MONUMENTAL EFFORT FOR THE SEALS
Come one and all!
Join us in Ottawa at Parliament Hill for . . .
A Protest of Canada's Seal Slaughter
Unveiling a "Monument of Compassion for Canada's Seals"
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What: |
This event is a grassroots initiative taking place in Canada's capital involving people from all around the world - the centerpiece of which will be a tower/monument for the seals constructed out of boxes that contain: 1.) Messages for Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking for an end to the slaughter All of the above will be plastered on the outside panels of these individual boxes which in turn will be glued together to make one large monument to the seals. This monument will sit "in state" on Parliament Hill, the headquarters for Canada's federal government and the offices of Stephen Harper and Loyola Hearn. Throughout this day, March 15th, a protest will take place during which leaflets will be handed out to passersby along with additional panels on the monument being available for signing (just like a petition). Then at approximately 1600 hours this monument will be officially presented to Stephen Harper's office - a "gift" from concerned citizens the world over. |
| When: | Date: March 15th, 2007 (Thursday) From: 11:30AM to 2:30PM - local time |
| Where: | Parliament Hill 111 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0A9 |
| Why: | To make 100% certain that Stephen Harper's government is fully aware of the opposition to Canada's seal slaughter. To receive back from Stephen Harper a personal reply in response to the Seal Monument and the concerns of the many, instead of the usual generic government form letter that has been used for years. To show our fellow Canadians and the rest of the world that many oppose this slaughter and that we need their help to bring about an end to this once and for all. |
| Contact: | Steve Thompson, Sea Shepherd Volunteer and Ottawa Event Coordinator E-mail: saveourseals@shaw.ca Tel: 604-275-7566 |
Instructions for building seal petition boxes (sample images below):
- The best boxes to use are large-size cardboard TV boxes with a width and height of say 3 feet or larger, but boxes can be as small as 2 feet square.
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Of the 6 sides only 4 can be utilized since the top and bottom of any given box will more than likely be covered up as part of the monument structure. This leaves 4 sides to work with which can be made use of as follows:
- One side should have pictures of the seals, some graphic some not.
- Another side should include a strong statement you would like to get across to the public, such as drawing attention to the Canadian Seafood Boycott, the number of seals killed, the minimum age, the fact that 42% are skinned alive, etc.
- That leaves two sides that can be used to gather signatures on. These sides should include a header, a statement that people will sign their names in agreement to such as: "We petition the Canadian federal government to ban the cruel commercial killing of baby harp seal pups: The largest slaughter of marine mammals in the world." or "To the Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, we the undersigned request that you abolish the Canadian Seal Slaughter"
- The basic color scheme we have gone with is a white background, with black lettering and red splashes of paint to simulate seal blood. It is important to not have the "blood" splashed on the signature panels as this will obscure the names and this side should be left clean and professional looking.
- VERY IMPORTANT! On the sides that contain signatures it is essential that the location (city/state/country) from where this box originates from be included, this way people who witness the structure will get a sense as to how far-reaching the protest movement is against the slaughter.
- Since these boxes are being shipped a far distance and will on that day will be outside in the elements, it is suggested that they either be laminated or covered with clear MacTac (available at many hardware stores) in order to protect the signatures and images.
- To decorate a box only takes a few hours (it doesn't have to look pretty). As for gathering enough signatures it isn't important how many sign the box since this is all about symbolism. Enough signatures can be gathered in a day or so to make a box worthwhile.
- To find pictures of seals to print and attach, you can go to Google Images on the Internet,
Next, for those who are planning to ship a seal protest box to Ottawa, to be incorporated in the monument, you will need to get it to the address below no later than March 13th. The most dependable route is by air (funds permitting) and a tracking receipt is a good idea. (Please check with your local courier service to make sure that you allow enough time.) You can certainly ship your parcel in a variety of ways, including Canada Post, United Parcel Service, Purolator Courier, or Greyhound Courier Express (Canada only). Boxes should be collapsed for easier wrapping and handling, and international parcels can be labeled somewhat generically, e.g. "Marine Conservation Literature".
Please send all completed boxes to (pre-paid shipping only - do NOT send C.O.D.):
IFAW
Attention: Laurie Wilson
Suite 612
1 Nicholas Street
Ottawa, ON K1N 7B7
Canada
Phone: (613) 241 8996
A warm thank you to IFAW for their kind assistance in providing a recipient address!
Box Sample:
