Do you have an Instagram account? Can you spell "Tick Tock"? Do you know what an "influencer" is? If all your answers to these social media questions are "Yes", and they come as easily as saying how many toes you have, chances are you're aged under 40. But if you hesitate or have no idea, you're probably Gen X or even a Baby Boomer. And that's a problem the fur trade needs to address.

Yes, these are generalisations, just as it is to say that the fur trade is ageing, but like most generalisations, they are based in truth.

Social media have become an important way to communicate directly to consumers without having to deal with the middlemen, or gatekeepers, of traditional mainstream media. But so far, the fur trade has been slow to exploit social media, and the main reason is that its managers have grey hair, and most of the people they manage have grey hair too! Social media are aimed primarily at younger people, who also create most of the content, and with little young blood currently entering the trade, keeping up with this trend has become a pressing issue.

At just 24 years old, fur advocate Nora Lacasse doesn't pull her punches when describing the crisis.

"The fur trade is aging and unless we start creating content that feels young, fun, and actually scrollable, we risk losing the next generation entirely," says Nora, who literally grew up with social media. "A lot of traditional fur leaders still approach messaging in a very conventional, institutional way, which simply doesn’t perform in the social media space."

If you recognise yourself in this description of an ageing manager, struggling to keep up with the latest trends, maybe we can still turn things around.

Lose Your Biases

I'm 69, and have little time for social media in my private life – for good reason in my view. I yearn for a past when life seemed simpler and slower, before electronic gadgets began dominating every facet of our existence. Another common gripe among my peers is that today's kids have the attention span of a gnat, favouring shocking images and sound bytes over, say, reading books or even blog posts!

But our ideal world is not the world we currently live in. If you are a manager responsible for marketing or public relations, you can't do your job well unless you also keep up with the times.

So the first thing you must do is lose your biases, or at least set them aside.

You may see Instagram as just a way to share photos that don't even belong to you, but for millions of users it's a source of information and entertainment, and a sophisticated marketing tool. To you, TikTok (correct spelling!) may only be for teenagers looking to twerk and share pranks, but these kids are buying products now, or will be very soon. And while you may think of Facebook as only being good for showing friends what you had for breakfast with a side of fake news, it has also become a powerful marketing tool when in the right hands.

By all means, continue dreaming about tossing your cellphone in the river one day, but if you're in marketing or public relations, wait until you actually retire. You already know that billions of other people depend utterly on their cellphones, and these are the people you should be selling to.

Workload

So you've resolved to up your social media game, but before you take the plunge, consider the work involved.

The most common question asked is how often you should post. There are no hard and fast rules, but if you're posting on Instagram, the consensus is that 1-2 posts per day is fine. For some people, that's already a lot (in terms of time and content), but multiply it by, say, four social media platforms, and you should think about streamlining your operations!

Another rule is that quality trumps quantity. So don't think you can post a load of rubbish just to keep your posting frequency up!

And will all your content strike the same tone, or will you be mixing it up? How much of your content will be original, how much will be sharing others' content, and will you be customising content for different platforms?

Last but not least, you're really supposed to spend time analysing your audiences to see what's working and what's not, and responding with changes as needed. There are several apps to help you in this, but don't forget to read all your visitors' comments too!

Good Role Models

If you're still determined to tackle social media head-on, your next step is to check out what others are doing, and here there is good news: you don't actually have to look beyond the fur trade. That's right; a handful of your younger colleagues are already fully engaged.

A good example is New England Naturals, a maker of custom fur pieces and other natural products in New Hampshire. On founding the company in 2017, Riley and Jake DeBow, both now 31, decided education was key to their business, and in 2020 launched their TikTok channel. Today they also have Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

With material repurposed for posting on each platform, a newcomer might expect the four audiences to react in similar ways. Not so, says Jake. Rather, there are "substantial differences" between them, in particular in their ages but also in their attitudes.

"The older crowds don't like the 'modern' social media apps," he says, "and the younger crowds have drifted away from the older apps like Facebook and YouTube."

So what differences does he see?

"TikTok users are mostly aged 30 or younger, and want to be entertained," says Jake. "They like comedy, and post jokes in the comments section. Some of them have not even heard of trapping, but still they engage."

"Instagram users give us the most community support. Most are aged from 25-55, and they are interested in trapping and a subsistence lifestyle. They want to learn and feel part of a community, with most engagement coming from people who are inquisitive and deeply curious about the content we create."

"Then there are YouTubers, who tend to be people who are not on 'popular' channels like Instagram and TikTok. Many are trappers who like videos that explain the fine details and specifics of trapping and fur handling."

"And then there are our Facebook users, the oldest of the lot, with many over the age of 55. They are the most critical of our content. Anti-trappers are very active and loud, but so are the trapping community."

If nothing else, one takeaway here is that audiences differ, which is why people who take social media seriously use multiple platforms. Life would be simpler if we all used the same one, but as I've already said, life is no longer simple!

Influencers

After reading all the above, it would be totally understandable if your response was, "I just don't have time!" But there is another option: influencers.

Your typical influencer is a freelance expert in social media who creates content for a paying client, endorsing a product in the hope of increasing sales. This is usually achieved by projecting nuanced messages aimed at changing a consumer's mindset. In the case of fur, these messages might focus on sustainable use, the role of trapping in wildlife management, or the warmth and beauty of fur.

So how do you go about choosing the right influencer?

For famous brands, it might be as simple as giving a celebrity a luxury garment in exchange for their promise to go nightclubbing in it. But for the rest of us, the process is a little more hit-and-miss.

It's not a minefield, though. Indeed, all the steps you need to take are basic to all management.

Step 1 (see above) is to set aside your biases. If you still see influencers as hustlers offering good reviews in exchange for free food and clothing (or vice-versa), most of these people are quickly drummed out of business. If you get the slightest hint you're dealing with one, just walk away.

Step 2 is to educate yourself as much as possible about the influencer market so you can at least sound knowledgeable in negotiations over things like budget and deliverables.

And Step 3 is to ask for recommendations.

"So far, the Fur Institute of Canada has only dipped its toe in the influencer market to promote fur, working primarily with Nora Lacasse," says Executive Director Doug Chiasson. At just 24, Nora already has a reputation as an advocate of fur, content creator, and a candidate for Miss Universe Canada 2025. "Early in 2025, we ran a small Instagram campaign with a range of influencers, which helped us build a relationship with Nora. We then invited Nora to Première Vision Montreal to create some interesting content."

SEE ALSO: Nora Lacasse: Sustainable fur advocate. The Truth About Fur podcast, July 29, 2025.

"The experience so far has been positive," continues Doug. "Our Instagram following has grown, some FIC members have independently struck up deals with Nora, and other organizations are talking to us about how we approach influencer marketing."

So how is Nora finding life as a fur influencer?

"It’s been a powerful journey representing fur on social media and now on the pageant national stage," she says. "There’s been backlash, yes – but also momentum. The resistance proves the message is bold, and it’s starting the right conversations."

"For lifestyle and fashion, Instagram and TikTok are where the momentum is. Both are essential, but Instagram is the core of my brand."

Like Jake DeBow, she also sees differences in her audiences.

