? Hell, this is the leading news story on CBC Newsworld tonight. It doesn't get any hotter than that up here...
You guys seriously need some real news then. I hope this is only because it's been a slow day, and nothing else happened -_-'

What "daily massacres" in Iraq? And everything else she glibly rolled off - where the Hell is all that coming from? I thought Canada was supposed to be our friend, not a backstabber.:mad:
I personally expect my real friends to tell me when they think I'm doing something stupid or innapropriate. Fake friends and enemies are the one who remain silent and nod while I make a fool of myself.

We Canadians consider ourselves real friends of yours, hence we take the liberty of saying it outright when we think you're mistaken. And, for the record, we could be rubbing it in for Iraq, telling you "I told you so" about the WMD or whatever, but we don't.

Now, while the MP had a valid point about the necessity of protecting human rights before animal rights, she totally lacked tact and diplomacy. As such, I feel she should offer excuses for the poor wording of her reply, if nothing else. CanadoAmerican relations are tense enough as it it.

You guys seriously need some real news then. I hope this is only because it's been a slow day, and nothing else happened -_-'
Well, what would you like to see instead?

baby seals have been the poster children of the US animal rights movement for the past 30 years. "we" thought we had saved all the cute little buggers (when i say "we" i dont mean "me" because i dont give a damn about baby seals)

so to see that y'all are still killing baby seals it makes us upset (and baby jesus cry) because we think that we havent accomplished as much for animals as we thought we did.

or something

so what DO y'all do with dead baby seals?

i think ms Hervieux-Payette deserves a medal and that she should send a similar letter to paul mccartney. when our countries are perfect, we can start criticizing canada for being a bit insensitive to the seal herd.

Well, sometimes kindness in the short term (not killing baby seals 'cause they are, admittedly, awfully cute and helpless) can be pretty cruel in the long-term (overpopulation leading to disease, starvation, and depletion of fish stocks). I think the anti-sealing crowd are a pretty fascistic lot, coming in off jet airliners wearing designer duds and pontificating on the virtues of being ecologically unsound where managing the Gulf of St. Lawrence is concerned. These fishermen understand their responsibilities, they know what needs doing - and they also know that at the end of the day, Sir Paul and his legless trophy wife will retreat to a foamy cup of latte and silk-lined slippers while they go home stinking of fish.

What do you do with seal meat? Well, when I had it, we broiled it (kinda fatty) and served it with veg and potatoes. It has an indisputably fishy kinda taste/smell - at first - but after the first bite, you honestly don't notice it. I found it sorta salty. I'd like to see some attempt to popularize it as an alternative to other meats. If that just isn't in the cards, I guess an industrial use, like using it for dog food, would be the best route to travel.

Here's a thought, my ignorance will show with this question, I'm afraid:

Would seal meat be kosher? Anybody??

Well, what would you like to see instead.
How about relevant international news about the conflicts and famine in Africa? Or coverage of the blunders and abuse of occupation forces in the middle east? Perhaps a documentary or two about China's darker side and lack of basic human rights? Or local news informing you about municipal matters, or large economic investments recently made in your area?

There are a lot of much, much more pertinent news to be watched.

Just a question why do they club the seal cubs instead of the adult seals? Is it because they have better fur?
Provided you've got a market for the fur, well yeah. Adult pelts are mottled and so not usable.

Ironic that the leading news in Canada is about the US.

Really, don't they have other things to talk about?

There are a lot of much, much more pertinent news to be watched.
If that's how you feel, create a thread about it. This thread is about the seal hunt. If you don't like it, don't contribute.

Is that so hard to do now?

If that's how you feel, create a thread about it. This thread is about the seal hunt. If you don't like it, don't contribute.

Is that so hard to do now?
Easy there big fella. I didn't say this thread or discussion was stupid: I said that this story doesn't deserve to be the main story of a news bulletin. And FYI, I did place pertinent comments about the OP and story in question.

You might want to crank the agressiveness factor a little, yanno.

