Morrissey has said he will not play any tour dates in Canada due to the country's policy on seal hunting. The singer is shortly to set off on the European leg of his world tour, of course, but it seems he won't be calling in the far north of America, according to a new statement.
The former Smiths man says: "Canada has placed itself alongside China as the cruellest and most self-serving nation. We will not include any Canadian dates on our world tour to promote our new album. This is in protest against the barbaric slaughter of over 325,000 baby seals which is now underway. I fully realise that the absence of any Morrissey concerts in Canada is unlikely to bring the Canadian economy to its knees, but it is our small protest against this horrific slaughter - which is the largest slaughter of marine animal species found anywhere on the planet."
"The Canadian Prime Minister says the so-called 'cull' is economically and environmentally justified, but this is untrue," he continued. "The Canadian Prime Minister also states that the slaughter is necessary because it provides jobs for local communities, but this is an ignorant reason for allowing such barbaric and cruel slaughter of beings that are denied life simply because somebody somewhere might want to wear their skin. Construction of German gas chambers also provided work for someone - this is not a moral or sound reason for allowing suffering."
One wonders if he's planning to boycott the UK and the US on the grounds of their slaughter of innocent Iraqis, given his recent comments about Bush&Blair's barbarism and moral bankruptcy? Watch this space? Hmmm.