If I thought this seal hunt was wrong, I would oppose it regardless of what the political consequences would be. I would suggest to you that you get more benefits because of the seal hunt than I do. I say that quite sincerely. That's what you're about, okay? I'm about being right. If this seal hunt was wrong, if I did not think it was a factor in the collapse of our fish stocks, which I strongly do.... I believe global warming is a factor, as Dr. Lavigne has said, and I believe our fishing practices in the past have been a factor. But I also very strongly believe that our harp seal population, at six million, is a factor that has to be addressed.
I support the seal hunt for two reasons. I believe it's humane, but the other thing is that I think it's a factor in bringing back the rural way of life in my province.
I sat in this committee a few weeks ago and I listened to the testimony of two veterinarians, Dr. Alice Crook and Dr. Charles Caraguel. I listened to them very closely, as intently as I've listened to you. They said to everyone on this committee that this hunt is very humane. I have no reason to doubt what they were telling me. If they had said it was inhumane, I would have listened to them. They're veterinarians and I'm not. I'm not a sealer and I'm not a veterinarian. They categorically told this committee that this hunt is most humane. They talked about how they did brain tests and so on, with the way the seals were killed, and one thing and another. They said this is the most humane hunt in the world. Those are not our words.
You're out there. You're more trained at it than I am. Yet you come in here the way you are, when we've had expert witnesses, independent from us, in front of this committee who have told us this hunt is very humane. I guess the question is, why should we listen to you, because you're not trained any more than I am. You're trained at raising money, but you're not trained in killing animals.
