Mr. Speaker, I thank my hard-working colleague from Miramichi for her very good question. I want to assure her that our government is committed to protecting hard-working Canadian sealers.
While members of both the NDP and Liberal Party have spoken out against the seal hunt, our government continues to fight for it. We are addressing the European Union ban by initiating a dispute settlement proceeding at the World Trade Organization. The ban on seal products adopted in the European Union was a decision that has no scientific basis and is inconsistent with free trade practices.
We will continue to support the jobs, growth and economic prosperity of Atlantic Canadians and aboriginal peoples.