Governor general eats seal's heart

Governor General Michaelle Jean, the representative of the Queen as Canada's head of state, gutted the seal and swallowed a slice of the mammal's organ.

Asked if her actions were a message to the EU, which this month voted to impose a ban on seal products on grounds of cruelty, Jean replied: "Take from that what you will."

Hundreds of Inuit at a community festival gathered on Monday night as Jean knelt above a pair of seal carcasses and used a traditional ulu blade to slice the meat off the skin.

After cutting through the flesh, Jean turned to the woman beside her and asked: "Could I try the heart?"

She swallowed a piece whole and deemed it tasty, saying: "It's like sushi. And it's very rich in protein."

Jean, whose post is largely ceremonial, defended the hunt as an eons-old traditional hunting practice which is not inhumane.

A spokeswoman for EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas offered no official reaction.

"No comment; it's too bizarre to acknowledge," said Barbara Helfferich.

Newfoundland sealer Jack Troake said: "That's great stuff. You've got some of these environmentalists that are going to jump on her, but I think she's strong enough. She can take that, I think."