I personally expect my real friends to tell me when they think I'm doing something stupid or innapropriate. Fake friends and enemies are the one who remain silent and nod while I make a fool of myself.

We Canadians consider ourselves real friends of yours, hence we take the liberty of saying it outright when we think you're mistaken. And, for the record, we could be rubbing it in for Iraq, telling you "I told you so" about the WMD or whatever, but we don't.

Now, while the MP had a valid point about the necessity of protecting human rights before animal rights, she totally lacked tact and diplomacy. As such, I feel she should offer excuses for the poor wording of her reply, if nothing else. CanadoAmerican relations are tense enough as it it.

I'll accept this as an apology, of sorts. I guess.:)

(why do I always get the feeling these Canadians are setting me up to look like a damn fool?):confused:

She sure knows how to insert her political view into completely unrelated matters.

I'll accept this as an apology, of sorts. I guess.:)

I guess it sort of was, after all :p
Well, regarding how her position was exposed, anyway. I always like to think that any thruth deserves to be told... but it needs to be told appropriately. And this wasn't.


(why do I always get the feeling these Canadians are setting me up to look like a damn fool?):confused:
Oh, we don't. Well, at least I don't. Heck, name me just one other country with whom who had very close relations who actually stood up and said "I believe this is a bad idea" instead of following you like a moron?

Right on the money, this is the reality of a world in which america has no claim to moral superiority or even equality with nations like canada.

Oh, we don't. Well, at least I don't.I do! Well, I try... Heck, name me just one other country with whom who had very close relations who actually stood up and said "I believe this is a bad idea" instead of following you like a moron?You know Ska, I have to admit... that question's got me stumped. Is there an answer to that one, or is it really just rhetorical?

Quibs, good to hear you're persuaded to managing the Gulf responsibly. Sorry you're put off by the good Senator's viewpoint, but everybody's entitled to their opinion. Most people's opinions don't make it onto the news, but given the circumstances, it was bound to happen.

Just saying.

You know Ska, I have to admit... that question's got me stumped. Is there an answer to that one, or is it really just rhetorical?

It was rhetorical, because there is no such country. France and Germany opposed american interventionism in Iraq, but they never had close relations with the USA.

The USA's other allies, like, say, Great Britain or Australia and all the others just jumped on the wagon headed for certain disaster without ever telling the US government just how silly their idea was, and that there was no credible evidence that Iraq posed a credible threat to anyone. Canada was the only one who did.

It's in times like these that you know who your real friends are, and who's a brown-noser and/or hypocrite.

Right on the money, this is the reality of a world in which america has no claim to moral superiority or even equality with nations like canada.
Heh, don't get too high on our collective moral high horse, we have lots of dubious issues about integrity and/or competence in our own government.

Heh, don't get too high on our collective moral high horse, we have lots of dubious issues about integrity and/or competence in our own government.
No kidding.

I'll be willing to bet Stephen Harper would sooner eat his own toenail clippings than tuck into roast seal. But now I'm the one getting off-topic... lol.

Heh, don't get too high on our collective moral high horse, we have lots of dubious issues about integrity and/or competence in our own government.


I'm not a canadian.

At any rate, i was only referring to the specific things mentioned by the senator, and the fact that they were all spot-on, and significantly worse than hunting seals.

No kidding.

I'll be willing to bet Stephen Harper would sooner eat his own toenail clippings than tuck into roast seal. But now I'm the one getting off-topic... lol.
Well, you did manage to tuck in a baby seal reference.

As far as I'm concerned, it IS true that the methods of seal hunting might seem brutal and barbaric. However, how is clubbing a baby seal on the back of its head, thus killing it instantly, any different or worse than decapitating helpless bovines or chicken for our nourishment?

It's not. It's not like they're torturing the poor little buggers and letting them suffer for hours on end.

And please, I know they're cute as hell, but I just can't stand double standards. You don't protect one specy just because it's cute and fuzzy and cuddly, while letting all those ugly-ass spiders and insects become extinct without a wince. That's dishonest.

I'm not a canadian.

At any rate, i was only referring to the specific things mentioned by the senator, and the fact that they were all spot-on, and significantly worse than hunting seals.
Alright then, just as long as you know we don't claim to be anything other that marginally better off thsn our southern neighbours.

Well, sometimes kindness in the short term (not killing baby seals 'cause they are, admittedly, awfully cute and helpless) can be pretty cruel in the long-term (overpopulation leading to disease, starvation, and depletion of fish stocks). I think the anti-sealing crowd are a pretty fascistic lot, coming in off jet airliners wearing designer duds and pontificating on the virtues of being ecologically unsound where managing the Gulf of St. Lawrence is concerned. These fishermen understand their responsibilities, they know what needs doing - and they also know that at the end of the day, Sir Paul and his legless trophy wife will retreat to a foamy cup of latte and silk-lined slippers while they go home stinking of fish.

What do you do with seal meat? Well, when I had it, we broiled it (kinda fatty) and served it with veg and potatoes. It has an indisputably fishy kinda taste/smell - at first - but after the first bite, you honestly don't notice it. I found it sorta salty. I'd like to see some attempt to popularize it as an alternative to other meats. If that just isn't in the cards, I guess an industrial use, like using it for dog food, would be the best route to travel.

Here's a thought, my ignorance will show with this question, I'm afraid:

Would seal meat be kosher? Anybody??
*suspicious look*

are you saying that there is no reason to club baby seals to death except to control the population? why not shoot them then?

i cant buy a nice baby seal fur coat?

Well, you did manage to tuck in a baby seal reference.

As far as I'm concerned, it IS true that the methods of seal hunting might seem brutal and barbaric. However, how is clubbing a baby seal on the back of its head, thus killing it instantly, any different or worse than decapitating helpless bovines or chicken for our nourishment?

It's not. It's not like they're torturing the poor little buggers and letting them suffer for hours on end.

And please, I know they're cute as hell, but I just can't stand double standards. You don't protect one specy just because it's cute and fuzzy and cuddly, while letting all those ugly-ass spiders and insects become extinct without a wince. That's dishonest.
No it's evolution, cuteness as a defensemechinism!:p

*suspicious look*

are you saying that there is no reason to club baby seals to death except to control the population? why not shoot them then?

i cant buy a nice baby seal fur coat?
So, shooting them and having them crawl on the ice, growing weaker until they're drained of their blood and die is more humane than one good whack, and then goodnight?

I'm not a canadian.

At any rate, i was only referring to the specific things mentioned by the senator, and the fact that they were all spot-on, and significantly worse than hunting seals.
"Spot-on"? "SPOT-ON"? We aren't massacring anybody on a daily basis. You think she's so spot-on (what are you, British?), tell me about these daily massacres. Or any of the the other big lies she told.

:mad: :mad: :mad:

No it's evolution, cuteness as a defensemechinism!:p
It's frightening how that theory almost makes sense in a twisted kind of way :p

We have favorable prejudice towards all things cute. Who but the most evil, cold-hearted bastard could kick a cute little puppy or a furry baby seal?

While I intellectually believe seal-hunting is the right thing to do for our ecosystem, I know I'd be incapable of hurting one. Heck, I'd probably lose the club, run around until I catch one just to hug it ^^

I still wanna know if seal meat is kosher.

Any knowledgeable Jews in the house tonight?

"Spot-on"? "SPOT-ON"? We aren't massacring anybody on a daily basis. You think she's so spot-on (what are you, British?), tell me about these daily massacres. Or any of the the other big lies she told.

:mad: :mad: :mad:
Iraq HAS seen a lot of civillian deaths since you've arrived. Accidents and screw-ups have been piling up for months. I think massacre is an overstatement, but your military sure as hell has been involved in some messy, gruesome business.

Why do you think your soldiers are so unwelcome there? I'm not talking about the terrorists, but the civillian population in general.

I still wanna know if seal meat is kosher.

Any knowledgeable Jews in the house tonight?
"If God hadn't wanted man to eat pork, he would not have created them so deliciously tasty."