"The Instagram audience tends to be slightly older and more consumer-conscious than on TikTok," she says. "They are more likely to engage thoughtfully, especially when it comes to luxury or sustainability. TikTok, on the other hand, is great for reaching younger users and testing fast, engaging formats. Gen Zers [born 1997 to 2012] haven’t grown up with the same narratives. They're more open-minded and curious, especially as fast fashion starts to lose its appeal. I’ve personally seen way more traction and engagement from younger audiences on TikTok. It’s fast, visual, and where growth is happening."

"Facebook is more for an older demographic, and honestly, that group is harder to influence; they’ve been heavily marketed to, especially when it comes to fur, and many already have strong emotional responses."

Scrolling, Swiping

So what does the future hold for social media and the fur trade? Can we hope that all our grey-haired managers will respond to this call to arms? And are there enough youngsters waiting to receive their marching orders? Or are influencers the way to go?

However we choose to face this challenge, Nora and Jake agree that the pace will be fast and furious.

"Just putting out information isn't enough," says Nora. "People don’t want a lecture, they want something thought-provoking, visually compelling, or even a little controversial. The irony is that fur is slow fashion. But if we want it to thrive, it has to be willing to move at the speed of the scroll."

"Attention spans now are short, and one reason why fast fashion brands are thriving is because their videos are packaged in a way that speaks to a fast-paced, younger audience in short videos, bold statements, emotional or aesthetic appeal."

Jake points to the speed at which people swipe as the reason to deliver messages in the punchiest way imaginable. "Feeds change so quickly and videos become irrelevant after a short period of time, so we need to be sure that messaging doesn't fall through the cracks. And the most important messages need to be delivered in the first sentence of a video or you risk viewers not getting to the important information as they swipe so quickly."

Visually compelling messages? Videos that become irrelevant? Key messages in the first sentence? Viewers scrolling or swiping like whirling dervishes? Like it or not, this is the world we all live in, but can the grey-haired fur trade adapt?

The Fur Institute of Canada's (FIC) 2025 Annual General Meeting in Edmonton, Alberta, started with a bang! Five days of meetings, from June 10-14, were scheduled to be held at one venue, but at the eleventh hour an electrical fire knocked out half the conference centre, forcing everything to be moved next door! Thankfully, the staffs of both venues, and of the FIC, were equal to the task, and made the huge upheaval look like nothing.

Meanwhile, the AGM took place against the backdrop of the Stanley Cup Final of the National Hockey League, between the local Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. Needless to say, Oilers fans were out in force, but sadly there was no fairy tale ending. On June 17, the Panthers clinched their second-consecutive Cup in game six of the best-of-seven series.

As for the comparatively undramatic meetings themselves, the focus was on provincial / territorial collaboration, both amongst regulators and trappers. Regulations were the purview of the Canadian Furbearer Management Committee, made up of government wildlife managers, while updates on the latest developments in humane trapping fell to the FIC's Trap and Research & Development Committee.

The week also featured a long-anticipated and well-overdue meeting of Trappers’ Associations from coast to coast. The meeting was well attended, with the majority of provincial trappers’ associations in Canada in attendance. Stay tuned to Truth About Fur for a future piece centred on this meeting.

"Provincial and territorial governments and trappers associations are essential to guiding the work of the Institute," said FIC Executive Director Doug Chiasson. "It was great to have so many of them represented here in Edmonton, and we look forward to even more attending our next AGM."

Social Events

Day three was given over to socialising, combining an afternoon at Beaverhill Sporting Clays shooting range followed by dinner at Fort Edmonton Park, hosted by the Alberta Trappers Association and Canadian Coyote Company.

As the organisers of any such event will tell you, a little fun and games is an essential part of team-building. And if it involves firearms (no animals were harmed!), a spectacular historical setting, some of the best steak many could remember, listening to a cowboy balladeer beside an open fire, and cheering on the Oilers on a tablet in their victorious Game 4, so much the better!

"The FIC AGM is always a great chance to get together with the FIC membership from across Canada, handle some serious business and have a good time as well,” said FIC Chairman Jason White.

Banquet and Awards

Following the conclusion of the AGM, the FIC hosted a banquet with keynote speaker the Honourable Todd Loewen, Alberta's Minister of Forestry and Parks. As a dedicated trapper and outdoorsman himself, Todd was certainly among friends.

Also present to greet the banquet was another outdoorsman, MP Blaine Calkins. Blaine is currently chair of the Conservative Hunting and Angling Caucus.

Then came the Awards ceremony, with FIC Board member Serge Larivière, of the Cree Hunters Economic Security Board, acting as master of ceremonies. Awards were given to five recipients.

The Neal Jotham Award, sponsored by the Saskatchewan Trappers Association, went to Bryant White, a wildlife biologist and Furbearer Research Program manager with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Bryant's work focuses on coordinating projects involving US state and federal wildlife agencies, especially research related to Best Management Practices for the conservation of furbearers.

SEE ALSO: People of the fur trade: Bryant White. Truth About Fur.

The Jim Bourque Award, sponsored by the International Fur Federation, went to Patricia Dwyer, a director of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. Long a proponent of humane trapping, the career of this Métis resident of northern Alberta has included positions with the Federal and Provincial Committee on Humane Trapping and the Department now known as Crown-Indigenous Relations, and over 20 years of experience as the Chief of Aboriginal Affairs and International Wildlife with the Canadian Wildlife Service.

SEE ALSO: Bringing Indigenous perspective to the future of Canadian Wildlife Federation. Say Magazine, September 2024.

The North American Furbearer Conservation Award went to biologist Dr. Tim L. Hiller, founder and executive director of the Wildlife Ecology Institute in Helena, Montana. Tim also heads a team of editors now undertaking the daunting task of updating the 1,150-page Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America, considered the key reference in its field. Colloquially known as "the bible for furbearer management", the tome has not been updated since it was published in 1987.

The Lloyd Cook Award, sponsored by Fur Harvesters Auction, went to Ross Hinter, Public Liaison and Program Development Coordinator of the Alberta Trappers Association. Together with wife Deborah, Ross also operates North Trapping & Bushcraft, teaching trapping, traditional hide tanning, resolutions to human / wildlife conflicts, and other workshops. Ross has been teaching for more than three decades, throughout Alberta and British Columbia.

SEE ALSO: Alberta trapper Ross Hinter teaches about wildlife habitat. Truth About Fur.

The Fur Institute of Canada Lifetime Achievement Award went to Gordy Klassen. A past president of the Alberta Trappers Association and FIC Board member, Gordy has put his time, effort and money into helping educate trappers about the importance of furbearer management, and has hosted countless meetings at his own homestead.

SEE ALSO: People of the fur trade: Gordy Klassen. Truth About Fur.

Our Sponsors

The FIC would like to thank all the sponsors who were essential in supporting the AGM: our host sponsor, the Government of Alberta; our Gold (Wolverine) Sponsor, the Alberta Trappers Association; our Silver (Wolf) Sponsor, the Canadian Shooting Sports Association; and our Bronze (Lynx) Sponsor, Canadian Coyote Company.

How you feel about the Met Gala – or haute couture in general – says something about you as a person. For example, if you're a designer who thinks it's a good investment to spend a small fortune to have celebrities pose for the cameras in your bespoke designs, the Gala may be for you. But if your wardrobe stretches only to jeans and fake Crocs, maybe not.

