Another Reason to Love Newfoundland

If you haven’t heard, a few weeks ago while delivering a speech, Canadian Fisheries Minister Gail Shea had a tofu pie shoved in her face by an angry PETA member protesting the seal hunt. Yeah, tofu pie. As if regular pie wasn’t insulting enough.

First, let me say I’m unsure of where I stand on the seal hunt issue. I’ve always been a big supporter of animal rights, and in fact, I used to be a PETA member. I have one of their posters plastered to my bedroom door at home, and I used to receive tons of propaganda from them in the mail on a weekly basis. Like any kid, I took one look at the gruesome images of mangled chicks and felt the need to rescue every chick in the universe. But as I grew older and began to understand the hate messages behind pretty much everything PETA does, the whole thing turned sour.

I still do what I can to promote activism. I’ve held fundraisers, fostered dogs and cats, and made donations. But when you turn around and start inciting hate and violence on the very province in which I was born, my most beloved place on earth, you best be prepared for a fight, bitch.

The hatred PETA has garnered towards Canada, and especially Newfoundland, is unbelievable. It’s not just PETA either, there are some idiot Canadians spreading their hate messages as well. Take the Fuck Off Newfoundland Facebook group, or the professionally designed Touring Newfoundland. These morons are so secure with their take on the issue, they haven’t provided contact information for rebuttal.

This makes my blood boil. Regardless of whether you support the seal hunt or not, you do not lump an entire province into one group. I won’t even go into the logistics of the debate, the “facts” and the arguments, it’s a battle which will never be won. But I can guarantee us Newfoundlanders won’t go down without a fight, and if we can weed out all the wackjobs and ignorant fools through this process, we’ll be a better province for it. As someone who comes from a rural background, I’ve watched my father hunt moose and my best friend snare rabbits. It’s a part of my life, and I’m willing to fight to defend how we supplemented our food resources.

If you want to really reach out, come to Newfoundland and talk to us in a civilized way. Be patient and understanding before you try to understand the struggles of earning an income in this province. Offer alternatives for those thousands who would lose their jobs, and their families who would suffer.

Need an example of true Newfoundland spirit? Here’s one response to the PETA member’s pie action when Stephen Harper came to visit last week.

Two wrongs maybe don’t make a right, but PETA had it coming. The only thing I would have enjoyed about this video more is if the tool of “terror” were a seal-flipper pie. Now take your signs and shove it.

Oh shit I might actually get some hatemail for this one. Bring it.

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  • http://www.spunkygirlmonologues.com SpunkyGirl

    Good for you! I think we’re kindred spirits, I can get very worked up when I’m passionate about something. Grouping an entire group of people into one category based on the actions of only a few people is bullshit.

  • http://travelerahoy.wordpress.com Alouise

    Great post. I can understand your dilemma on the seal hunt. I will support some animal rights groups, but not PETA. They always seem more concerned with publicity stunts and shocking people than with the actual animal rights aspect. Especially after the whole Holocaust and Timothy Mclean campaign crap they pulled. That was just callous and uncalled for.

    And those websites, wow what garbage. I feel kind of ashamed that these people are also Canadian, it gives us a a bad reputation. I think it’s totally awesome you’re standing up for Newfoundland. I’m sure many people in Newfoundland (as in the other provinces and territories) vary in their support/nonsupport for the seal hunt. It’s not right. I mean I’d hate to lumped into some completely untrue ‘redneck’ stereotype just because I live in Alberta.

    Anyways you’ve got my support.

