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| Canada's governor eats seal heart | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Canada's governor general, Michaelle Jean, has helped to butcher and eat a seal in an apparent act of solidarity with hunters. | Canada's governor general, Michaelle Jean, has helped to butcher and eat a seal in an apparent act of solidarity with hunters. |
| Ms Jean used a traditional Inuit knife to help gut the animal then ate a slice of raw heart. | Ms Jean used a traditional Inuit knife to help gut the animal then ate a slice of raw heart. |
| It came weeks after the EU voted to ban Canadian seal products, but Ms Jean did not say if her actions were in response to the EU proposals. | It came weeks after the EU voted to ban Canadian seal products, but Ms Jean did not say if her actions were in response to the EU proposals. |
| An EU spokeswoman said the story was "too bizarre to acknowledge". | An EU spokeswoman said the story was "too bizarre to acknowledge". |
| The governor general is the representative of Canada's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. | The governor general is the representative of Canada's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. |
| Ms Jean was touring northern Canadian communities and was at a festival at Rankin Inlet on Monday attended by hundreds of Inuit when she ate the seal heart. | Ms Jean was touring northern Canadian communities and was at a festival at Rankin Inlet on Monday attended by hundreds of Inuit when she ate the seal heart. |
| Asked later if her actions were a message to the EU, she said: "Take from it what you will." | Asked later if her actions were a message to the EU, she said: "Take from it what you will." |
| Hunting is 'crucial' | Hunting is 'crucial' |
| The European Parliament recently voted in favour of the ban on Canadian seal products in protest against commercial seal hunting methods. | The European Parliament recently voted in favour of the ban on Canadian seal products in protest against commercial seal hunting methods. |
| Inuit people are exempt from the ban, but many fear that it will inevitably have a negative effect on their livelihoods as well. | Inuit people are exempt from the ban, but many fear that it will inevitably have a negative effect on their livelihoods as well. |
| The authorities say the hunt is crucial for about 6,000 North Atlantic fishermen who rely on it for much of their income. | The authorities say the hunt is crucial for about 6,000 North Atlantic fishermen who rely on it for much of their income. |
| The government has authorised the killing of more than 300,000 seals this year. | The government has authorised the killing of more than 300,000 seals this year. |
| But fisheries officials say only about 65,000 seals will be killed as a fall in the price of seal pelts means there are fewer hunters this season. | But fisheries officials say only about 65,000 seals will be killed as a fall in the price of seal pelts means there are fewer hunters this season. |
| Animal welfare groups have long argued that the clubbing of seal pups by hunters is barbaric. | Animal welfare groups have long argued that the clubbing of seal pups by hunters is barbaric. |
| The EU's proposed ban still requires the agreement of EU ministers to take effect. | The EU's proposed ban still requires the agreement of EU ministers to take effect. |
| But correspondents say it is likely to be imposed before the 2010 hunting season starts. | But correspondents say it is likely to be imposed before the 2010 hunting season starts. |
| What do you think of Michaelle Jean's actions? Was this the right way to show solidarity with the hunters? How can the Inuit protect their culture and traditions? | |
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