To put it another way, is the Gala really "fashion's biggest night", to use a now popular catch phrase of the media? Or is it just a very successful marketing exercise that allows A-listers to play dress-up while someone else foots the bill?

For the jeans-and-Crocs crowd who may be unfamiliar with the Met Gala, it's a fundraiser held each May to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in Manhattan. First held in 1946, since 1995 it has been "curated" by Vogue magazine's editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. Designers currently pay an eye-watering US$75,000 to have famous people – mostly, but not always, from the performing arts – photographed and filmed in their bespoke robes. It generates a ton of money (allegedly far more than the Institute needs) and unrivaled media coverage. In 2023, software company Launchmetrics estimated that it generated nearly double the "media impact value" of the Super Bowl.

It is also very exclusive. Aside from the massive entry fee for designers, both they and celebrities must be invited. Only 650 or so people are thus privileged each year, and walk-ins – no matter how rich or famous you may be – are strictly prohibited.

SEE ALSO: Why the fur trade needs "frivolous" high fashion. Truth About Fur.

"Fashion's Biggest Night"?

First, a confession of sorts. I've been called a "fashion heathen" because, well, I belong firmly in the jeans-and-Crocs crowd. But I also believe strongly in vive la différence, so if you want to dress in ribbons and bows, and douse yourself in a cloud of cologne, we can still be friends!

That said, how do you all feel about the now popular description of the Met Gala as "fashion's biggest night"? Is it deserved? And what's with the blatant unoriginality of all those headline writers?

Women’s Wear Daily introduced this year's Met Gala as “fashion’s biggest night”, deeming it necessary (perhaps with a little embarrassment?) to explain that that's how it's “known in popular culture”. The BBC chose the exact same words, while CNN mixed it up ever so slightly by calling it “fashion’s biggest night out”.

Turn the clock back a year or two, and both Glamour and CBS News called it – you guessed – “fashion’s biggest night”!

And these are only the tip of the iceberg. Just Google "fashion's biggest night" and see what comes up!

Even Wikipedia, not hamstrung by having to write catchy headlines, calls the Gala “the world's most prestigious and glamorous fashion event.”

Is the Gala really such a huge deal for the fashion industry? Do such prestigious events as the fashion weeks of New York, London and Paris have nothing to compare?

What Does a Designer Say?

In search of balance, I asked New Zealand designer Jane Avery whether she shared this gushing enthusiasm.

SEE ALSO: What's it like showing at a major fashion week? Jane Avery finds out. Truth About Fur.

Truth About Fur: Speaking as a designer yourself, does the Met Gala deserve to be called "fashion's biggest night"?

Jane Avery: I’m a fan. The Met Gala is in the same vein as a highly anticipated sports event. There’s been lots of Stanley Cup ice hockey on our TV screen lately [Ed.: Though the Averys live in New Zealand, Jane's husband is Canadian], but this week I got to live stream the Gala while I did my household chores. Talk about another universe! Just as Vogue is the world's premier fashion mag, the Gala is undoubtedly "fashion’s biggest night". And it's much more exciting to someone like me than a Maple Leafs win! 

This year's phenomenal media build-up reflects the interest that many people have, and the exhibition theme of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" was important, timely and absolutely deserving of the world stage.

TAF: That's an unequivocal vote of support. But how about the proceeds? Is the Met Museum’s Costume Institute a worthy cause?

JA: It’s easy to be cynical, but what we're seeing is really a power for good. The Costume Institute is one of the planet's most precious repositories of clothing and fashion history, and it's the collective intention of the many people in the world of haute couture, from bottom to top, marketing executives included, to see it thrive and be preserved. I'd call it a very worthy cause.

Plus we all get to benefit. Anyone can visit the Costume Institute galleries and immerse themselves in the exhibits showing pinnacles of human achievement in clothing design and construction. 

TAF: That's another strong vote of support! So how do you respond to criticism that the Met Gala is "elitist"?

JA: Maybe the label "elitist" is fitting, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We often associate elites with wealthy and powerful people, but they can also refer to people with special skills, and throughout history these two groups have often worked together in their mutual pursuit of excellence. The money and influence of one group enables the other. We call it "patronage", and whether you agree with it or not, the results have often been spectacular. Without the business acumen of Pope Julius II, Michelangelo would never have painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel!

So while it's easy to dub the Met Gala as a mere marketing exercise paid for by clothing brands, it's actually about the pursuit of excellence, and realising this excellence on a global stage requires many resources. What you see on the Gala’s red carpet is the sum total of incredible achievements by scores of very skilled (elite) people, not just the designers. For example, there are ateliers full of skilled seamstresses and embroiderers. If there were no elitism, what would happen to this pursuit of beauty and accomplishment?

TAF: Fair enough, but I'm getting stuck on that entrance fee for designers of $75,000. Isn't it a little excessive?

JA: Of course the Met Gala is a marketing exercise, but for any elite enterprise, a big budget is the norm. Plus, all that money – no matter where it goes – just adds to the mystique. Think sport! For most people, the huge salaries of Super Bowl players and half-time performers, not to mention the cost of advertising, just add to the special appeal.

TAF: OK, I'm sold! Switching tack, one way in which the Met Gala democratises participation is to invite viewers to vote for their favourite creations. What were yours this year?

JA: A fine example, worn by American actor Walton Goggins, was a deconstructed yet immaculately tailored outfit by Thom Browne paying homage to the hidden artisans of fashion. So good. 

Then there was the outfit of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan created by India's preeminent designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee. It's wonderful to see Mukherjee's pursuit of elite excellence and devotion to India’s craft traditions and craftspeople recognised and honoured at the Met Gala.

But my very favourite look this year was the sublime suit worn by racing driver Lewis Hamilton and created by Grace Wales Bonner. It also highlighted the importance of choosing the right models. Not only was Hamilton very involved in the creation of his suit, but his personal story is all about the fundamental pursuit of human excellence.

(Ed.: TAF reminds readers that while Sir Lewis may dress nicely, he is a vegan activist and no friend to the fur trade. Other designers at this year's Met Gala clearly felt differently, as the International Fur Federation reported.)

Kudos Must Be Due Then

So there you have it. For a real designer, who actually knows a cross stitch from a blanket stitch, the Met Gala is unquestionably "fashion's biggest night", and the costumes it produces are "sublime".

As for the designers and organisers – in particular Anna Wintour – who put it all together, kudos must be due for knowing the value of their products. If they didn't, the Gala would not be the huge commercial success it has undeniably become!

And last but not least, here's a message for all you fellow fashion heathens: don't feel bad! Keep right on wearing your jeans and Crocs, confident in the knowledge that we were not all brought into this world to like the same things. Vive la difference!

On April 22-23, the Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal was the venue for the first Première Vision trade fair in Canada, and many representatives of the fur trade turned up to lend their support. While Première Vision Montreal covered all aspects of the fashion trade, the city plays a major role in the country's fur trade, making the presence of these representatives indispensable.

We are particularly appreciative of the efforts of two men who played key roles in positioning fur prominently in this iconic fair's first visit to Canada: Mathieu St-Arnaud Lavoie, Executive Director of Mmode and Montreal Fashion Week, and Mitch Fazekas, proprietor of local furrier Mitchie’s Matchings.

