Thank you very much.
As a politician or an MP, when I have to speak out about some issue, I think it is good to proceed as follows. It is important to look at both sides of the picture. I would even go so far as to say that it is important to look at all three sides, not only the front and the back but also the thickness. Sometimes, this gives us a completely new insight and helps us to make a decision.
I applaud your initiative. I am glad that you are taking the time to listen to us and to exchange information with the seal hunters who will be telling you more about the situation in a few minutes.
In my opinion, the declaration that was signed by a majority of MPs basically flouts all the rules. In fact, they have forgotten to look into the situation before solemnly declaring that all products of the seal hunt are banned. It looks like they are jumping to a conclusion without considering the consequences.
Unfortunately, we are facing a demagogic disinformation campaign about everything that is going on. Seal pups have not been slaughtered since 1982, but the image of a seal pup is of great help to the abolitionists' campaign, the humane society and the International Fund for Animal Welfare or IFAW. It helps them collect more than 3 or $4 million. for instance, for the Magdalen Islands. I would even say that it allows them easily to gather tens of millions of dollars. We should find out exactly how much is gathered through this campaign. The campaign uses pictures of seal pups. Personally, I was appalled when I saw Brigitte Bardot who came back to the battle line recently, and presented a poster portraying a real baby lying in its blood on the ice.
What does this mean? This means that they are trying to portray seals as humans, despite the fact that baby seals are being killed and not human babies. Do we hear about baby cows, baby chickens and so on? Why are they projecting this kind of image? The sad fact is that they are simply resorting to demagogy and disinformation.
Clearly, we are dealing with an outdoor abattoir. What would be the effect of images of outdoor abattoirs if they showed chickens being slaughtered according to the current methods, if they showed all the animals, and especially pigs... Pigs are less attractive, less compelling. However, seal pups have a very compelling image, unfortunately. This is the situation we are facing. Let us look at things the way they really are. This is the kind of situation we are facing.
This is why your initiative is important. I applauded and I am very glad to be here today. I know that we intend to go ahead with this. And so, you will respectfully present to us what you have been told or the way you see this issue. We, in turn, will endeavour to give you as much information as we can. Then, you will make a decision, but it will be an informed decision.
That is the crucial part of the debate. We must debate this issue, let us remove the masks and shed some light on the facts. It will be up to you to accept or reject what I say, but at least you will have heard me out. We really must emphasize this.
Let me now turn to the seal hunt in the Magdalen Islands, in my riding with a population of 13,000. For these 13,000 persons, the seal hunt is more than just a custom. In fact, it used to be a custom. We have been hunting seals in the Magdalen Islands for the past 200 or 300 years, but some time ago, seal fir and seal skins have become lucrative.
We hunted seals in the past and we are still hunting them, but the economic factor has completely changed. With this in mind, we assumed our responsibilities. In fact, the hunters are trained. They are not only informed but they are also trained to hunt properly.
On the other hand, for a Magdalen Islands fisherman who hunts seals, the seal hunt can account for up to 20 or 30 % of his annual income. That is what the hunt is currently worth. Seal skins are not the only valuable thing; some industries process seal fat. Moreover, there is research and development to find out what can be done with seal oil. Some ideas and projects are already afoot, but you will see that seal oil has very valuable properties.
We must also emphasize that in the tourist sector, people come to the Magdalen Islands before the seal hunt. From a helicopter, they can see what is going on and they can actually see the seal pups and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
On the one hand, we must realize that the seal hunt is not threatening the seal population with extinction, because the Greenland seal population has been growing substantially.
On the other hand, Greenland seals are not the only ones. There are other seals that are much bigger than Greenland seals. The seal population is constantly growing. I saw with my own eyes a site that I had never seen before. In fact, on the 600-kilometre Gaspé shoreline, we now see grey seals on the beaches, there were none before. This means that there is a population explosion. This is something else that we will have to look at. Nonetheless, it shows what the situation is.
This is why it is important not only to start discussing, but also to carry on discussing. We had an opportunity to do this yesterday. We are doing the same today, but it would be important to do the same again tomorrow, because in my opinion, as we are facing a demagogic disinformation campaign, you will have an idea of the value of the testimony brought before you.
Soon, you will be coming to Newfoundland and Labrador. I would like you to come to Magdalen Islands and I would certainly extend my personal invitation to you. However, I must stop now because I have gone over my time.
I thank the chairman very much for his indulgence.
Thank you very much. In any case, we will certainly have the opportunity to pursue this debate further. Thank you.