音樂人保羅‧麥卡尼及他的妻子海瑟，2日訪問了一處位於加拿大東岸的豎琴海豹繁殖場，並公開反對加拿大舉世皆知的獵海豹活動。在飛往這片冰封之地前，麥卡尼舉行新聞記者會指出：「前任加國政府不顧其多數國民與其他歐美民眾一致反對的聲音，而允許這令人心痛的獵殺行為繼續下去。」
麥卡尼夫婦對新當選上任的加拿大領導人做了以下表示：「我們有絕對的信心，總理哈柏先生將採取迅速、果決的行動來終結對毫無防衛能力的小海豹的屠殺。」
記者會後，麥卡尼夫婦乘坐直昇機到達接近麥迪蘭群島的浮冰區，位於愛德華王子島東北方約160公里處。他們在那裡與小海豹合影。
麥卡尼表示：「我們不願見到當地人受苦。但根據我們所聽聞的消息，想來海豹狩獵佔他們年收入極少部分，而且如果政府願意出力的話，可輕易地由加拿大政府補助解決。」
隨後麥卡尼夫婦由美國人道協會(HSUS，國際人道協會分支機構)的奧德沃斯引導前往海豹哺育所。奧德沃斯出身紐芬蘭，致力於海豹保護。
麥卡尼夫婦到海豹保育所的拜訪，頓時讓美國人道協會與英國「尊重動物」團體等所從事的工作成為注目焦點。這些組織以及其他保育工作者正發起運動，訴求關閉全球海豹產品市場，以及對加拿大政府施壓，督促他們永久終結海豹狩獵。
再過大約兩週，亦即3月的最後一個星期，海豹狩獵季可能即將展開。不過，加拿大海洋暨漁業部尚未決定明確的日期與狩獵配額。
Musician Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Thursday visited a harp seal nursery off Canada's east coast to make their opposition to the Canadian seal hunt known to the world. "Previous Canadian governments have allowed this heartbreaking hunt to continue despite the fact that the majority of its citizens - as well as those in Europe and America - are opposed to it," the McCartneys said at a news conference before flying to the ice.
"We have complete faith that Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper will take swift and decisive action to end the slaughter of these defenseless seal pups for good," the couple said of the newly elected Canadian leader.
After the news conference, the McCartneys took a helicopter to ice floes near Iles-de-la-Madeleine about 160 kilometers northeast of Prince Edward Island. They were photographed there with seal pups.
"We don't want to see the local people suffer," said Sir Paul. "But, from what we hear, it is quite a small amount of their annual revenue and this could be easily sorted out by the Canadian government, if they care to do it."
The McCartneys were guided to the seal nursery by the Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS) Rebecca Aldworth, a Newfoundlander and a dedicated seal defender.
The McCartneys' visit to the seal nursery turns a spotlight on the work of The HSUS, its international arm Humane Society International, and the British campaign group Respect for Animals. These organizations and many others are campaigning to close global markets for seal products and to pressure the Canadian government to end the seal hunt for good.
Approximately two weeks later, in the last week of March, the hunt is likely to begin, although the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has not yet set a date or announced a quota for this year's hunt.