-Frédéric 1er, King of Skaladora

"If God hadn't wanted man to eat pork, he would not have created them so deliciously tasty."

-Frédéric 1er, King of Skaladora
Wouldn't some clever dick just turn that around and say, "Surely God created pork to be so deliciously tasty as to be a test to mankind's faith in the Almighty"?

Just saying.:p

Well, you did manage to tuck in a baby seal reference.

As far as I'm concerned, it IS true that the methods of seal hunting might seem brutal and barbaric. However, how is clubbing a baby seal on the back of its head, thus killing it instantly, any different or worse than decapitating helpless bovines or chicken for our nourishment?

It's not. It's not like they're torturing the poor little buggers and letting them suffer for hours on end.

Wait.. this is where I've heard reports that differ. Specifically that the hunters are not making sure that the animals are dead/unconscious before skinning them.

A report on a veterinary study conducted on the seal hunt suggests that at least 1/6th of the baby seals are hooked (that is, impaled on a hook for transport) while still alive, and just over 2% of them are actually skinned alive. (http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/dimages/custom/2_Publications/Seals/seals_vet_report_review.pdf)

Admittedly, the source is probably somewhat biased, but they're basing their report on veterinary documents and statistics.

Killing them quickly and humanely I've got no problem with. It's this other crap that bothers me.

"Spot-on"? "SPOT-ON"? We aren't massacring anybody on a daily basis. You think she's so spot-on (what are you, British?), tell me about these daily massacres. Or any of the the other big lies she told.

:mad: :mad: :mad:


Which "other big lies?"

Wouldn't some clever dick just turn that around and say, "Surely God created pork to be so deliciously tasty as to be a test to mankind's faith in the Almighty"?

Just saying.:p
Oh, you religious people don't know how to have fun :p

Killing them quickly and humanely I've got no problem with. It's this other crap that bothers me.
Well I certainly hadn't heard of that. But if this is true, then it's not the seal-hunting we have to question, it's how it's being done.

People really concerned about the animals suffering crual treatment but realist enough to know those populations need to be culled down simply need to protest the methods. But that US family and Paul McCartney aren't pushing for more humane ways of hunting, they're trying to stop the hunt completely, while being oblivious to the problems this might cause to the fish population.

After all, baby seals are just so much cuter than the fish they eat.

George Bush -- and even american polls indicate few people believe him anymore,-- put the number of dead in iraq at 35,000.

Johns Hopkins put it closer to 100,000.

http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/PR_2004/Burnham_Iraq.html

Surely, it is not a stretch to average that out and call each of the 100s of people who have died as a result of the war, on average, each of the 1094 days since we invaded "a massacre."

Oh, you religious people don't know how to have fun :p

C'mon. Doesn't this guy look like he knows how to have a good time?
http://www.subgenius.com/Graffix/dobbs.jpg
This is J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, and I am also in this sacred representation, too - hanging jauntily from between his err... teeth. Yes, I know it kinda looks like I'm floating over his teeth, but dang it! J.R. Bob Dobbs is my personal saviour, and if his sacred Pipe floats in front of his big ol' grin, then so be it!

Besides, I gave him 30 bucks and he owes me on the whole "pleasure saucer" deal... I can't back out now.

George Bush -- and even american polls indicate few people believe him anymore,-- put the number of dead in iraq at 35,000.

Johns Hopkins put it closer to 100,000.

http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/PR_2004/Burnham_Iraq.html

Surely, it is not a stretch to average that out and call each of the 100s of people who have died as a result of the war, on average, each of the 1094 days since we invaded "a massacre."

A hundred freaking thousand? I had no idea of the scale of this debacle.

I take back whatever I said about massacre being an overstatement.

A plague on them all. :headbang:

A plague on them all. :headbang:
Who? The massaschusetts families, Canadian MPs, the baby seals, the hunters?All of them? :p

So, shooting them and having them crawl on the ice, growing weaker until they're drained of their blood and die is more humane than one good whack, and then goodnight?
well i dont give a damn how they are killed, dead is dead. but that whole clubbing thing does make baby jesus cry.

i was more interested in the rest of my post. is there no actual use for dead baby seals and can i buy a baby seal fur coat?

well i dont give a damn how they are killed, dead is dead. but that whole clubbing thing does make baby jesus cry.

i was more interested in the rest of my post. is there no actual use for dead baby seals and can i buy a baby seal fur coat?
I have no idea. I guess it would depend on your country's laws on fur and fur clothing.

