Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami 'sad' to lose EU seal ban legal challenge

Inuit TapiriitKanatami'spresident says he is 'sad, but not surprised' that the European Union's top court has dismissed an appeal of the EU'sban on importedseal products.

Yesterday, the Court of Justice of the European Union announced that it had dismissed a legal appeal from ITK and a group of hunters and other sealing advocates, who argued that the ban is unlawful.

"We don't have the deep pockets like the animal rights groups and that's what's maddening about this," said ITK President Terry Audla.

"It angers me that whoever has the deepest pockets can actually influence legislation. That's just not right."

Last May, the World Trade Organization's appellate body upheld adecisionthatlinked the trade ban to moral objections against the seal hunt.

"The legislation on the ban of seal products in the EU is not fair to the Inuit in Canada and we felt that the decision to legislate was not based on science," Audla said.

'What we do is humane'

Now, he says Inuit will have to work with the European Union's exemptions for hunts certified as being conducted by indigenous people.

In August, Nunavutannounced the EU had accepted the territory's application to be accepted under the exemption.

"The Northwest Territories Government, in conjunction with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation should be working towards what the Nunavut government has done," said Audla.

"But at the same time the Inuit in Canada have to work together to make sure the licensing process is something that we can live with."

He says it will also be important for Inuit groups to work together to better market products, "so that the demand is actually brought up to the levels where Inuit could use this as serious means as being able to provide for one's self."

While Inuit work within the constraints of the European Union's policies, Audla hopes that Asian markets will remain open.

"What we do is humane.It's very green.It's not a detriment to the environment in any way, nor to the species of seals involved."