The European Union’s ban on seal products was not a major point of discussion in talks between Canadian and European leaders during Friday’s Canada-EU summit in St. John’s. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commented that the exemption for Indigenous sealers is functioning well, but this statement has faced criticism from Doug Chiasson, the executive director of the Fur Institute of Canada.
Chiasson is saying it’s not working effectively. He explains that it’s tough for Indigenous people to sell seal products in Europe due to market problems, certification issues, and too much paperwork.
The Canadian government plans to keep talking about the seal hunt with the EU, but it wasn’t a priority in their recent discussions. Liberal MP Gudie Hutchings thinks Canada needs to focus on solving problems at home before promoting the seal hunt abroad.
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Seal hunt advocate takes issue with EU president’s claim that Indigenous exemptions are working