  • http://sewnstories.wordpress.com Alana

    What bothers me about PETA? All the things outlined in this article:

    http://jezebel.com/5453982/ingrid-newkirk-is-the-worst-person-in-the-world

  • http://megsrantsandramblings.blogspot.com meg

    i’m all for animal rights, but I am definitely not a big fan of PETA…the way they go about spreading their message just really bugs.
    that touring newfoundland website? horrible! I’m finding the same sort of this is happening in Ontario regarding the dog breed ban (on a much smaller scale)…and it’s definitely worrying the way people just lump entire provinces/groups of people together. it’s quite frustrating!!
    good post! :)

  • maggie

    Probably one thing that irritates me the most about the whole seal hunt debate is the way anti-seal-hunt groups target the entire province, and some the entire country. Until Newfoundland/Canada put a dead seal on the provincial/federal flag it’s absurd to paint the whole province/country with the same brush. Drives me.

    That aside… I have an irrational consuming hatred for animal rights groups. Perhaps a by product of my training (my BSc is essentially a degree on how to get meat on the plate), but they just press every button I have. A favourite professor of mine, who is very widely respected by animal welfare groups, discussed animal welfare vs animal rights at length with us in my animal welfare course… and basically it’s groups like PETA that left him feeling forced to make the distinction between welfare and rights, because he wanted to make a difference for the animals but PETA left corporations distrustful of anyone arguing for better treatment of animals.
    (he was successful in making the distinction, and animal WELFARE groups have made great progress in improving conditions for farmed animals).

    Anyhow, I have a hard time discussing the seal hunt because I find people who are opposed to it to be absolutely infuriating. I have a problem with hunting for sport, but if you’re going to eat the seal than have at it. But, despite my profession, I might just be a cold hearted bitch, so what do I know? I have no problem with the fact that people eat dogs in some parts of the world.

    (also, I never thought of the pie being flipper pie…. that would have been too hilarious! ;D )

  • http://www.TheConstantComplainer.com The Constant Complainer

    Great rant.

    I’ve never been a PETA fan. I can do without all the goofy nude celebrity ads too. Pamela Anderson has most certainly lost her stuff. LOL.

  • http://www.adventurerob.com AdventureRob

    PETA couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery. They need to take a leaf from the WWFs book if they want to get their message respected.

  • http://thepenandpaper.wordpress.com Alyssa

    Just the first paragraph alone of this post made me laugh :)

  • http://milesofabbie.com Abbie

    PETA makes me sad and gives vegetarians/vegans/animal activists a bad name. :( It also makes me sad when they send me their propaganda. I’m already on your side, you don’t need to send me the shocking images. But who knows, maybe it does work…

  • http://www.theplanetd.com Dave and Deb

    Good for you for taking a stance Candice. I love blogs that tell their opinion and aren’t afraid of what anyone thinks! Tofu pie…mmm, sounds yummy. Don’t really have an opinion either way on PETA, but interesting to see all of the comments and how others view it.

  • http://thefutureisred.com Leigh Shulman

    I went on a cross USA road trip in college, and distinctly remember seeing a huge sign somewhere in South Dakota (or nearby) that said ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS BEWARE: WE MAKE OUR LIVING HUNTING, TRAPPING AND FISHING.

    We stopped to take pictures. I’d never seen anything like that.

    Since then, I’ve met and lived with enough people for whom hunting, trapping and fishing is a way of life, as you say, Candice. And to be honest, the hard line view, that no one should ever harm an animal for any reason is very limited.

    If you hunt for food, you’re probably also using many other parts of the animal. You’re also probably much more aware of nature and natural habitat. At least that has been the case with the hunters I’ve known.

    And good Lord, tofu pie? That is the biggest travesty of all. Shameful!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Exactly! They had me as a supporter but lost me because of their one-sidedness. Doesn’t make sense. Shouldn’t you want to make a group agree with you, rather than hate?

