Ottawa – Today, Peter Penashue stood in the House in response to a question about the anti-sealing comments recently made by NDP MP Ryan Cleary. The Regional Minister for Newfoundland and Labrador, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada addressed the house stating the MP for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl was “playing politics with the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.”

“Last week, the member opposite shocked Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with his comments. I wasn’t shocked,” said Penashue. “I know the member has been an opponent of the sealing industry for years.”

Penashue has reaffirmed the Harper Government’s commitment to the hunt and the seal industry on a number of occasions over the past week, as the comments from the NDP have given new life to the anti-sealing lobbyists in Hollywood and New York, resetting years of hard work between the industry and the federal government.

Minister Penashue also agreed with statements in a recent column by journalist Rex Murphy. Mr. Murphy wrote “As long as one Newfoundlander wants to harvest one seal, to make a flipper pie, or to use the pelt to make one of those splendid sealskin hats – on with the Hunt!”

In response to a staged photo-op MP Cleary set up to try to bury his controversial statements, Penashue made sure to confirm to the entire House that his support for the seal industry is real and stated “yes Mr. Speaker, I own my vest” alluding to the fact MP Cleary had to borrow a seal vest for his media stunt.