The death of French film legend Brigitte Bardot at age 91 on Sunday, December 28, 2025, has prompted reflection on her significant and often controversial advocacy for animal rights in Canada. Beyond her iconic screen roles, Bardot was a persistent and vocal critic of two major Canadian wildlife issues: the commercial seal hunt and the deer cull in Longueuil, Quebec.
A Pioneering Voice Against the Seal Hunt
Brigitte Bardot is widely recognized as the first major international celebrity to publicly condemn Canada's commercial seal hunt. Her activism began in 1976, bringing unprecedented global attention to the practice. The following year, she traveled to Newfoundland to witness the hunt firsthand, telling reporters her sole purpose was "to save baby seals."
During that 1977 trip, a photograph of Bardot cradling a baby harp seal, known as a whitecoat, became an enduring symbol of the protest movement. The CBC reported that her high-profile campaign contributed to a major decline in the market value of seal pelts, which had a tangible economic impact on fishing communities in Atlantic Canada and the Arctic.
Her commitment spanned decades. In 2006, Bardot returned to Canada to protest the commercial harp seal hunt once more. She sought a meeting with then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but the Conservative government declined. At an Ottawa press conference, she made an emotional plea, stating she wanted to see the "barbaric massacre" end before her death.
Condemning the Longueuil Deer Cull
Seals were not the only Canadian animals that drew Bardot's advocacy. In 2022, she forcefully condemned the controversial plan by the city of Longueuil, Quebec, to cull most of the deer population in Michel-Chartrand Park.
Bardot published an open letter on her foundation's website, appealing directly to Mayor Catherine Fournier to halt what she termed the "planned crossbow slaughter." Her letter warned that "teams of hunters armed with their terrible crossbows will invade a usually peaceful place, popular with families and tourists, and sow death in the heart of your city."
Despite her plea and widespread public outcry, the city proceeded with the cull, stating it was necessary to restore ecological balance. Ultimately, 105 deer were killed in the operation. The city of Montreal also conducted a similar, quieter cull of 131 deer in its east-end parks around the same time.
Lasting Legacy and Ongoing Debates
Bardot's activism helped pave the way for other celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Paul McCartney, and Sarah McLachlan to speak out against the seal hunt. Her legacy is institutionalized through the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which she founded in 1986. The organization remains dedicated to animal protection, campaigning against practices such as animal testing, bullfighting, and commercial sealing.
The foundation's website continues to highlight her anti-sealing work, featuring a prominent photo of her with a baby seal. A post from September 2024 noted that Bardot, even at 90, continued her fight. This is particularly relevant as the European Union recently launched a review of its ban on importing seal products, a ban her activism helped inspire.
The debate she fueled continues in political chambers. In 2024, a group of Canadian senators from Yukon, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador called for Europe to repeal its seal products ban, arguing it has had disastrous socio-economic effects on coastal and northern communities. In response, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation reported that Bardot sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission urging her to strengthen, not weaken, animal protection measures.
Brigitte Bardot's passing marks the end of an era for a star who leveraged her fame to confront Canada on some of its most contentious animal welfare issues, leaving a complex and indelible mark on the national conversation.
