(Via CNW) Senator Wilfred Moore, introducing Bill S-230 to phase out taking whales into captivity, said that anyone who disagreed with it should watch Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s 2013 documentary Blackfish. Marineland in Ontario, one of the facilities that would be affected by the bill, has issued a media release saying, “When you do, please remember that not one single frame of that film is about Marineland, the Vancouver Aquarium or any other zoo or aquarium in Canada.”
Blackfish features the story of Tilikum, a captive male orca responsible for the deaths of three people, one in Canada and two in the U.S. The film explores the issues of keeping whales in captivity and questions whether it ultimately leads to them turning against the humans in their lives with fatal results.
Marineland points out that the film deals only with events and conditions at Sea World, a U.S. company, not operating in Canada, and under U.S. regulations. It says, “Sea World is also Marineland’s largest single competitor in North America, drawing tourists from Canada and the Niagara Region to Florida and Sea World. This Bill will force Marineland to close, throwing thousands out of work, while Sea World is under no such threat and will only benefit from the loss of direct competition.” Ironic, considering Sea World comes in for heavy criticism in the film.
