Prime Minister Harper has been busy promoting the Canada EU Trade Agreement recently. But he neglected to deal with the EU's ban on seal imports via this agreement. Don't worry, it's before the WTO, he told Atlantic Canadians. Last Monday the WTO issued its decision. The WTO pronounced that the European Union’s ban on the import of seal pelts, oil and meat is justified on moral grounds, a decision that could have a far-reaching impact and inject concerns about animal welfare into the trade of other types of animal products. Pardon me while I thow up....

The WTO admitted that the ban the EU imposed in 2010 undermines the principles of fair trade, but is justified because it “fulfills the objective of addressing EU public moral concerns on seal welfare.” So it endorses the hypocrisy the EU has been exhibiting for years. Canada says it will appeal the ruling. Good luck and fat chance that you are going to overturn a decision based on hypocrisy. What's next? Banning the slaughter of chickens and pigs on moral grounds since they are certainly treated far worse than seals...and most folks are happy to have these products on their meal plates regularly.

Oh yes, these Europeans are the same ones who raped and pillaged the straddling stocks on the Grand Banks for decades. Where were their morals then?

TAGS: seals, EU ban, WTO, undermines fair trade, moral concerns, EU hypocrisy, EU overfishing