IQALUIT
The World Trade Organization has ruled the European Union's 2009 ban on Canadian seal products will be upheld, denying Canada's appeal and causing Northern and federal officials to call foul.

Seal pelts like this one, displayed by Wayne Lynch, director of fisheries and sealing with Nunavut's Department of Environment, still cannot be exported to the European Union after it was announced May 22 that the World Trade Organization has upheld the EU's ban on seal products. - NNSL file photo

The EU has moral objections to the seal hunt no matter how much Canada insists the harvest is humane, well-maintained and sustainable. The ban is on all seal products, including meat and garments made from seal pelts.

Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna spoke of his disappointment in the decision May 22 during an address to the legislative assembly.

"The misrepresentation of the seal hunt has an effect on our local economies," Taptuna said. "The seal harvest is central to the Inuit, and Canadian, way of life. Seal remains an important source of food and income for many Nunavummiut. It is also an essential part of our life and culture."

The only exceptions to the ban are the culling of seals for resource management, buying seal products within a country outside the EU and bringing them back and the right of indigenous peoples such as the Inuit to hunt seals.

Canada and Norway, which also suffers from a ban on their seal products, appealed the EU's ban to the World Trade Organization in December. The WTO issued its ruling to uphold the ban on May 22.

Taptuna said the GN would examine the document addressing the ruling to "fully understand its implications and determine how best we can move forward to ensure our hunters are still able to receive the highest prices for sealskins and sealskin products in the years to come."

Terry Audla, national Inuit leader and president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, also spoke out against the WTO's ruling.

"I am morally outraged at the self-righteousness and sanctimoniousness of the EU's claim to protect the morals of its citizens," stated Audla in a news release issued May 22.

Audla said all circumpolar Inuit would have advised EU members not to impose a ban had the EU "substantially and meaningfully consulted with (them)."

The federal government was also upset by the decision. Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq, who is Nunavut MP, joined with International Trade Minister Ed Fast and Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea in issuing a statement on May 22.

"For more than three years our government has fought against the (EU)'s unfair ban on seal products by elevating it to a WTO dispute resolution panel," they stated. "The ban on seal products adopted in the EU was a political decision that has no basis in fact or science."

The ministers called the seal ban discriminatory, saying it treats Canadian seal products unfairly and that it is arbitrarily and unjustifiably applied. "(The ban) is therefore inconsistent with the EU's obligations. We are currently reviewing the practical impact of the decision on the Atlantic and Northern seal harvests."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.