Greetings from Montreal

We touch down safely in Montreal after a nearly seven hour flight. The plane was delayed for an hour or so and we were forced to sit on the tarmac while the flight engineers figured out whether the warning light showing that a door was open was actually telling the truth. I find myself in good company with MP Krista van Velzen and journalist Bart Olmer. We spend most of the time chatting away. Krista's tales of swimming out to nuclear submarines in a diving suit and being locked up for weeks in a Scottish prison remind me that she has a colourful past as an environmental activist. She's just the right politician for the job!

Tomorrow afternoon we fly out to Charlottetown, hopefully well-rested. My international colleagues at the HSUS are already there and have spent the last few days checking out the ice conditions and filming baby seals on the ice. They describe the most magical and spectacular scenes, but also the ominous sight of all of the sealing boats on the horizon. I'm saddened by the fact that by the time I get out there the ice will be simply covered with blood and littered with the skinned remains of thousands of young animals. I shall probably never get to see the seal nursery or get close to these beautiful passive creatures. They are curious and friendly towards those who come to observe them, unfortunately next human that they see will probably kill them.