QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Commercial Seal Hunt
June 4, 2024
Minister, welcome. On May 23, the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans released its latest report, Sealing the Future: A Call to Action. The report puts forward nine recommendations, many of which call on the government to take urgent action to deal with the ever-increasing seal population, decimation of other species and a continued destruction of our ocean’s ecosystem because of the overabundance of seals as well as the dire need for research and recommendations to counter the lies, misinformation and disinformation which continue to be spread about this industry.
Minister, knowing the area that you represent, do you believe the issues we have raised require urgent action today? Can the people in this industry count on you to be their champion in this cause?
Depending on the province, the seal hunt is one of my top three priorities. Work has been done and financial investments have been made. We’re working extensively with Indigenous communities to gain market access, but also to access the domestic market. Markets aren’t limited to those outside Canada. We need this product to reach our food supply chains and our restaurants. Next, we have to consider developing markets outside Canada as well. All of that work is being done right now with the provinces and Indigenous communities.
Thank you, minister. In November of last year, a Canada-European Union summit was held in Newfoundland and Labrador. The European ban on seal products, in place since 2009, was not a priority during these talks. When asked if the sealing industry was discussed, Prime Minister Trudeau’s reply was, “This is a complex time in the world and there’s a lot of subjects to discuss.”
Well, minister, this is not a complex issue. The approximately 8 million seals off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador are not eating Kentucky Fried Chicken or Tim Hortons doughnuts. They are eating other fish species and destroying our ocean’s ecosystem. Minister, what action is the government taking today, right now, in having the EU ban on seal products removed?
You’re correct. As I mentioned earlier, seals eat our fishermen’s bread and butter. The aim of processing seal products isn’t to destroy a resource. Seals can also be a resource for economic development. Nearly every part of them can be used, 98%. I’m currently working with France. At the UN Ocean Conference in 2025, we will have the opportunity to discuss invasive species. Seals will definitely be one of the subjects for discussion.
As I was saying, it isn’t just about seeing how we can work with the EU when it comes to seals, it’s also about what we can do here at home.
Thank you, minister.
