Animal rightists have been badgering the UK government to ban the fur retail trade for years, and with their country now out of the EU and no longer bound by its laws, the government is seriously considering giving them what they want. Such a precedent would give a major boost to animal rights activists lobbying for similar restrictions in other European countries, and even the US and Canada. So while the UK may not be a major consumer market, it is imperative that anyone who supports the responsible use of animals should now take action to ensure that a UK fur-sales ban doesn't happen.

Of course, it's easy to feel jaded when it comes to the UK, and even write it off as a lost cause. After all, despite a long and noble history of championing responsible animal welfare, this tiny island is now a breeding ground for virulent animal rightists, right up there with California. Plus, few British people wear fur anyway, so does it really matter?

The answer is yes, it matters. Courtesy of its language, its history, the Beatles, and a host of other factors, the UK's influence on global trends is unquestionably profound. If the British decide to ban fur retail sales, animal rights campaigners will surely hold it up as a model for other countries – and their legions of Anglophiles – to follow.

The danger is especially evident when we consider who now has the ear of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. On May 29, he married Carrie Symonds. Who is Ms. Symonds? Well, for one thing she believes that "Anyone that wants to buy fur really is sick." She was also PETA UK's 2020 Person of the Year. And she's sleeping with the PM...

DEFRA Questionnaire

Now for the "good" news. Rather than just diving in head first with a ban, the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is testing the water thoroughly first. This it is doing by inviting everyone – including foreigners – to partake in a "call for evidence", with a deadline of June 28. The process is easy too: just click on DEFRA's online questionnaire and let your voice be heard. And as an added bonus, it will send you a link to download a PDF of your responses once you're done.

(Note: Don't be confused by the questionnaire's reference to Great Britain, rather than the UK. GB refers to England, Scotland and Wales, as the other UK member, Northern Ireland, remains in the EU Customs Union and will be unaffected by a ban.)

The questionnaire is also refreshingly different from previous polls on the fur trade. Rather than asking how we feel about fur, with multiple choices ranging from "Strongly approve" to "Strongly disapprove", almost all the 39 questions are looking for solid information. And there's something for everyone, so ignore the ones that don't apply, and let rip on the others.

Something for Everyone

Question 11, for example, is for ranting, if you so choose. "What is your attitude towards the import and/or sale and/or export of fur or fur products in GB?" it asks. TAF, however, opted for restraint, given our status as a voice for the trade. "It's a legal, regulated activity that should be allowed to continue," we wrote. "The government should always be vigilant about sources of fur to ensure only fur that is harvested humanely exists in the marketplace. However, it would be overreach on the part of government to ban all trade in fur, as this would be forcing the views of one sector of society on everyone. The UK is supposed to be a democracy in which everyone's views are respected. Banning fur would be a move in the wrong direction."

SEE ALSO: The Fur Truth: How a UK fur ban would damage and set back animal welfare. British Fur Trade Association.

Then there are a few "fun" questions to test your knowledge, like Question 12. "Other than for clothing and apparel, what uses of fur should we be aware of?" TAF came up with the obvious furnishings like pillows, rugs, etc., and the always-overlooked use of fur in fishing flies. Are there others DEFRA should know about? Are the markets for mink eyelashes and calligraphy brushes too small to mention?

Of course you might also find a couple of questions rather stupid, like Question 27: "What do you consider to be the total value (in £ sterling) of imports to and exports from GB in relation to (i) raw furskins; (ii) tanned or dressed furskins; (iii) articles of apparel and clothing; (iv) artificial fur?" We suggest a politely worded response like, "Look them up yourself. The UK government – which you represent – publishes these stats. It is irrelevant what anyone 'considers' them to be."

Perfect for North Americans

And then there are some great questions, including Question 38, which is just perfect for North Americans. Asks DEFRA, "We are interested in finding out more about other countries’ existing or planned restrictions on fur. Please provide any information and/or evidence that you are aware of."

Of course, TAF went to town describing the divisive, arbitrary, and counter-productive nature of fur retail bans in the US, especially in California. If you don't already know our myriad objections, here is just a sampling:

US legislators should be promoting natural fur, not seeking to ban it. April 22, 2021.

