Following Morrissey's recent blog post once again condemning Canada's seal hunt, calling it "greedy and barbaric," a spokesperson for Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea has issued a statement saying the singer's words "reveal a total ignorance of the Canadian seal hunt."
As previously reported, Morrissey's post, dubbed "This sorrowful Canada," targeted Canada for its seal hunt practice, questioning Shea's claim that seals are "killed humanely," and wondering whether she'd be okay with being shot by a high-powered rifle.
"Is this a death that Gail Shea would wish for herself? Would it make her happy to be shot by a high-powered rifle?" Morrissey wrote, adding, "If she considers such butchery to be so 'humane,' why doesn't she place herself amongst the tens of thousands of grey-coated harp seals that will be slaughtered within the next few weeks? She could then test the humane aspect of having her head blown off for herself."
Shea's response to the criticism was delivered in an email to the National Post by a spokesperson, stating that the hunt is "humane, sustainable, and well-regulated," having been "designed by international veterinary experts."
"This is clearly just another case of a millionaire celebrity, desperate for a hobby, shamelessly regurgitating misinformation and myths that fringe animal-rights groups have been pushing for years," writes Shea's spokesperson Sophie Doucet. "In the future, I would urge Mr. Morrissey to consider the impact that his ignorant and inflammatory statements have on the livelihoods of thousands of hard-working men and women in rural communities."
Morrissey has not yet responded to the minister's critique. The singer vowed in 2006 to not perform in Canada due the seal hunt.
As previously reported, Morrissey's post, dubbed "This sorrowful Canada," targeted Canada for its seal hunt practice, questioning Shea's claim that seals are "killed humanely," and wondering whether she'd be okay with being shot by a high-powered rifle.
"Is this a death that Gail Shea would wish for herself? Would it make her happy to be shot by a high-powered rifle?" Morrissey wrote, adding, "If she considers such butchery to be so 'humane,' why doesn't she place herself amongst the tens of thousands of grey-coated harp seals that will be slaughtered within the next few weeks? She could then test the humane aspect of having her head blown off for herself."
Shea's response to the criticism was delivered in an email to the National Post by a spokesperson, stating that the hunt is "humane, sustainable, and well-regulated," having been "designed by international veterinary experts."
"This is clearly just another case of a millionaire celebrity, desperate for a hobby, shamelessly regurgitating misinformation and myths that fringe animal-rights groups have been pushing for years," writes Shea's spokesperson Sophie Doucet. "In the future, I would urge Mr. Morrissey to consider the impact that his ignorant and inflammatory statements have on the livelihoods of thousands of hard-working men and women in rural communities."
Morrissey has not yet responded to the minister's critique. The singer vowed in 2006 to not perform in Canada due the seal hunt.