I'm personally more of a synthetic fibers kind of guy.

I have no idea. I guess it would depend on your country's laws on fur and fur clothing.

I'm personally more of a synthetic fibers kind of guy.
I coulda sworn I heard somewhere that you were a girl.

I dunno about Baby Seal Fur Coats either. Would baby seals even make good coats?

I used to be into synthetics, but it finally dawned on me that 'fun fur' was forever.

I dunno about Baby Seal Fur Coats either. Would baby seals even make good coats?
Yeah, sure they would. We used to be one of the biggest exporters of furs to Europe. Sealskin comes and goes in and out of fashion, but it's soft, thick and purest white.

I had a sealskin sporran which I wore with my kilt during the summer months. Not a baby, mind you - I liked the mottling of the adult pelt - but it was a delight to the touch. I always enjoyed inviting people to "feel my sporran".;)

Yeah, sure they would. We used to be one of the biggest exporters of furs to Europe. Sealskin comes and goes in and out of fashion, but it's soft, thick and purest white.

I had a sealskin sporran which I wore with my kilt during the summer months. Not a baby, mind you - I liked the mottling of the adult pelt - but it was a delight to the touch. I always enjoyed inviting people to "feel my sporran".;)
A sporran doesn't happen to be anywhere near your unit?

I coulda sworn I heard somewhere that you were a girl.

I dunno about Baby Seal Fur Coats either. Would baby seals even make good coats?
Oh, I'm gay, so maybe you just heard me rant about not having a boyfriend and everything and just assumed I'm a girl. No offense taken.

I'm sure they would, because I know originally seals were hunted for the fur, the babies especially. They have pure white, soft fur. But I believe it's been illegal to use em for clothing in Canada for quite some time. It's off the top of my head, though, so I could be mistaken.

Oh, I'm gay, so maybe you just heard me rant about not having a boyfriend and everything and just assumed I'm a girl. No offense taken.
Nope that wasn't it (but now that you mention it I do vaguely remember you don't a rant about being single). I amlquoted someone. The person put she referring to the Senator, and I took it to being in refernce to you. Yay for ambiguity!

A sporran doesn't happen to be anywhere near your unit?
http://www.islaywhiskyclub.com/assets/images/sporranD.jpg

This looks rather like mine, but with a brown mottle instead of grey, and without the tacky embossed Celtic squiggles.

And laddy, where else would a sporran be but directly in front of your unit?

http://www.jmanx.com/images/funny/peeking-under-kilt.jpg

Nope that wasn't it (but now that you mention it I do vaguely remember you don't a rant about being single). I amlquoted someone. The person put she referring to the Senator, and I took it to being in refernce to you. Yay for ambiguity!
Oh, Skaladora, Senator... same diff! Both start with an S anyway :p

http://www.islaywhiskyclub.com/assets/images/sporranD.jpg

This looks rather like mine, but with a brown mottle instead of grey, and without the tacky embossed Celtic squiggles.

And laddy, where else would a sporran be but directly in front of your unit?

http://www.jmanx.com/images/funny/peeking-under-kilt.jpg
Maybe in a place where it would be less likely to damage your unit, but that's just me. However, if I ever asked anyone if they wanted to touch it, it would be directly in front of my unit.:)

http://japundit.com/images/sealmeat.jpg

It's mmm-mmm sea mammal goodness!

http://japundit.com/images/sealmeat.jpg

It's mmm-mmm sea mammal goodness!
awwwww :(

...Even I think it's a little offbeat to put an illustration of the living animal on the packaging.

...Even I think it's a little offbeat to put an illustration of the living animal on the packaging.
Yeah, those poor, cute little things....