There's no justification for banning the sale of fur. February 17, 2020.

Fur industry sues San Francisco. January 15, 2020.

Fur ban proposals are based on a dangerous fiction. September 25, 2019.

6 reasons why banning fur sales is a very bad idea. April 11, 2019.

So whether you think it will make a difference or not, please do take the time to fill out this questionnaire. Because, as sure as the sun rises each day, animal rights groups will be giving it their full attention.

And as your parting shot, here's an idea for your answer to the final question, number 39. DEFRA asks: "Please provide any other relevant evidence you would like to include to inform decisions on the GB fur trade." TAF took the high road, and referred the UK government to our website. But we were sorely tempted to write, "We are concerned that Prime Minister Boris Johnson may be swayed by the fact his wife is rabidly anti-fur. Can DEFRA assure us that Mrs. Johnson will not unduly influence government policy going forward?"

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I’ve loved fur clothing since I was a little girl, as well as animals. I was very lucky because my parents indulged me in this. Growing up, I lived in towns or cities, but was allowed to nurse baby birds in my bedroom and bring home tadpoles to mature into frogs.

They also bought me a real fur hat, collar and muff for Christmas when I was six! These fur pieces were white with little black “tail” trim, but I’m quite sure they were rabbit, dressed up to look like ermine. They wouldn’t have been able to afford ermine, even if it had been available.

By the time I was a teenager, I’d graduated to raccoon. I had a red wool coat with a raccoon collar! When I grew out of that coat, I took off the collar, and with my mother’s help, turned it into a bonnet-type hat that I wore for a few more years. My mother had a mink boa and my grandmother a neckpiece made from three martens, complete with heads and tails, both of which I still cherish. (I’ve been known to wear the mink boa, but not the marten piece.)

I wish more kids today had these same opportunities! There are still some rabbit-lined kids’ hats around but mostly there is fake fur, or no fur. However, Canadian kids often do have rabbit-trimmed moccasin slippers at least, and many young women wear rabbit-trimmed mukluks. But how easy is it for them to “graduate” to raccoon or beaver or coyote? Thanks to the wide availability of parkas, a hood with a natural coyote ruff can be purchased in most Canadian cities today. But sadly most ruffs are fake fur, which doesn’t hold up well, and isn’t providing the warmth of a natural fur ruff.

SEE ALSO: Why fur trim keeps us warm. Truth About Fur.

The availability of other clothing trimmed with natural fur has been minimal for several years, outside of some large Canadian cities that still have wonderful fur salons. But in the last five to ten years the fashion industry has begun to show fur accessories more. A few designers have models wearing trapper-type hats, made entirely of coyote fur. Natural fur has also shown up on purses and even shoes (not just boots). More local artisans have begun to make fur trapper hats and large mitts or gauntlets that are popular with the snowmobile crowd.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy fur. Fur Council of Canada.

Other Canadian artisans have been making fur ruffs, collars, hats, etc. using wild fur for some time. For the past six years, I’ve been one of those artisans, but making fur-trimmed accessories, rather than full fur apparel.  I wanted the items I create to have a modern look and to be interesting, but also to be affordable.

Wearing fur accessories is possible for many more people than wearing a fur coat, warm and beautiful as they are. Availability and affordability to more Canadians may mean that wearing fur becomes more popular again. I think this is especially true for young kids and teens. Even having a toy with natural fur can make a child want more natural fur items later, I think. So I make a few toys too!

Learning As Much As Possible

When I embarked on what was meant to become my retirement hobby, I decided it was important that I learn as much about fur as possible, from trapping through to garment making. The Saskatchewan Trappers Association holds many courses for new trappers and I was fortunate to take one given by association president Wrangler Hamm in November 2014. He covered the basics about humane trapping, and there were demos on skinning and boarding a coyote and muskrat as well as the preparation of a beaver. But he also included a bit about sending pelts for tanning and having hats or mittens made from them as an additional way to add value to trapping. I hope that’s a part of all the trapper courses.

