Director of Canadian wildlife issues for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Thought to have been born in Montreal, Quebec, she has campaigned against the seal hunt in Canada for roughly 10 years. A hunt that provides about 12,000
sealers with a total of roughly $16,500,000 a year. A small but much needed influx of money during the tough
times of the fishing off season. The organization she works for, HSUS, has a net worth in the area of $133
million with an annual operating budget of about $95 million. Before working with HSUS she worked with the
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). A big fuzzy name for another money grubbing organization with a very questionable past.
I have three main issues with Rebecca. The first of which is her grandiose title. "Director of Canadian
wildlife issues", should that not read "Director of Canadian Seal Hunt issues". I don't see her doing any
other work for Canadian wildlife. Excuse me if I am wrong but out of all the information I have sifted through
about her I have yet to come across anything to link her to anything else. A veritable one trick pony. This leads me to believe her title is much too broad considering her actions. Then I ask myself, self,
why does she concentrate solely on the harp seal? It's not endangered so this would put it on the same playing
field as the mighty moose or the lovely deer. Ah yes, there is that prevailing theme of all the groups
involved in the anti-sealing industry. Apparently there is no money in fighting against the moose hunt which
takes roughly the same amount of animals as the seal hunt in North America. What about the lovely
deer? No dice Bambi, even though the annual quota on your kind in North America tops out at almost twice that
of the harp seal there's no money signs in those doe eyes. In light of this information I would change
Rebecca's title to "Director of Fund Raising" or maybe "Director of Operations at the Bottom of the Barrel".
Secondly, she sells herself out to the worst kind of big business. Big business that shrouds itself in a veil of
caring to suck every last dime out of you. A cross bread of Microsoft and evangelist Jim Baker if you will. How much
was her self respect worth anyway? What kind of a pay check does the HSUS give her in an attempt to buy some
credibility?
No doubt Ms. Aldworth has seen some horrible things during the ten years she has been observing the hunt but ten years is a
long time and there is going to be the odd instance of wrong doing. This happens in every facet and walk of life. Whether I am
getting sucked in by a great acting job is up for debate but I honestly think Rebecca feels very strongly against
the seal hunt. That is her right as a citizen of the democracy in which we live. That being said there is a right way and a wrong way
to go about protesting against an issue in our society. You do so honestly and with integrity and not by falling in with
groups like the IFAW and HSUS which are more
interested in the dollar than the issue. The propaganda she speaks is relentless. The same few key points over and over again.
Her main point, seals are being skinned alive. I tend to believe two separate non-partisan groups of veterinarians over one individual
with an agenda. She says she does not necessarily want to stop the hunt but rather, make it better. Then why did she not show up to
a meeting of members of the federal government, harvesters, fisheries union representatives and conservation groups. Yes,
conservation groups. If you were trying to have an impact on policies associated to the seal hunt would you snub such a meeting to which you were invited.
|