As his first Canadian tour in 15 years — which kicks off on Monday — approaches, Morrissey has penned an open letter to Canada Goose CEO, Dani Reiss.
This time around, the former frontman of The Smiths has partnered with PETA to call out the Canadian clothing brand for using animal fur and feathers.
“As I tour Canada this spring, I’m writing to urge Canada Goose to act more like its namesake (e.g., smart, brave, and willing to fly off in a new direction),” wrote the singer, “by making the bold ethical choice to remove coyote fur and down feathers from its parkas.”
Morrissey, 59, is known for not only his ever-shifting opinions regarding politics, but also his aggressive tactics as an animal rights activist.
He has enlisted PETA to join him on tour and collect signatures from fans and protesters for a petition made against Canada Goose and their supposedly cruel treatment of animals.
According to the letter, Morrissey will personally deliver the letter to Reiss himself.
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The Handsome Devil has invited a number of Canadian animal protection groups, including: Toronto Pig Save, Ottawa Animal Save, St. John’s Chicken Save and the Vancouver Chicken Save to set up stalls at the upcoming concerts and protest animal cruelty.
“Any and all of these groups are welcome to set up stalls at our concerts,” said Morrissey. “We are here to save as many lives as possible.”
The Canadian tour starts in Vancouver on April 15 and concludes in Montreal on April 29.
You can read Morrissey’s open-letter to Reiss below:
Canada Goose has almost singlehandedly revived the cruel trapping industry, in which animals can suffer for days and try to gnaw off their ensnared limbs before the trapper eventually returns to bludgeon them to death. No hood adornment is worth that. And geese are confined to cramped cages and trucked hundreds of miles to slaughter in all weather conditions before they’re hung upside down and their throats are slit—often while they’re still conscious—so that their feathers can be stuffed into (and poke out of) jackets.
That strip of coyote fur isn’t keeping anyone warm, and there are plenty of superior insulators composed of everything from biodegradable fleece to coconut husks. That’s why other outerwear makers, including For All Kind, Save the Duck, and HoodLamb, have already dispensed with fur and down for their products.
I’d be the first to celebrate a cruelty-free Canada Goose coat by wearing one proudly. Until then, PETA and I will be collecting signatures during my Canadian tour calling for Canada Goose to stop killing animals for coats.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey
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In response to Morrissey’s letter, Canada Goose sent a statement to ‘ET Canada’, saying:
“We are disappointed that PETA continues to grossly misinform their spokespeople about our use and sourcing of fur and down and we would encourage them to do their research first and not misrepresent the facts.”
“This scripted rhetoric continues to attempt to mislead consumers,” they added, “while we remain committed to the responsible use and ethical sourcing of all materials in our products, as evidenced by our transparency standards.”
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Although unhappy with Reiss and Canada Goose, Morrissey’s longstanding boycott of Canada ended in February, after 13 years.
In 2006, the singer vowed not to buy Canadian products or perform in the country as an act of “protest against the barbaric slaughter of baby seals.”
“I fully realize that the absence of any Morrissey concerts in Canada is unlikely to bring the Canadian economy to its knees,” he said in an online statement, “but this is our small protest against this horrific slaughter.”
Former prime minister Stephen Harper had just taken office at the time. According to The National Post, the singer claimed Harper was “ignorant” for allowing the annual seal hunt to go forward.
In wake of his decision to return, Morrissey admitted to his Canadian fans that he felt his earlier act of protest “was ultimately of no use and helped no one,” in an official newsletter written last September.
Since announcing the Canadian tour, many fans have been anxious that the How Soon is Now? singer may change his mind and cancel his performances.
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Ahead of a brand new covers album, California Son — set for a May 24 release — Morrissey will perform eight concerts throughout Canada before embarking on an extensive American tour with Interpol this fall.
Tickets and additional details can be found here.
A brand new single, Wedding Bell Blues — which features Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong — is now available to stream through Spotify.
California Son can be pre-ordered through the official Morrissey store.
Morrissey’s Canadian spring tour dates 2019
April 15 — Vancouver, B.C. @ Orpheum Theatre
April 17 — Calgary, Alta. @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
April 18 — Edmonton, Alta. @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
April 20 — Saskatoon, Sask. @ TCU Place
April 22 — Winnipeg, Man. @ Centennial Concert Hall
April 26 — Toronto, Ont. @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
April 27 — Toronto, Ont. @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
April 29 — Montreal, Que. @ MTelus