Strong support also came from other representatives of the fur trade, notably the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC), Canadian Seal Products, Canada Mink Breeders Association (CMBA), Saga Furs, Natural Furs International / FURB upcycled, Créations Gama, and Écofaune boréale.

SEE ALSO: Fashion students pumped at Montreal Fur Rendezvous. Truth About Fur.

So What Is Première Vision?

Première Vision was founded in 1973 in Lyon, France, by a group of professionals from the silk industry, for which the city has long been renowned. Still headquartered in Lyon today, it is now wholly owned by GL events.

It approaches an event by first identifying a sector of the fashion trade. This is typically geographical – Première Vision Paris is its main event, but it has also hosted Made In France Première Vision, Première Vision New York, and now Première Vision Montreal. Alternatively, it may focus on other aspects, such as Denim Première Vision and Blossom Première Vision, the latter being dedicated to pre-collections of high-end, luxury and creative fashion brands.

It then takes a holistic approach to meet the needs of every player in that sector, promoting collaboration while facilitating the creation of cutting-edge fashion collections. This involves bringing suppliers, designers, creatives and other industry professionals together under one roof, while highlighting the latest trends in colours, fabrics and innovative solutions.

"I'd Call That a Success!"

One of the fair's many happy participants was Rob Bollert, Vice President of the CMBA.

"We had a steady flow of traffic to our booth, enabling us to showcase the high standards of animal care on Canadian mink farms – a reality that is widely misrepresented by anti-fur activists," he said. "We also explained our robust welfare assurance program, Certifur. I'd call that a success!"

"In particular, we had a lot of visits from students at local fashion schools who had come to attend the fair's impressive range of seminars," he continued. "As one would expect, given the current fashion trend, many were intrigued with vintage furs. That's not strictly our line of business, but it did allow us to showcase the longevity and sustainability of our product."

Panel Discussion

Also offered at the Montreal fair were two days of seminars and panel discussions in English and French – 24 in all – covering such diverse topics as "Financing fashion: Grants and opportunities for Quebec designers" and "Fashion weeks: A launchpad for designers and the industry".

Of particular interest to fur fans was a panel discussion entitled "Fur: A new day for a traditional fabric". Moderator Marine Savard of Mmode was joined by Julio Suarez Christiansen of Saga Furs, Christina Nacos of Natural Furs International and FURB upcycled, and Gabrielle Mailhot-Côté of Créations Gama.

The panel explored the recent resurgence in fur's popularity as manufacturers, retailers and consumers increasingly recognise it as a sustainable choice.

This March, veteran Ontario mink farmer Kirk Rankin was honoured by the Stratford Perth Museum with the addition of his name to its Agricultural Wall of Fame. Launched in 2014, the Wall honours individuals from Perth County who have made outstanding contributions to local agriculture.

Kirk and family have been raising mink near the town of St. Marys, southwestern Ontario, since his grandfather, Dow, began the business in 1937. Then a cheese-maker with an eye for the next opportunity, Dow Rankin saw his cousin farming mink and decided to follow suit. Starting with just three breeding females, by the time Dow's son, Jim, returned from college in 1949, he had grown the herd to 40 females. In time, Jim took over the reins with his best friend, William Bradley, and incorporated the farm in 1965. R.B.R. Fur Farms is named for two Rankins, Dow and Jim, and a B for William.

Then along came Jim's son, Kirk Rankin, who at first pursued a career in forestry, but later opted to make a life with future wife Judith on the family farm.

Nowadays, Kirk and Judith run R.B.R. Fur Farms with sons Jamie and Curtis, and nephew Steve. That's four generations!

At the farm’s busiest in the mid-2000s, it raised the kits of over 4,000 breeding females.

SEE ALSO: A year on a mink farm. Part 1: Breeding. Truth About Fur.

Leadership Roles

During all this time, Kirk has filled several leadership roles, mostly in the mink-farming industry but also in the wider agricultural sector.

His first leadership role was as President of the St. Marys Mink Breeders Association, an organisation he had joined while still in high school.

He then served as President of the Ontario Fur Breeders Association.

From 1994 to 2020, he was also a Director of the Perth County Federation of Agriculture, where he advocated on land use planning issues and the importance of agriculture in developing policies.

And from 2004 until 2018, he was a board member of the Canada Mink Breeders Association, where he served as President from 2013 to 2015. Among the several committees he chaired was one responsible for revising the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Mink.

This is not the first time the Rankin family have been honoured for their contributions to agriculture. For example, in 2014 they were featured for the month of February in the annual Faces of Farming calendar produced by Farm & Food Care Ontario.

And in 2018, R.B.R. Fur Farms received a BMO Ontario Farm Family Award for its outstanding contributions to Ontario's agricultural sector and rural way of life.

Animal Activists

Kirk is also known for his outspoken views on animal activist raids on livestock farmers.

In July 2015, activists released 6,800 mink from his farm, at a time when the majority were kits and the herd totalled about 26,000. Just the previous May, activists had raided another local mink farm.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and some people don’t want us to raise the animals for their fur," he said at the time, "but basically we take a lot of human waste that people choose not to eat and turn it into a very luxurious, good-looking, warm product.”

“So, I don’t agree with them at all that what we are doing is wrong. I agree that everybody certainly has their opinion and if you don’t want to wear fur, then you are entitled to not wear fur.”

“Everybody gets their own opinion, but some people believe that they have the power, and I totally disagree with them, to break the law and do things to people who are in the fur business. So, if they maybe looked into it, they would understand what we do and why we do it. If they still don’t want to wear fur, that is their right in our country.”

Thankfully, raids on mink farms by animal activists are far rarer now than they once were, so we're hoping Kirk can enjoy his twilight years in peace.

Few countries are as closely associated with one animal as Canada is with the North American beaver. Unsurprisingly, therefore, Castor canadensis is Canada's national animal, a status it has officially held for 50 years. On March 24, 1975, the National Symbol of Canada Act received royal assent, recognising the beaver as "a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada".

Most Canadians support this choice of national symbol because they recognise the key role played by the beaver in the country's history, but our love of the animal is not universal.

On the plus side, this herbivorous, semi-aquatic rodent is found in every province and territory of the country, so at least it lives here. In contrast, some countries pay homage to animals that are extremely rare, or even non-existent in the wild, like England's lion!

In a comical way, it's also cute – like a buck-toothed, plump gent with stubby legs and a tail like a washboard that it sits on! (If it had a hairless whip of a tail like a rat, would you still love it?)

And by no means least, in an age when the topic of climate change is on everyone's lips, the beaver is lauded by scientists as "nature's engineer" for building dams and canals that slow runoff in drought-prone regions.

There is a downside, though. As detractors are quick to point out, beavers also destroy culverts and stands of trees, and cause flooding.

SEE ALSO: The dam, the myth, the legend: 50 years of the beaver. Canadian Geographic, March 4, 2025.

Since Prehistoric Times

Of course, recognition of the important role played by beavers in Canada's history began long ago; in 1975 it was just made official.

Beavers almost certainly helped clothe and feed North America's first human inhabitants, at least 14,000 years ago. What is certain is that in the millennia that followed, Indigenous peoples made good use of beaver fur, bones, meat, and castoreum, a substance secreted by glands that makes excellent bait for carnivores. As evidence of this cultural and economic importance, beavers have always featured prominently on totem poles of the Pacific Northwest.

