SENATE SÉNAT

CANADA

The Honourable Mac Harb L’honorable Mac Harb

MEDIA RELEASE
November 12, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Senator Mac Harb calls for government leadership and support for Nunavut seal
hunters.

(Ottawa) In the wake of the European Union’s ban on seal products and a global decrease
in demand, Nunavut’s seal hunters are getting no help from the federal government. With
reported prices for pelts dropping from $70 to as low as $25, Nunavut communities should
be getting support from the government says Senator Mac Harb.

“The EU clearly exempts products from Aboriginal sealing,” said Senator Harb. “This is a
perfect opportunity for the government to secure access to the EU market and ensure that
the Inuit community will benefit” but “instead of putting resources and effort into
supporting these communities and helping them to market their products, the government
is throwing taxpayer’s money at a doomed WTO challenge” said senator Harb. “The
government knew the European Union ban on seal products was coming, and it did very
little to work with the native communities to help them benefit from the ban exemption
granted to them.”

Rather than consulting and working with these northern communities, the government
used them in its pro-sealing campaigns when it was convenient and it has chosen to
ignore their calls for help when it was most needed.

Senator Harb, who is strongly opposed to the commercial seal hunt with the exception of
the aboriginal hunt, is calling on the government to withdraw its WTO challenge of the EU
ban and focus its efforts on supporting the Nunavut industry.

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For more information, please contact: 
The office of the Hon. Mac Harb 
376 East Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada 
1‐613‐996‐2379