One would think that Canada should be getting the message by now. The rest of the world deplores this obscenity called the Canadian seal hunt.

First, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called it a bloody industry and shut down sealing operations in Russia. Then, the European Parliament passed a Bill to ban all seal products (read the text of the Bill here). Now, Canada's pathetic efforts to overturn the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act has been halted by the passing of U.S. Senate Resolution 84 on May 7th, 2009 that calls for an immediate end to the Canadian commercial seal hunt.

This historic vote came just days after the European Union voted by a huge margin to ban the import of seal products from Canada.

"The Canadian politicians are making total fools of themselves with their whining attempts to defend a barbaric industry that the rest of the world is disgusted with," said Captain Paul Watson.

The bi-partisan U.S. Senate resolution was sponsored by Senators Carl Levin (D-Michigan) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

"It is truly gratifying that the U.S. Senate has passed this resolution," said Sen. Levin. "Canada needs to understand that the rest of the world will not stand by and allow this slaughter to continue. Ten countries have now either banned trade in seal products or have indicated their intentions to do so and the European Union has just enacted a prohibition on seal product trade."

Sen. Collins said, "International opinion, as well as the opinion of the vast majority of Canadian citizens, is overwhelmingly in favor of ending the Canadian seal kill. We strongly encourage the government of Canada to bring this inhumane slaughter to an end."

The resolution noted that more than one million seals have been killed during the past five years, 95 percent of them pups between 12 days and 12 weeks of age. That means that many seals were slaughtered before they had even eaten their first solid meal or taken their first swim.

With the market for seal products devastated, Canada is now considering subsidizing the kill for the sake of killing seals.

Captain Watson and the Sea Shepherd staff and crew are delighted with the passing of the Senate Resolution.

"If my country wishes to host the 2010 Winter Olympics with dignity, the government must put an end to this nonsense of defending the cruelty of a massive seal slaughter that contributes nothing to the Canadian economy and is a source of extreme embarrassment to millions of Canadian," said Captain Watson. "Speaking as a Canadian from the Maritimes, I can only say that I have opposed this bloody obscenity all of my life and it is with anger and sadness that I have watched my government kiss the rear ends of savage baby seal killers for decades. This slaughter is a perversion and a crime against humanity and nature and it must be ended once and for all."