Above all, though, the beaver is recognised today as the driver behind the westward expansion of European fur traders, without whom the country we know today might look very different. In the 16th century, beaver pelts were already extremely popular in Europe for making waterproof felt hats, robes and winter coats. But as Eurasian beaver numbers dried up, swarms of French and later British adventurers came to what would become Canada, where beavers were still plentiful. These people traded with locals for beaver pelts, usually peacefully – marriage frequently helped seal a business relationship – but sometimes less peacefully. Just the name Beaver Wars, fought in the 17th century between the Iroquois Confederacy and various other First Nations, often with French colonial forces, says it all.

Up until the mid-1800s, then, the fur trade was the backbone of this colonial economy, while discerning European gentlemen still sought out beaver top hats rather than those made of silk "hatter's plush", which by then dominated the market.

From Stamps to Mascots

It was in this period that the beaver firmly established itself as a symbol in heraldic achievements (commonly but erroneously called coats of arms), including in that of the Hudson's Bay Company. On receiving its royal charter in 1670, Canada's oldest corporation made its founders wealthy through trading, mainly for fur, and in particular beaver fur.

Over time, the beaver has lent its image or name to a diverse range of causes, for example:

1833: Though it has changed over time, the coat of arms of Montreal has always featured a beaver;
1851: The Province of Canada issued what is considered to be the country's first postage stamp, the “Threepenny Beaver”;
1857: Since this date, the University of Toronto coat of arms has included one or two beavers;
1886: Canadian Pacific Railway began using a logo of a beaver atop a shield. The beaver was chosen to honour key investor Donald Smith, who was also a former governor of Hudson's Bay Company;
1937: Through the reigns of three British monarchs, the beaver has appeared on the reverse of Canada's 5-cent "nickel" coin;
1948: de Havilland Canada introduced a single-engined bush plane, the DHC-2 Beaver;
1966: Since its founding, the arms of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada have featured a beaver;
1976: Amik the beaver was selected as the official mascot of the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal. "Amik" is Algonquin for "beaver";
1992: The coat of arms of Manitoba was augmented with the addition of a beaver crest.

And as if this were not enough, Canadians celebrate National Beaver Day on the last Friday of every February. Given the animal's reputation for industriousness, it's fitting that this is not a holiday, but a chance for us all to be extra "busy beavers"!

SEE ALSO: Abundant furbearers: An environmental success story. Truth About Fur.

Are you an artisan designer from a remote region, creating stunning fur fashion but still wondering how to break into the "big time"? Maybe you can learn from the experience of Jane Avery, a designer from New Zealand's South Island, who recently crossed the world to show her wares on a catwalk in Vancouver.

Truth About Fur: You launched the Lapin label in 2017, combining exotic fabrics with the fur of invasive wild rabbits, responsible for tremendous ecological damage in New Zealand. Your garments are spectacular and your environmental message is strong, so last November you accepted a longstanding invitation to show your wares on the other side of the planet. Is the New Zealand market too limiting for you? Is the urge to go international just irresistible? And aren't there other major fashion weeks closer to home than Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW)?

SEE ALSO: New Zealand designer embraces wild rabbit "eco-fur". Truth About Fur.

Jane Avery: Ever since I started Lapin, my intention was to “go international”. New Zealanders are notorious for wanting to leave our islands and seek their fortune in the big blue yonder. It’s part of our national character as isolated Antipodeans. So in the eyes of my fellow Kiwis, it’s certainly good for Lapin to earn kudos as an “international adventurer”. This is where I make my living after all, and we love it when a plucky compatriot takes a New Zealand story to the world.   

New Zealand keeps me plenty busy fulfilling client work, but I am curious to know whether Lapin can succeed beyond these shores. And the Northern Hemisphere is the obvious choice for anyone in fur fashion.

There's a traditional appreciation of fur in northern countries, both cultural and because some can be so cold. In contrast, the majority of New Zealand’s fashion audience is in the sub-tropical North Island in cities like Auckland. Given the warmer climate, people there may like my work but they don’t necessarily see it as relevant to their wardrobes. I guess Australia's Melbourne Fashion Week might be a future aspiration for me, as it gets cold enough there in winter.

As for being drawn by the dream of hitting the big time, I think my coats and jackets would look wonderful on red carpets and certain global celebrities.

TAF: Canada certainly has a strong fur tradition, but was there anything in particular that drew you to Vancouver?

JA: It attracted me for a few reasons, both personal and professional.

On a personal level, Vancouver was my husband's home during his tertiary education, so it’s a familiar haunt and we have good friends to stay with.

From a fashion perspective, I considered both the city and the fashion show. At first glance, the city's style may seem to be dominated by puffer jackets and camel overcoats, but there’s also a quiet yet definitive fashion presence there – an "if you know, you know" kind of vibe.

As for the show itself, since VFW was founded in 2001, it has grown to become the second-largest fashion week in North America, after New York.

It provides a platform for designers to show their wares both to a local audience and also, thanks to the digital age, international fashion-watchers too. It does a great job of distributing images to a plethora of fashion-related businesses, including other shows, PR companies, buyers and stylists – everyone with their eyes peeled for potential talent.

TAF: You actually launched Lapin at a smaller fashion week in New Zealand's Dunedin, so VFW was not your first. During the seven years between Dunedin and Vancouver, how did you keep moving forward?

JA: iD Dunedin Fashion Week is an excellent platform for emerging designers in its own right, for getting noticed in our part of the world and also further afield thanks to the Internet. I was spotted, and in the weeks that followed, I received several offers to show by, among others, VFW.

But even though these offers intrigued me, I held them at arm's length. Showing at an international fashion week, no matter how close to home, is a big investment, especially for a new business. It was important for me to establish Lapin within New Zealand first, and eye the big wide world from afar for a while.

Also bear in mind that slow fashion is slow, and I’m only one pair of hands. It would be quite impossible for me to show a new collection every year or even every two years. I struggle with the reality of not being able to realise all of my fabulous ideas in a more timely manner. But hey, I am extremely privileged to be able to work independently in my chosen field, and satisfy the desires of clients paying for my work. It’s amazing really.

So I kept busy, for example producing my own show in 2018, also in Dunedin, in collaboration with a local jewellery designer. And in 2019 I hosted a workshop at my studio. Then came Covid and the years of "pivoting" happened. I supplemented my Lapin work with vintage fur up-cycling and cultivating clients for possum fur decor. Then in 2022 and 2023 we had major family issues, which meant Lapin couldn't take centre stage.

SEE ALSO: Recycling vintage fur New Zealand style. Truth About Fur.

TAF: And then in 2024 came VFW, which must have been a change of pace. What were you hoping to gain from the experience?

JA: When I committed to VFW, I felt like I was putting my dreams and schemes back on track.

Aside from gaining general fashion week experience, my primary objective was securing imagery. I knew that VFW puts out a high-end product devoted to showcasing designers well, so I was sure to come away with good photos and video of my work being worn by professional models on a well-lit, well-attended runway. And I’m pleased with the result. I now have plenty of good stuff for my various publicity avenues, and it'll keep the social media beast fed for a while.

Also, as I hoped, I’ve had a few more invitations to fashion weeks plus enquiries from big city PR companies.

