OTTAWA, March 4, 2009 – The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Member of Parliament for Nunavut, Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for the North, today issued the following statement:

Our Conservative Government is disappointed with yesterday’s vote by the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection to endorse proposed legislation that would ban the sale of seal products and limit the Inuit’s ability to sell their products.

I am also deeply concerned that a Liberal Senator has introduced a bill that would ban the seal hunt. The Liberal Party has a long record of punishing Nunavummiut through misguided polices. They brought us the Gun Registry, and is the last election they promised a punishing Carbon Tax that would have increased the cost of food and every product shipped to Nunavut and fuel. Now they are attacking on our heritage by trying to ban our seal hunt. I urge Canadians to join together in a strong unity against this action.

I will always defend and fight for the rights of Canadian sealers to provide a livelihood for their families through our lawful, sustainable and humane hunt. Our Conservative Government has spent significant time and resources defending the importance of Canadian seal hunt, which has come under attack by the governing bodies of Europe and the Liberal Party.

The Liberal Party’s lack of support is appalling and will jeopardize the rights of our sealers to provide a livelihood for their families.  In these difficult economic times, Canadian sealers need our support now more than ever.

Inuit are a proud and strong people who respect the environment in which they live. I will always be a voice for our people and will stand up against this anti-seal hunting campaign, by the Liberal Party.