11 July 2011 -  To coincide with the start of the critical eighth round of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations in Brussels, Keith has re-iterated his call to the Canadian government to withdraw its challenge to the EU ban on seal products at the World Trade Organisation. The ban was adopted with overwhelming support by the European Parliament in 2009, reflecting widespread public opinion against the cruelty of commercial seal hunts.

On 8 June 2011, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on EU-Canada trade relations, which threatened to block the ratification of CETA if the Canadian government does not withdraw its challenge at the WTO.

Humane Society International/Europe and  GAIA broadcast images of the seal slaughter and quotes from Members of the European Parliament on a giant video screen outside the European Parliament at the same time that a meeting of the Delegation for Relations with Canada was being held inside the building. Keith’s quote read: “As long as Canada continues trying to force its barbaric seal fur trade on Europe, I won’t support a new EU-Canada trade deal”

Photo: Keith with representative from Humane Society International outside the European Parliament in Brussels.