Bono, McCartney press Canada PM To End Seal Slaughter!!!

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Bono, McCartney press Canada PM To End Seal

Slaughter!!!

 

Source > http://au.news./051201/19/x1i3.html

 

 

OTTAWA (AFP) - Bono and Paul McCartney bashed Paul

Martin over foreign aid and harp seal hunts, as the

vulnerable Canadian prime minister campaigns for

re-election.

 

Criticism from U2 frontman Bono over foreign aid and

threats by former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney over

Canada's seal hunt came soon after opposition parties

united this week to oust Martin's scandal-tainted

minority Liberal government in a no-confidence vote.

 

With the latest opinion polls indicating the Liberals

are tied with the opposition Conservatives, pundits

worried these dissenting voices could damage Martin's

popularity, especially with younger voters, and hurt

his chances for re-election.

 

McCartney sent a letter to Martin on Wednesday

threatening to stir up a media storm over Canada's

seal hunt if it is allowed to continue.

 

" We wanted to put you on notice that if Canada moves

forward with another hunt next year, we will do all we

can to focus attention on this unjustified, outdated

and truly horrific practice, including, potentially,

visiting the seals and the ice, " McCartney wrote,

according to local reports.

 

Martin's government had earlier rebuked animal rights

activists angry at seal culls by insisting that the

Northwest Atlantic harp seal population remained

stable at 5.9 million animals.

 

 

In the past two years, animal rights defenders have

campaigned strongly to stop the seal hunt, outraged by

Canada's increased hunt quotas. Canadian authorities

raised the quota to 319,517 seals in 2005 because of

the estimated population number.

 

McCartney and his wife, Heather Mills McCartney, told

the Humane Society of the United States they would

consider visiting the ice floes where the commercial

seal hunt takes place in a bid to draw attention to

the issue, according to reports.

 

McCartney's warning came only days after Bono, who

once championed the Canadian leader in hopes of

gleaning foreign aid for poor African countries,

chastised Martin for failing to meet his aid

commitments.

 

The Irish rock star said he was " personally

disappointed " and " crushed " that Martin did not spend

more money to help the world's poorest countries.

 

" I felt as a former finance minister that he would be

able to make the numbers work, " said Bono, in Ottawa

for a concert.

 

A spokesman for Martin's campaign downplayed the

rebukes.

 

" The prime minister and Bono have a good friendship.

They can talk about world issues and they respect each

others' views, " Marc Roy told AFP.

 

" I don't think (Bono's or Paul McCartney's comments)

will hurt our campaign, " he said. " I believe Canada

has a very strong record on foreign aid and

environmental protection. We continue with our record

and are very proud of it. "

 

 

 

 

 

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