'There is a common misconception that an exemption protects Inuit'

While Nunavut politicians and Inuit leaders have all issued statements slamming a proposed ban on imported seal products by the 27-member European Union, Iqaluit residents plan to send their own message at a March 14 "Celebration of the Seal" event.

The mounting concern results from the European parliamentary committee's recent decision to move ahead with a bill that would ban the importation of all seal products, with the exception of those produced by Canadian and Greenlandic Inuit.

Under the new EU proposal, seal products could only be traded "as part of non-commercial exchanges between Inuit communities for cultural, educational or ceremonial purposes."

Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak and Daniel Shewchuk, the GN's environment minister, said they are very disappointed with the ban and proposed exemption for Inuit.

"There is a common misconception that an exemption protects Inuit, this is absolutely not the case," said Shewchuk.

"We've seen how pointless these exemptions were in the 1980s as a result of the European ban on white-coats. They included Inuit exemptions back then, but our communities still suffered. Once again, the Inuit are being used to further a cause based on misinformation from animal rights groups opposing the hunt in any form."

The European Union first introduced its "Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Concerning Trade in Seal Products" last summer. It will vote on the proposal early next month.

" If this ban goes through as it is, then what will result is a market destroyed for all interests, including our highly sensitive economies in the Arctic communities," said Mary Simon, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

Simon said EU lawmakers are siding with the animal rights and anti-sealing lobby and their "emotionally driven propaganda campaigns," urging Canada to take "strong, immediate and uncompromising action" if its bill is voted into law April 1.

Leona Aglukkaq, the federal minister of health and Nunavut MP, also said she would defend the rights of sealers again the proposed ban in the EU.

"I will always defend and fight for the rights of Canadian sealers to provide a livelihood for the families though the lawful, sustainable and humane hunt," Aglukkaq said.

Iqaluit's celebration of the seal takes place Saturday, March 14, in the Arctic Winter Games area, starting at 1 pm.