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Yeah, exactly! Arrrg! It’s awful that people are probably stumbling upon those websites without actually knowing what they are. Lovely.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Good lord, they’re a handful.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    HATE that. Geeeez. I also love how that site only shows the arguments from people with poor spelling and ill grammar usage. Although personal favorite: “I love seals. With gravy.” Bahahaha.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I love your take on it, considering you’re a vet and all! Good to hear. Interesting point about animal welfare vs animal rights though, never actually considered that. Food for thought.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Thanks! Hahaha yeah, she’s no prize anymore.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hahahahaha, agreed. Now that’s an organization to respect.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hehehe, thanks.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    It does for some people, I think, or works to repulse them! It did for me.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Yeah, like I said, totally undecided about the whole thing! Regardless, I’ll always defend NL.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    That is an AWESOME sign! Love it. Hunting is such an engrained part of small-town NL especially. My parents grew up in poverty and they’ve given me vivid details about fighting over “rabbit brains” because they were so malnourished and needed any food they could get. And they always appreciated it, like you said, no part of the animal goes unwasted.

  • http://ibackpackcanada.com Corbin

    Congrats on not being chewed out Candice! I was half expecting to read this, agree, then go through some psycho comments on how “immoral and unjust killing animals apparently is”. None of that quite yet. Way to not be scared to flex on this!

    Peta’s definitely a group of gomers. I used to get their propaganda as a kid too. But like you kinda realized how one sided they are. People need to eat. People are animals. Animals deserve to survive, even if that means by hunting other animals. Some of my family does deer and moose hunting back in SK, and I don’t see it as wrong either.

    Just curious, have you ever had seal? If so, what’s it like?

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Was totally expecting to get bitched out! I’m sur I will someday. Pshh. No, never tried it, but I’d kill for some seal flipper pie I think.

  • Susan

    Great topic, though I’m coming to it late. A couple of my thoughts on it:
    I think it’s similar to any activist movement trying to change an established practice, whether it’s civil rights (and then you get the extremists who kidnap, blow up, manipulate and kill), women’s rights (and then you get the women who paint all men with the same brush, even the ones who would be out there marching with them), pro-life/anti-abortionists (and then you get the ones who terrorize women trying to enter clinics or blow up clinics) etc. etc. No matter what group of people a person deals with, whether they’re hunters or animal welfare advocates or BOTH, there are always people who use their causes to indulge their own anger-management problems and general ass-hattedness.

    My grandfather hunted and ran a trapline (and I suspect they weren’t humane traps back there at the beginning of the last century), my father grew up in the depression on the prairies and hunting games birds helped feed the family. My brothers hunt deer, elk and the occasional moose if they can get it (they’re not so plentiful here as in Nfld). I am intellectually and passionately convinced that all animals, human and otherwise, have a right to consideration and respect. That doesn’t mean that I am a vegetarian or that I think hunting is evil. I think industrial farms with all their attendant horror are evil.

    I believe that if you’re going to eat meat, you have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the animals are killed as humanely as possible and not to take more than you need. I believe that most of us are so disconnected from our food sources, that some can seriously object to hunting AT THE SAME TIME as they pick up their sanitized, plastic and styrofoam wrapped roasts for dinner. That just boggles my mind.

    I believe if you’re going to keep domestic animals, whether pets or as a food source, you are responsible to make sure they are kept in humane circumstances, with respect for their species (and not using your dog as a fashion accessory that will need to be replaced next season, or paying tons of attention to the cute puppy and losing interest as they become adults).

    I have all sorts of conflict over eating meat ’cause I have a hard time even killing insects (except for ants, which I consider to be the Borg of the insect world) but still love a good hamburger. It’s my own personal dilemma and I don’t try to pass it off as making any sense. I don’t know how I feel about the seal killing either. I don’t think I could do it. But I also think that survival of the cutest is hypocritical too. And I think it’s more defendable than bull-fighting, and I sure as hell would not assume that all Spaniards think that the “Death in the Afternoon” is okey-dokie with them.

    Rock on, Newfoundland, ye wild and wooly island.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I agree, Susan, and I’ve always been for animal rights. I enjoy my meat, on the other hand, and perhaps haven’t questioned my food sources…but I absolutely cannot stand the intolerance being preached by these people. It’s absolutely insane. I’d love to go out and spend a day with some sealers to see how it all goes down. It’d be nice to provide some perspective.