Paid for by Canadian Tax Dollars:

If there was a reason behind killing seals, then it would be understandable why the Canadian government spends Canadian tax dollars to subsidize this unprofitable hunt.

Facts are:

1. Most of the meat is not used. Only Taiwan and South Korea purchase seal meat.

2. Most countries including the USA and European nations ban the importation of seal pelts.

3. There is no scientific justification for the kill.

Truth is, there is no market or scientific reasoning behind the kill, therefore money has to be used to create markets for these products. A quote by John Efford the minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in 1998 proves this:

'I would like to see the 6 million seals, or whatever number is out there, killed and sold, or destroyed or burned. I do not care what happens to them ... the more they kill the better I will love it'

An economic analysis of the hunt done by a professor from the University Of Guelph revealed the hunt provides 100 - 150 full times jobs a year, at a cost of $30 000 - $50 000 each. This does not include the thousands of part time jobs.

In the late 1990s 20 million was pumped into subsidies for the sealing industry. While those subsidies have been phased out they have been replaced. One example is the funding of a seal processing plant in Quebec.

These governmental organizations provide subsidies and the numbers are not disclosed to tax payers: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Human Resources Development Canada. Ice breaking services for the hunt are provided by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Canadian tax money is also spent to promote the seal hunt in Europe and elsewhere in order to open new markets.

Money is spent into research for the development of 'seal products' such as herbal supplements.

We will never know how much is actually spent on the hunt as these numbers are not released to Canadian citizens.