Canada's bloody seal hunt began in February, when defenceless baby grey seals beaten and shot to death on Hay Island, a so-called "Protected Wilderness Area" in Nova Scotia. Each year since 2008 the government of Nova Scotia colludes with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to facilitate the large-scale slaughter of grey seal pups. Last month the Maritime and Gulf regions were opened to sealers despite high pup mortality caused by catastrophic ice conditions. It was reported that only two boats went out killing seals. A combination of bad weather, absence of pups and lack of consumer markets kept the other sealers at home.

In coming weeks, sealers in Newfoundland will take to their boats in a race to kill as many seal pups as possible before the pups can learn to swim and take to the water. Canada's Fisheries Minister has set the highest quota on record this year -- she has announced that 400,000 seals can be killed.

There are many ways in which you can help right now to end this atrocity. Below are just a couple. I'll be adding more action items in coming days. Please take a moment to take action now. Thank you.

1.

CANADIAN CITIZENS - Email your MP asking him/her to take action to end the brutal seal hunt

Not only is the commercial seal hunt inhumane, but it is a drain on Canadian taxpayers. Polling consistently shows the majority of Canadians are opposed to the commercial seal hunt and object to their taxes being used to fund it, yet the Canadian government continues to lavish millions of our tax dollars on industry that clearly would not survive without these subsidies. Markets for seal products are disappearing and the seal hunt costs much more than it makes. Please take a moment to write to your Member of Parliament asking them to stop wasting our tax dollars. Ask them to end the slaughter, protect seals and implement a licence buyout for sealers.

It couldn't be easier. Please visit IFAW's website stopthesealhunt.org and use their email form to quickly and easily send an email to your Member of Parliament. Please take a moment to send it today.

2.

EUROPEAN CITIZENS - Email Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking him to listen to international opposition and end the brutality

Defying logic and compassion, the Canadian government has challenged the EU seal product trade ban at the World Trade Organization. Send Prime Minister Harper and email stating Europeans have a right to say 'NO' to the grisly products of an inherently inhumane slaughter and the Canadian government should cease pushing those products on counties that clearly do not want them.

It couldn't be easier. Please use the email form at the website of International Fund for Animal Welfare to quickly and easily send your request to five senators.