Bono, McCartney press Canada PM To End Seal
Slaughter!!!
Source > http://au.news.yahoo.com/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can to focus attention on this unjustified, outdated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.
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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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