So I’m happy Lapin is being noticed outside of New Zealand, and I now have the confidence to  show anywhere in the world.

TAF: You mentioned the importance these days of digital technologies in getting exposure for designers. Did VFW have any surprises for you?

JA: A big revelation for me was the sheer speed at which fashion images get out now, and viewers react. The posting of photos on Instagram was so fast and furious, it took me days to unravel the likes, shares and message requests!

There were some thrilling surprises too. Digital fashion platforms that featured my looks included Vogue Italia and Vogue México! Imagine seeing my brand on the same page as the “V” word!

I also dipped my toe into the world of fashion influencers and digital creators. I made a genuine connection with a fashion-forward lass from Vancouver Island, Josie Amanda Boulding. She was sitting front row for the Lapin show, and posted the next day how my presentation made her think about fur differently. At New York Fashion Week this February, Josie will be there wearing her Lapin "Incognito" jacket. An "advance guard", I call her!

TAF: How about sales? Did you manage to make any while in Vancouver?

JA: I tried, but it was harder than I thought.

As an artisan designer making bespoke pieces, it’s never been my plan to court major store or boutique buyers. Instead I aim to present to fashionable individuals looking for something exceptional. Still, I thought I stood a fair chance of making some sales while in the city.

But it's difficult for a small brand all the way from New Zealand to generate local media attention, and while VFW profiles the season’s designers on its website and social media, and issues press releases, there’s no venue for displaying wares other than at the catwalk show.

So instead, I arranged private appointments in a hotel suite for interested people to try and buy. But there was minimal uptake. That was all part of the learning experience, I guess!

TAF: So overall, was VFW a positive outing for you? Would you advise other artisans dreaming of the big time to aim for a major fashion week too?

JA: Doing VFW was a big deal for me and I hope it was worth the effort, but quite frankly, I don't know yet. I've had my work recognised, and once again I've been able to tell people the environmental story behind Lapin. But whether major fashion weeks are an important promotional tool for designers like me, there are people far more qualified than I am to answer that. So I’m still in "wait and see" mode.

There are undoubtedly some positive takeaways, like all the professional photos and video you get of your work, that you can use as you see fit, and that appear in online fashion publications.

A word of caution though: if you're looking to get noticed in a world flooded with fashion images, be ready to invest a considerable amount of coin up front. Following up on just one of these invitations to show can cost a lot of money, so small businesses like mine can't say "yes" to all of them. Make good decisions and keep it real!

TAF: So what does the future hold?

JA: I hope I can take Lapin to an international stage again in the future, be that another fashion week, a trade show, or some fantastic opportunity that hasn’t yet presented. But for now, it's back to the work table, and hopefully I can find time to make a few new Lapin pieces.

Lapin’s next outing is in March at the Wānaka A&P Show – real feet-on-the-ground grassroots kind of stuff.  I’ll have a small marquee in a field along with tractors and agricultural produce, displaying Lapin wares and promoting my services with a sign saying "Vintage Fur Clinic".  I’ll be inviting locals to bring along their old furs for a chat about upcycling possibilities. But make no mistake – it's not a backward step. Folk in the lower South Island are very sophisticated. It’s great down here, and the rest of the world should know it!

Meanwhile, I’ll keep asking the universe for a famous somebody to fall in love with my coats and wear one to a sparkling event!

Did you know that the province of Quebec has a thriving trapping group whose members are all women? While it's true that the trapping world is dominated by men, every other trapping organisation opens its doors to male and female trappers alike, so why bother? Truth About Fur spoke to the founder of this unique group, Cathy Naud, to find out.

Truth About Fur: You started Trappeuses du Québec in 2020. What inspired you, and does it meet a real need?

Cathy Naud: Women-only communities are nothing new, and their aim is not to segregate women from men. They're about creating environments in which women can shine, grow, and contribute to fields traditionally dominated by men.

So when I launched Trappeuses du Québec, we already had women-only groups for hunting and fishing, but female trappers had been overlooked.

We offer a safe environment for women to empower themselves, and the fact that we already have over 1,500 members clearly indicates the demand was there.

TAF: You say you offer a "safe environment" for women as if mixed-gender groups are somehow unsafe. What do you mean?

CN: By a "safe environment" I mean one where women can express themselves freely without fear of judgment. This builds their pride and confidence, and encourages them to share their expertise.

Of course we work with mixed-gender organisations all the time, and have received strong support from the Fédération des Trappeurs Gestionnaires du Québec and trapping businesses. But the reality is that mixed-gender groups, especially online, can be unwelcoming to women.

Some men are still dismissive of our skills as trappers and struggle to accept that we can trap as well as they do.

For example, sometimes a woman asks a genuine question, only for a man to give an unhelpful or mocking response. Or she'll ask a novice question and be ridiculed. Or she might recount her success in trapping a more challenging species, only to be met with surprise or even disbelief.

Of course, we must also deal with inappropriate comments like "nice beaver".

TAF: So how does your group ensure women have a more positive experience?

CN: We have several unofficial rules that I go through during the interview process. For example, every question deserves a respectful and thoughtful answer. Experienced trappers are expected to be generous with their time in mentoring beginners, and they are.

We also encourage members to share their successes, learn from their mistakes, and grow – all without fear of judgment or hostility.

TAF: In general terms, who are your members?

CN: We are more than just a group of individuals; we are a network where women help one another, celebrate their shared passion, and contribute to ethical and sustainable practices. From beginners to seasoned trappers, every member plays a role in fostering a welcoming and supportive atmosphere.

We come from all over the province, are from diverse backgrounds, and have different skill levels. Most of us speak French – the language of our website and social media – but it's not a requirement, and thanks to artificial intelligence, online translating is easier than ever before!

TAF: More specifically, how are your members involved in trapping?

CN: A significant portion are part-time hobbyists who trap to connect with nature, practice traditional skills, and harvest materials ethically. Many of these are also passionate about hunting and fishing.

But we also have several professionals engaged in nuisance animal control or managing wildlife populations for parks or municipalities.

And then we have artisans and craftswomen who work with fur, bones, and even beaver tail leather. They create beautiful, handcrafted items that honour the animals they harvest.

TAF: So aside from emphasizing respect and support for one another, are there areas where female trappers can teach men a thing or two?

CN: Women bring a distinct approach to trapping that often emphasizes patience and precision, and respect for animals and the environment.

Women tend to be more meticulous and careful than men when preparing animals they have harvested. For example, they may take more time skinning them to avoid damaging the hide. Men, in contrast, may prioritize speed and quantity over quality, which is more likely to lead to mistakes.

Women also tend to be more empathetic and ethical towards the animals they trap. They may spend extra time to ensure their traps are set perfectly to minimize harm to an animal and maximize efficiency. Again, some men prioritize speed and quantity.

And female trappers tend to share more and compete less than their male peers. They are more likely to ask questions, seek advice and collaborate, which can lead to a stronger sense of community.

Another important difference is our physical strength. Many women face challenges with trapping tools, and would like to see more of them designed specifically for us. For example, one member is currently developing an easier-to-use clamp for activating Conibear 330 traps.

TAF: It sounds like the differences between male and female trappers are the same as between men and women in general. Indeed, most men would agree that women are nicer, or at the very least are less likely to start wars! Is this an accurate assessment?

