Environment Minister and Minister for the Arctic Council, Leona Aglukkaq, has come under fire on social media after retweeting a photo of a dead polar bear.
Aglukkaq retweted this photo:
A number of people started attacking Aglukkaq, criticizing her, saying she is glorifying the death of what many think should be classified as an endangered species. Right now in Canada they are listed as a ‘species of concern.’
She posted the following response:
Aglukkaq is currently leading the Canadian delegation at the 40thAnniversary of the International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears in Moscow, Russia. Today is the last day.
In a statement provided to the media, she said “our Government is committed to proper conservation of the polar bear, while ensuring that the rights of Aboriginal peoples who continue to rely on the polar bear for food, clothing and livelihood are maintained and respected.”
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Algukkaq’s brother is a full-time hunter and she has argued in recent media reports that the polar bear population is on the rise and that she will support the right of the Inuit culture to hunt them, as part of their culture.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are between 20,000 and 25,000 polar bears left in the wild. Canada is home to approximately 16,000. There are 19 subpopulations with 13 of those in Canada.
The World Wildlife Fund has put out a map showing the subpopulations and their numbers. In two areas, Davis Strait and M’clintock Channel, the populations are increasing.
In the Churchill Sea, Southern Beaufort Sea, Western Hudson Bay, Baffin Bay and Kane Basin the populations are considered to be in decline. The areas in blue are stable.
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