Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services
Monday, May 21, 2007

IQALUIT - Iqaluit City Council is asking the animal rights group it invited to visit to put off their journey North until next winter.

When People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wrote to Iqaluit City Council last month, asking it to lower its flags to half mast to protest the commercial seal hunt, council responded by inviting the group to visit Iqaluit and see the Inuit seal hunt.

The council was surprised when the group took them up on the offer.

"They got back to us and said they wanted to come on May 22," said Iqaluit Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik.

"It is too late in the season, the best time would be in December or January. Those are the coldest months, and they could see how warm seal skin is," said Sheutiapik.

Aside from making sure they experience the reality of a Nunavut winter, there are other reasons for asking PETA to wait.

"We are going through a planning process. That includes a possible ban on photo taking. Some people say we shouldn't invite them, but if you say nothing, you lose anyway," said Sheutiapik.

"We want to include different levels of government and the community," said Sheutiapik.

She acknowledged that inviting PETA to the community is a risky decision, and that she has received many questions on the subject.

"At the next council meeting, there will be correspondence from a senator about that," said Sheutiapik.

Matt Rice is the media spokesperson for PETA, and said he wants to point out to Nunavummiut that his problem isn't with Inuit sealing.

"The Canadian government is using the native sealing as a smokescreen from the slaughter of baby animals in Atlantic seal hunt," said Rice.

PETA is known for their outrageous stunts to draw attention to their cause. Their "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign features scantily clad models, to attract attention to their cause.

Just last week, Rice was travelling the United States, heckling Queen Elizabeth with a man in a bear costume. Rice said not to worry, that is not PETA's plan for Nunavut.

"We are taking the mayor at face value and with good faith," said Rice.

Rice was surprised to learn that his visit to Iqaluit was on indefinite hold.

"We were thinking much sooner than that," said Rice, when informed that the council wanted to wait on the visit.

Former Nunavut Commissioner Peter Irniq said he thinks the city is playing with fire by inviting PETA to Iqaluit.

"I've been dealing with guys like this since 1976," said Irniq. "The mistake we made was trying to make friends with animal rights groups and bleeding hearts.

"What they should be doing is inviting American lawmakers here, senators and congressmen. A senator from Alaska has been helpful, and Senator Edward Kennedy. They can do a lot of things to change minds. All PETA is interested in is making money for their cause, and they can do that with pictures of bloody seals on the ice."

A typical way to greet visitors in Nunavut is through a community feast. Rice says he would attend one, but may not try much besides the famous Nunavut berries.

"We'd attend, but I'm a vegan, so I wouldn't eat any of the animal products," said Rice.

If they eventually come, Sheutiapik said she will meet the PETA representatives at the airport, dressed in fur.

"Oh, definitely. They need to know how warm it is," said Sheutiapik.