CN: That's correct. Women tend to be more patient, more empathetic, less competitive, and of course physically weaker than men. Trappeuses du Québec understands these differences, and seeks to provide a supportive environment in which women can feel empowered in their journeys as trappers.

After decades of leadership from the Fur Council of Canada, the "downstream" sectors of Canada's fur trade will once again have full representation following the absorption of the FCC by the expanding Fur Institute of Canada (FIC).

Both national associations always had members from all sectors of the trade, but each had its strengths.

The FCC, founded in 1964, had a downstream focus, working on trade issues, marketing and promotion, and producing educational materials for consumers and schools. The FIC, meanwhile, was launched in 1983 to administer Canada’s world-leading trap research and development program, and became the national forum for a wide range of trapping issues, notably implementation of the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS).

Together with the Canada Mink Breeders Association, these three national associations provided strong leadership for the Canadian trade.

Fur Council's Heyday

“The Fur Council of Canada was one of the most productive and creative fur associations in the world,” recalls Alan Herscovici, who was raised in the Montreal fur manufacturing sector, and served as the FCC’s executive vice-president for two decades. “In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Fur Council produced major fur advertising campaigns, including billboards, and multi-page spreads in Vogue and other leading fashion publications."

“We also had programs to assist retailers in modernizing their stores, and engaged top fashion and marketing experts to help manufacturers to innovate and open new markets. We coordinated design competitions to encourage fashion students to work with fur. Not least important, the FCC was a leader in promoting the fur trade’s environmental and ethical messages, with printed materials for retailers, billboard campaigns, videos, and websites like Furisgreen.com and TruthAboutFur.com.”

Through the Canadian Fur Trade Development Institute, its manufacturer/wholesaler arm, the FCC also organized the North American Fur & Fashion Exposition in Montreal (NAFFEM), from 1986 until 2013.

But with the contraction of fur manufacturing and retailing over the past decade, it became increasingly difficult to maintain multiple associations. Several years ago, the FCC closed its Montreal office, and its administration was taken over by the FIC.

Merger with Fur Institute Formalized

SEE ALSO: Dilan and Emmy: Young Québecois furriers join forces. Truth About Fur.

Earlier this year, the merger was formalized. “Several wholesalers, retailers and other downstream operators who were former FCC members have now joined the FIC, and were invited to our annual meeting in Newfoundland last June,” says FIC Executive Director Doug Chiasson.

“Our objective these days is for our membership to represent all stakeholders in the fur trade because of the synergies this can bring," says Chiasson. "So bringing downstream operators under our umbrella is a major step in this direction. If we can help retailers and wholesalers to sell more fur products, that supports prices for primary producers and everyone through the entire supply chain, including auctions, processors, and brokers.”

Now several of the FIC's new members are in the process of setting up a committee to support fur product promotion and marketing, among them former FCC vice-president Christina Nacos of Natural Furs International.

“There’s no magic bullet that will solve all the industry’s problems," says Nacos, "but working together from within the Fur Institute is a cost-effective way to leverage our strengths. With the new committee being set up, it’s important now that as many designers, artisans, wholesalers and retailers as possible become FIC members, so we can really give this our best shot!”

Canadian retailers and wholesalers – and other downstream members -- who have not yet done so are invited to contact FIC Executive Director Doug Chiasson, at [email protected].

Now available on the web are a new series of instructional videos showing trappers how to avoid accidental catches of non-target species, and what to do if they occur.

Trapping associations take this matter very seriously, for a few important reasons. Among these, catching the wrong species can be wasteful, or could interfere with conservation efforts. It also poses an existential threat to the future of trapping: when a pet dog is accidentally caught, anti-trapping campaigners use this as ammunition to call for an end to all trapping.

SEE ALSO: When pet dogs are accidentally trapped, why are media reports so unbalanced? Truth About Fur.

Eight original videos have been produced in French by the Fédération des Trappeurs Gestionnaires du Québec (FTGQ), with the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC) then dubbing on English translations. The websites of both organisations are showing the French versions, while FIC is also showing the English versions. The role of host in all the videos is played by trapping instructor and FTGQ managing director Gaétan Fournier.

The videos cover strategies for avoiding accidental catches in restraining traps, killing traps and snares. They also cover a range of animals, including semi-aquatic furbearers (muskrat, otter and mink), birds of prey, cervids (moose, deer, elk and caribou), and domestic animals (mainly pet dogs).

No fewer than three of the videos focus on pet dogs, including one that deals exclusively with what dog-walkers and trappers should do if a dog is accidentally caught.

"No trapper wants to catch a pet dog," explains Pierre Canac-Marquis, Coordinator of the Canadian Trap Research and Certification Program, who collaborated on the project along with fellow FIC member Ryan Sealy, a trapping instructor in Yukon. "Indeed, most of us have dogs of our own, so we understand the grief a family goes through when they lose their pet."

"But the reality is that on those rare occasions that a dog is accidentally caught in a trap, anti-trapping campaigners seize the opportunity to present all trapping in a bad light."

"For this reason in particular, trappers must strive to eliminate accidental catches of dogs. The future of trapping, with all the benefits it brings for conservation and communities, could depend on it."

SEE ALSO: Reasons we trap. Truth About Fur.

The current crop of reality TV shows suggests that not only are many North Americans interested in living closer to nature, they actually crave it. This should bode well for the future of all outdoor activities that involve the taking of animal life, including fur trapping.

This is not a new idea, at least not for me. A decade ago I wrote a piece entitled "Mountain men wannabes: Allies of the fur trade", asking whether we were doing enough to tap into a large base of reality TV fans interested in getting their hands dirty in the great outdoors.

What I wasn't sure of was how many other people were thinking the same thing.

And then I read a July 29 article entitled "Interest in trapping doubles in five years". Town and Country Today had interviewed Alberta Trappers Association president Bill Abercrombie, and one of his comments caught my eye:

"I’d say definitely there is some increased popularity and interest from reality TV shows," said Abercrombie, "but most of all I think because trappers have many skills based on self-sufficiency, sustainable living on the land and bushcraft knowledge."

Agreed, reality TV shows don't deserve all the credit, or maybe even a large part of it. Above all, people's interest in "sustainable living on the land" is growing because of our hugely improved awareness of issues like climate change, pollution, and habitat loss.

SEE ALSO: As society’s grasp of sustainability improves, is fur making a comeback? Truth About Fur.

Still, reality TV is playing a role in all this, whether it's because producers are setting trends or pandering to those that already exist. It's also vindicating for me to hear someone else actually say it!

Swamp People

A major exploiter of this genre is the History Channel, though there are several others.

For an impressive 15 seasons, History's Swamp People has been shooting Louisiana alligators in the head, while dispensing tidbits of advice on family values, protecting communities, and occasionally wildlife management. The show is also now on its third spinoff series, Swamp People: Serpent Invasion, in which cast members bag giant Burmese pythons in the Everglades. A lot of the action is surely staged, but the conservation message about invasive pythons is very real.

Then there's Mountain Men, now in its 12th season, that teaches viewers to chase mountain lions with dogs, haul logs, roast squirrels, and grow shaggy beards.

And for 11 seasons, the survival series Alone has taught us how to fish with thorns, trap rabbits, shoot grouse with a homemade bow and arrow, and build an earth shelter.