*Hugs his baby seal plush and cries*

Oh, I'm gay, so maybe you just heard me rant about not having a boyfriend and everything and just assumed I'm a girl. No offense taken.

I'm sure they would, because I know originally seals were hunted for the fur, the babies especially. They have pure white, soft fur. But I believe it's been illegal to use em for clothing in Canada for quite some time. It's off the top of my head, though, so I could be mistaken.
i must be stupid today

so y'all kill as many baby seals as ever since there are just too damned many of them. but you arent allowed to use that wonderful fur? that must go to waste (because it makes baby jesus cry when he sees jlo in baby seal fur clothing?) because ..... the big time movie and music stars think baby seal fur clothing is pootinky?

what am i missing? is it OK to kill them as long as you dont get all the possible use out of them?

i must be stupid today

so y'all kill as many baby seals as ever since there are just too damned many of them. but you arent allowed to use that wonderful fur? that must go to waste (because it makes baby jesus cry when he sees jlo in baby seal fur clothing?) because ..... the big time movie and music stars think baby seal fur clothing is pootinky?

what am i missing? is it OK to kill them as long as you dont get all the possible use out of them?
Heck, since when did law have any responsibility of being consistent?

I believe we ought to be harvesting more of the seals being hunted, yes. I don't think taking just the skin is the best approach. I would like to see it be popularized as acceptable dinner fare.

I believe we ought to be harvesting more of the seals being hunted, yes. I don't think taking just the skin is the best approach. I would like to see it be popularized as acceptable dinner fare.
Remember that Simpson's episode where Liza turns vegetarian after seeing a cute little baby sheep, and sees the cute little thing when her mother serves meat for dinner?

I think it would end up like that.

Who? The massaschusetts families, Canadian MPs, the baby seals, the hunters?All of them? :p
Yup!

I believe we ought to be harvesting more of the seals being hunted, yes. I don't think taking just the skin is the best approach. I would like to see it be popularized as acceptable dinner fare.
We should get Tom Green to go around saying "Tasty Seal."Even though his Tasty Corn campain was a flop.

This time, can we not talk at length about binge drinking, penis size, Central/South America, immigration, or Fass' sexual proclivities? Here's the story, if you missed it the first time:

Senator fires back at U.S. family upset with seal hunt

Last Updated Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:16:34 EST
CBC News

A Liberal senator has replied to a family in Minnesota upset about Canada's seal hunt with a letter denouncing the United States for executing prisoners at home and killing people in Iraq.

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/hervieux-payette_celine_cp_.jpg
Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette says Americans are in no position to criticize the Canadian seal hunt

The McLellan family had written to Canadian senators to say they cancelled a vacation in Canada because of the hunt, which they called "horrible" and "inhumane," Montreal's La Presse reports.

In her response, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette said that what she finds horrible is "the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners – mainly blacks – in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, the destabilization of the entire world by the American government's aggressive foreign policy, etc."

She said Americans are not in a position to criticize others. "They must start to look at their own behaviour, the permanent heightening of the planet's insecurity since the election of Bush," she told La Presse.

"All senators received the letter from the McLellans and I was the only one to respond," she said.

The family "did not choose a good cause," she added.

In their letter, the McLellans said they love Canada and have Canadian ancestors but cancelled a trip to Canada last year because of the seal hunt and will scrap plans for one this year if the spring hunt goes ahead, La Presse said.

Hervieux-Payette, a lawyer and former Liberal MP, was appointed to the Senate in 1995 by then prime minister Jean Chrétien. She last drew public attention with a private member's bill in 2004 to outlaw spanking of children.

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/sealers_040412.jpg
Canadian sealers (file photo)

In defending the seal hunt, she called it a centuries-old practice and part of the livelihood of coastal residents both native and white.

She invited the McLellans to come to Canada to see a humane society that lives in safety and respects the traditions of its native people.

It is not clear whether she might pay a penalty for remarks that could be seen as anti-American. Once appointed, senators have a job until retirement at 75.

