Twillingate sealer blames federal government

TWILLINGATE - "It's a sad day for us," said Jack Troake as he stood beside his Canadian flag that he had raised upside-down in protest. "And I still can't understand it.

"The federal government had plenty of time to do something about them protestors because they knew right well what was happening. They even helped them by giving them permits to go out and view the hunt - and a good many of them are criminals or near enough to it."

"I had lots of problems years ago saying I was a Canadian," he said, "but now I'll never say it again."

Mr. Troake was venting his frustration over the announcement by the European Parliament on May 5 to ban trade on all seal products. And the vote had a clear-cut majority of 550 in favour to 49 against. He firmly believes that the Canadian government, since they are the ones who control the hunt, are at fault. So in frustration and to show his disgust, he raised his flag upside-down

"And I've got a problem understanding that type of vote, too," said Mr. Troake, "when a lot of those countries have been coming over here for hundreds of years and still coming and taking our cod, and we can't. And now they're trying to stop the seal hunt, because that's what it's all about. It's not just stopping the commercial trade in seal products, and our government is doing very little about it.

"You know what I think? I think Ottawa, or a good many of them up there, is tickled pink on how things are turning out because our government doesn't want us to hunt the seals either. If they did, there would have been far more opposition long before this."

"But the seal hunt won't collapse, you know," added Mr. Troake. "It's been going on now for 500 years and it'll continue, not the same as it used to be, perhaps, but it'll still take place each spring."

Mr. Troake pointed out that Russia and China have yet to be developed as markets and they should be able to take care of a fair number of seals and the products that are associated.

"We may never get to the high prices that we enjoyed a short time ago," he suggested, "but the hunt will continue."

Mr. Troake noted that a good part of his claim that the hunt will continue is that the hunt is not just about the pelt or skin but there are a number of important products from the seal that the world will be demanding.

"There's an almost endless line of benefits from the seal," he said. "I doubt if there's another animal anywhere in the world that offers so many benefits.

"The latest is the use of the heart valve for transplant in humans, a proven item according to recent research, and it's claimed to be much better than any valve that has been used to date. And the list includes other things such as Omega 3 oil that is a proven health benefit."

"You haven't heard the last of this from those people who like to wear furs either," added Mr. Troake. "What right has the European Parliament or any other law maker to tell the consumer what to wear or not to wear?

"It's certainly not part of any democracy that I'm aware of."

Meanwhile, one thing seems certain. Jack Troake will not be wearing his flag as it should be for a long time to come unless the present situation comes right-side-up.