Environment committee  On our sealing committee we have representation from the Inuit communities, who've made it quite clear that an attack on sealing is an attack on their culture and the cultures of the commercial and so-called subsistence or non-commercial hunting activities. It's critical that we

Environment committee  Thank you very much. I think the important thing here is that we're coming into the 150th anniversary of this great nation. As was mentioned earlier, the fur trade and hunting, trapping, and fishing have been the backbones of this country for a very long time. There needs to be

Environment committee  Certainly we're quite pleased to see that it's becoming a budget item, the protection and re-establishment of the right of Canadians to harvest and market seal products. However, we have been in dialogue for a few years now about the significant challenges that are levied against

Environment committee  Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Mr. Bevington, when it comes to public opinion polling, we've done a lot of it at the Fur Institute of Canada on the values of Canadians around the use of particularly seals and wild fur. What we've found is that Canadians feel that if we're goi

Environment committee  The impact of seals on the ecosystem as a whole, while acknowledged, does not form an integral part of Canada's fisheries management regime.

Environment committee  I'm very sorry; yes, Madam Chair.

Environment committee  That's wonderful. Thank you. In conclusion, we recognize that seals need to be managed in concert with our fisheries. If the principles by which the hunters conduct the activity reflect a high animal welfare standard and are regulated, this is a legal Canadian activity that dese

Environment committee  Good day. I hope everybody can hear me. Madam Chair, can you hear me okay?

Environment committee  That's wonderful. Thank you very much. I guess it's a recognized point that sealing is important not only for economic purposes but also for non-economic purposes and as part of our cultural fibre, whether in an anglophone, a francophone, or an Inuit community where people rely