A Toronto-area MP, Carolyn Parrish, was thrown out of the Liberal caucus in 2004 after she stomped on a George Bush doll and renounced her loyalty to the party. She stayed in Parliament as an Independent but did not seek re-election this past winter.



Now, personally, I support an expanded seal hunt. There's over six million not-at-all-cute harp seals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a grossly overinflated number for the herd. Frankly, they need to be culled back by at least fifty percent. Harp seals are nowhere - nowhere near to being endangered in any sense of the word. What is endangered, however are the stocks of fish both seals and humans make use of.

What do you think - of the kerfuffle described above, of well-intentioned celebrity morons (Paul McCartney, for example) sticking their noses where they don't belong, the seal hunt in general, Canadian senators, or US-Canadian relations?

Poll coming.

Don't know much (anything) about Canadian/US relation but i find it incredible that someone can be punished for speaking their mind about another country in their own country. It's like me being charged for treason in France or something - doesn't make any sense. Is Canada really that much of a US colony that they'r not allowed to criticize the overlords?

As for the seal hunt - i don't tend to be in favour of hunting but if the area is really overpopulated and the hunt is not unnecessarily violent i suppose there's no problem. I guess you're not riding after them on killer whales with a pack of sharks ready to tear them apart! Couple of questions - if the fish stocks are so low how does the seal population get so high? as far as i remember from a level biology classes natural populations tend to be self-regulating in terms of population/food supplies. Also, what happens to the seals after they're culled? are they used or just left to rot?

Yup!
You did that on purpose, didn't you? :p

You did that on purpose, didn't you? :p
Heh! Yup! :D

Don't know much (anything) about Canadian/US relation but i find it incredible that someone can be punished for speaking their mind about another country in their own country. It's like me being charged for treason in France or something - doesn't make any sense. Is Canada really that much of a US colony that they'r not allowed to criticize the overlords?

FYI, she can't be punished. If we're so much of a US colony, why the hell are we the only ones who had the balls to tell them what a stupid ideagoing to war with Iraq was?


As for the seal hunt - i don't tend to be in favour of hunting but if the area is really overpopulated and the hunt is not unnecessarily violent i suppose there's no problem. I guess you're not riding after them on killer whales with a pack of sharks ready to tear them apart! Couple of questions - if the fish stocks are so low how does the seal population get so high? as far as i remember from a level biology classes natural populations tend to be self-regulating in terms of population/food supplies. Also, what happens to the seals after they're culled? are they used or just left to rot?
The seal population is high because there's still enough fish for them to eat, but we want to lower their population BEFORE the fish starts to run out because we humans actually fish from those fish banks as well.

Heh! Yup! :D
You big meanie!

FYI, she can't be punished. If we're so much of a US colony, why the hell are we the only ones who had the balls to tell them what a stupid ideagoing to war with Iraq was?

We should be in Iraq.

Couple of questions - if the fish stocks are so low how does the seal population get so high? as far as i remember from a level biology classes natural populations tend to be self-regulating in terms of population/food supplies.
Mostly overfishing by people. The government did enforce quotas but Americans fished illegally and did not count towards the quotas, Natives do not count towards the quotas (and are often very effective fishermen), and many white fishermen did not like how the natives could fish as much as they wanted and fished illegally. Over many years, these problems started to compound and fish stocks rapidly decrease.

We should be in Iraq.
You'll have to be a whole damn lot more convincing than that to make me believe it. Most americans now acknowledge it was a terrible decision: they just think they should stay to take responsibility and clean the mess they made there.

There never were any WMDs, and there never were any links between Saddam and the Talibans.

There never were any WMDs,
Not never, but cetainly not in the lead-up to the war.

Not never, but cetainly not in the lead-up to the war.
Well, not since their forced demilitarisation anyway. You know what I meant.

I can't say I agree with the senator, but I am for anything to piss off the animal rights activists. I approve!

Yeah, those poor, cute little things....

*Hugs his baby seal plush and cries*

*clubs your baby seal with his baby seal* :D

*clubs your baby seal with his baby seal* :D
How dare you! :mad:

*defends his cute baby seal plush with all his might*

No kidding.

