Mr. Speaker, the documentary The Hidden Faces of the Seal Hunt won the audience award at the sustainable hunt and biodiversity film festival in Paris last week.
Filmmaker Raoul Jomphe attended the festival to accept the award, together with Denis Longuépée, president of the Magdalen Islands Sealers Association, two staunch supporters of this viable and humane hunt.
Through footage of the hunt as well as interviews, the documentary shows the positive impact of the sealing industry on small coastal communities, where sealers can earn up to 35% of their annual income from the hunt. The film also explores conservation, biodiversity and animal welfare.
Our government continues to make the case for this type of economic activity, which is important to many coastal communities. I would like to congratulate Mr. Jomphe on winning this award. The seal hunt will be under way soon, and I wish everyone a successful hunt.