OTTAWA, May 17, 2016 /CNW/ - Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Hunter Tootoo, and Parliamentary Secretary and Member of Parliament for Labrador, Yvonne Jones, issued the following statement regarding Seal Day on the Hill 2016:
"Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada is proud to partner with the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (NACA) to make the 2016 edition of Seal Day on the Hill a success. This important event puts a human face on Canada's sealing industry and sends messages that need to be heard across the country and around the world.
Seal harvesting is an important part of the traditional way of life in the North. It is a valuable source of food and income for thousands of Indigenous and non-Indigenous families in remote coastal communities in the Arctic, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. A vibrant Inuit cultural industry supporting the production and sale of clothing, fashion, art and other products is also deeply linked to sealing. Sealing is also about health; in addition to the high nutritional value of seal meat, Inuit have been using seal oil to treat ailments for centuries. Seal oil, a rich source of omega-3, has also been sold in Europe, Asia and Canada for a decade.
Canadian seal harvesting is sustainable, guided by rigorous animal welfare principles, and well-regulated. Our seal industry fuels an economy that works for everyone and the Government of Canada believes that it deserves to be protected and promoted."
Related Links
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/index-eng.htm
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/eu-ue/policies-politiques/seals-phoques.aspx?lang=eng
This statement is also available on the Internet at www.aandc.gc.ca.
You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds or e-mail. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.aandc.gc.ca/subscriptions.
SOURCE Government of Canada
Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 819-997-0002; Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160; Patricia Bell, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-992-3474
Share this article