I'll be willing to bet Stephen Harper would sooner eat his own toenail clippings than tuck into roast seal. But now I'm the one getting off-topic... lol.Can't you leave Stephen Harper alone? What has he ever done to you?;)

Can't you leave Stephen Harper alone? What has he ever done to you?;)
What, other than prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he's every inch as corrupted as those he railed against in Opposition? Revealing himself to be much, much more concerned with power and all the attendant executive perqs that entails? Dusting off the ol' silk pillow for lapdog PMs?

What?

FYI, she can't be punished. If we're so much of a US colony, why the hell are we the only ones who had the balls to tell them what a stupid ideagoing to war with Iraq was?


hang on the OP said:

A Toronto-area MP, Carolyn Parrish, was thrown out of the Liberal caucus in 2004 after she stomped on a George Bush doll and renounced her loyalty to the party. She stayed in Parliament as an Independent but did not seek re-election this past winter.

if having your political career ruined for taking an anti-bush stance is not punishment i'd like to know what is.

i think new zealand said the war was a stupid idea too and pretty much any country that didn't join in with the invasion/occupation. Loads of british politicians also voiced this opinion - trouble is most of them were too spineless to go against their party line for long.

if having your political career ruined for taking an anti-bush stance is not punishment i'd like to know what is.

i think new zealand said the war was a stupid idea too and pretty much any country that didn't join in with the invasion/occupation. Loads of british politicians also voiced this opinion - trouble is most of them were too spineless to go against their party line for long.
Carolyn Parrish was thrown out of the liberal caucus, she could have easily tried to find another political party to side with. Like, say, maybe the NDP would have kept her as a candidate in her riding.

But that woman has always completely lacked social grace and diplomacy. She always said the most outrageous things. Mind you, I liked her a lot, and would've voted for her if she had been a candidate in my area, because even though she always said it with the worst wording, her statements always seemed to contain pure, direct thruths with which I agreed :p

But then again, it's politics. What I meant to say is that Ms. Hervieux-Payette has no chance of sharing her fate, because she's a senator, and that senators aren't elected and aren't officially part of any political party(officially being the key word). So her position doesn't depend on the goodwill of the party in power. Whereas Ms Parrish was a Liberal MP, and fell under the jurisdiction and authority of the leader of that party(at the time, Paul Martin and his entourage).

Carolyn Parrish was thrown out of the liberal caucus, she could have easily tried to find another political party to side with. Like, say, maybe the NDP would have kept her as a candidate in her riding.

But that woman has always completely lacked social grace and diplomacy. She always said the most outrageous things. Mind you, I liked her a lot, and would've voted for her if she had been a candidate in my area, because even though she always said it with the worst wording, her statements always seemed to contain pure, direct thruths with which I agreed :p

But then again, it's politics. What I meant to say is that Ms. Hervieux-Payette has no chance of sharing her fate, because she's a senator, and that senators aren't elected and aren't officially part of any political party(officially being the key word). So her position doesn't depend on the goodwill of the party in power. Whereas Ms Parrish was a Liberal MP, and fell under the jurisdiction and authority of the leader of that party(at the time, Paul Martin and his entourage).

okay but a person can be unofficially ostracised from a group without any official procedings. it only takes a bit of publicity/propaganda by the opposition, or a public forum such as the one here, to get people to formulate opinions on limited and selected facts for a person to be permanently excluded from politics or any public arena.

You forgot the option: Both should STFU since it involves actions in which the individual parties have no legal say.

The Minnesotans are Gits and the MP responded in kind - i.e., like a git.

I would have thought a Canadial MP would have had a bit more class - no matter her personal opinion of US policy. :headbang:

I'm surprised no one has made any jokes in bad taste yet. I'll start you off:

What's a baby seal's favourite drink?
Canadian club on the rocks.

I'm surprised no one has made any jokes in bad taste yet. I'll start you off:

What's a baby seal's favourite drink?
Canadian club on the rocks.

Yummy. I'll drink to that. Gimme a triple. :D