Sanitised Killing

An important part of these shows is that they don't – can't – dodge the fact that killing animals is an intrinsic part of whatever lifestyle they are promoting.

Sure, the actual killing process is sanitised (i.e., not shown), but it takes little imagination to guess what happens off-camera.

Thus in Swamp People, we never actually see a gator take a bullet in the skull, but we do see a rifle muzzle being discharged while someone yells "Choot it!"

In Mountain Men and Alone, we know the wounded rabbit or grouse had its neck wrung, though we are spared the sight.

Serpent Invasion is more ambiguous. Pythons are caught live and by hand, then thrown in sacks, so sensitive viewers can kid themselves they end up in pet stores or zoos. But local law says they are actually dispatched on site by a trained professional, usually with a captive bolt pistol.

History Channel even gives us scenes of butchery, albeit minus the blood and in an unlikely setting. On its hugely popular reality show Forged in Fire, newly crafted blades are often tested for sharpness and strength on bled-out pig carcasses, salmon and ram skulls.

PETA and Friends Silent

Against this backdrop of animal slaughter and butchery, the silence of animal rights groups has been remarkable.

It's tempting to trot out an old argument that since most people hate crocodilians and snakes (and spiders) anyway, campaigning for their rights would be a lost cause. But that doesn't quite hold water given that PETA et al. are now fighting hard to ban "exotic skins" from croc and python farms.

Another old argument that no longer works is that you don't protest against leather at a Hell's Angel rally. Sure, gator hunters tend to be large and survivalists are ridiculously healthy, but in this age of remote protesting afforded by the Internet, the chances of them gutting and skewering you are zero.

My explanation is far more positive.

Commercial TV executives, and the bodies that regulate what programs can show, are all about giving us what we want – with obvious exceptions. And that means that a group of people sat down somewhere and discussed topics like:

• Is it ok to show alligators being shot in the head?

• Is it ok to show rabbits being trapped or grouse being shot with an arrow?

• Is it ok to show pig carcasses being cut to pieces?

Obviously regulators approved all these, with conditions, suggesting that showing such scenes has been judged beneficial – educational even – to society as a whole.

If my logic is sound, it tells me two things.

First of all, it tells me that the majority of North Americans accept the killing of animals as part and parcel of living close to nature.

And second, it underscores that the targeting by animal rights groups of wild fur trappers is arbitrary and therefore unjust. We need to stress this in our public relations.

If the North American public are ready for scenes of gators being shot in the head, rabbits being trapped, and pig carcasses being cut to ribbons, it's also ready for scenes of fur trappers at work.

And before you say it, many furbearers also make extremely good eating.

On June 21-22, the Fur Institute of Canada held its Annual General Meeting in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, and presented three awards honouring lifelong contributions to animal welfare and conservation of furbearers.

The awards vary from year to year, with this year's presentations being the Neal Jotham Award, the North American Furbearer Conservation Award, and the Lloyd Cook Award. .

SEE ALSO: Lifelong contributions honoured at 2023 Fur Institute awards. Truth About Fur.

Neal Jotham Award

First presented by the FIC in 2014, the Neal Jotham Award recognises its late namesake's contributions to animal welfare, and in particular his leadership in creating international standards for humane trapping systems.

SEE ALSO: RIP Neal Jotham: A Life Dedicated to Humane Trapping. Truth About Fur.

Sponsored by the Saskatchewan Trappers Association, this year's award went to Ross White, a prominent figure in the wild fur trade for many years.

White is a long-time active member of the Trappers Association of Nova Scotia, including serving on its Board. Above all, he is known as a tireless advocate for trapper education and engagement, and for introducing the next generation to trapping.

White played a key role behind the scenes in negotiations in the mid-1990s on the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS). Though officially an inter-governmental process involving Canada, the US, the EU and Russia, Canada's negotiating team recognized the value of accessing the best available knowledge that only trappers could provide. White was key in making sure trapping associations provided the funding needed to enable Howard Noseworthy (see below) to stay in Brussels to support and advise North American negotiators.

Said FIC Board member Mike O'Brien in his presentation speech, "He ‘got’ the changing world that trappers are working within and the need for trapping practices and trapper education to develop and evolve to respond to the changing world. He understood fully the importance of improving trapping practices and trapper knowledge and skills, and of achieving inherent acceptable levels of animal welfare as critical to maintaining the social licence to trap and sustainably harvest wildlife."

North American Furbearer Conservation Award

The North American Furbearer Conservation Award, initiated by North American Fur Auctions and continued by the FIC, recognises individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions in the sustainable management of furbearers. This year’s award went to Newfoundland native Howard Noseworthy.

In 1981, Noseworthy became President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Trappers Association, overseeing the province's implementation of a mandatory trapper education program. Upon stepping down as President, he assumed the role of Trapper Education Coordinator.

From 1992-97, he served on several joint Canada-US delegations to the EU, meeting with parliamentarians and bureaucrats to explain North America's trapping regime and model of wildlife conservation, and the need for the AIHTS. Concurrently, he was a member of the Canadian Advisory Committee to ISO TC 191 on the development of humane trapping standards, eventually leading to the trap-testing standard that now underpins the AIHTS.

As a resource person to the Canadian delegation negotiating the AIHTS, Noseworthy was described by Don Maclauchlan, then with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, as "a rock – a reliable and steadfast fountain of insightful and accurate information that we so desperately needed."

During the same period, Noseworthy also facilitated the union of the Canadian Trappers Federation and Trappers Alliance into the Canadian National Trappers Alliance, serving as President until 1997.

From 1997 until 2008, Noseworthy served as General Manager of the Ontario Fur Managers Federation, which took on many of the former roles of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, including trapper licencing and education.

In 2008, Noseworthy moved to Fur Harvesters Auction, still in Ontario, as Director of Planning & Development, a position he holds to this day. At the FHA, he has overseen efforts to promote wild fur internationally, including playing a major role in the development of the North American Wild Fur Certification protocol which acts as the basis for audits of wild fur certified under the International Fur Federation's Furmark program.

Said Nova Scotia trapper Ross White of Noseworthy, "This man has the ability to take a big problem and reduce it with just a few words. He is thoughtful, respectful and forward-thinking. ... Having this man, as intelligent as he is, representing the fur industry is a big plus when things have to move forward."

Lloyd Cook Award

First presented by the FIC in 1993, the Lloyd Cook Award recognises the commitment of its late namesake to excellence in trapping, trapper education, and public understanding of wildlife management. Among the posts held by Cook in his lifetime were President of the Canadian Trappers Federation and of the Ontario Trappers Association, forerunner of today’s Ontario Fur Managers Federation.

Sponsored by Fur Harvesters Auction, this year’s award went to Frank Phillips, who unfortunately was unable to attend our AGM.

In the 1980s, Phillips was instrumental in starting trapper education within the Wildlife Department in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. He adapted the Ontario trapper education course for use in Newfoundland and Labrador, and also authored the province's version of the manual.

He also conducted trapper education and pelt-handling courses throughout Labrador, often traveling by snowmobile. Among his teachings were how trappers could get better prices for pelts by dealing directly with their provincial trappers association, and the importance of switching from traditional leghold traps to more efficient and humane traps, such as conibears.