My love of animals led me to a professional career studying them. It also helped me bond with my husband who is a wildlife biologist. Although my own career has primarily dealt with the genetics of domestic animals, such as cattle and dogs, in the later years my research has included some dog ancestors – wolves and coyotes. That allowed me the chance to get “behind the scenes” at a fur auction. Trapper and trader friends and acquaintances had been supplying my samples of coyotes and wolves for several years, but I reached a point in my research where I needed many wolf samples in a variety of coat colors. Dave Bewick, long-time manager of the Winnipeg office of North American Fur Auctions, invited me to a sale in Toronto in February 2014 to make that possible. I could not believe how many beautiful pelts were there, when I arrived on the first day of the sale. I think I decided that day that I had to be able to “work with” such pelts more, but just how that could happen took several more months of planning.

I ordered some tanned fur online and purchased a few pelts from booths at local trade shows, initially. Although now I try to make an annual trip to Winnipeg, to source my year’s garment-tanned wild fur supply. During my first visit, Matthew Stepien of the family-run International Fur Dressers and Dyers, gave me a lesson in wild fur buying that was fantastic, and has continued to help me find the quality furs I’m looking for.

I also ordered a used fur sewing machine from Montreal. The salesperson kept asking me who was going to teach me how to operate it. All the furriers in Saskatchewan had passed away. Having sewn most of my own clothes, including coats, since I was a teenager, I didn’t see this as a problem. Boy was I wrong! A fur sewing machine operates entirely differently than a normal sewing machine used to sew cloth, or even a heavier leather sewing machine. A fur sewing machine needle is horizontal and comes toward you as you sew. The fur is fed from beneath the working surface. But I persisted and read what I could and watched YouTube videos, and gradually I was able to sew most of the fur I had purchased, except the beaver. I still sew beaver by hand, as do many other artisans.

Lighting Up Faces

Sewing with natural fur has become something I truly enjoy. And I’ve been very lucky because there seems to be a group of people that enjoy wearing what I make! I’ve had booths at several juried craft shows around Saskatoon in the past five years, before Covid hit.

One of the bonuses of being at a craft fair is the joy of watching so many people’s faces light up when they try on a fur-trimmed hat, even if they don’t buy it. A fellow artisan told me that mine was the “happy booth”. She said she often looked across the aisle and people were smiling, laughing, taking selfies, etc. as they chose a fur hat to try on.

Another plus for being at a craft fair is the instant feedback you get from people about what they like and what fits and what doesn’t. For a person who is a “new” artisan, this is very valuable. The younger the person, the more unusual the item they seem to choose! I was so glad to see teenagers and university students buying fur-trimmed items.

I’ve chosen Wear Our Heritage as my brand name because I want people to wear fur clothing and be proud of our Canadian fur heritage!

I try to give young kids a small item with fur, when they visit my booth with their Mom or Grandad. Or I invite them to try on and play with the hand puppets.

The local “fair” or Exhibition in Saskatoon doesn’t have booths with baked goods or jams any more, but it does have the Saskatchewan Art Showcase that includes photography, painting, and crafts divisions. I try to submit the allowed three items each year, as another way to get natural fur in the public eye.

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Pierre-Yves Daoust is a professor emeritus and adjunct professor of pathology and microbiology at the University of Prince Edward Island, who lists among his research interests "Animal welfare aspects of trapping and sealing". This article first appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of The Canadian Trapper.

While I was reading the last issue of The Canadian Trapper, I thought about writing a short article. I always like browsing through this magazine, and I just wanted to tell other readers why someone in my position enjoys this.

You see, I am not a trapper or a hunter. I do not even fish. But I am a wildlife veterinarian with a deep love for wild animals, and I have dealt with sealers, trappers, hunters, conservation officers and park wardens much of my professional life.

Having worked for a few decades at the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of PEI, I feel very comfortable among two seemingly different groups of people: the very dedicated animal lovers (starting with our veterinary students) and the users of wildlife resources (sealers, trappers, and the like). But frankly, these two groups are not mutually exclusive.

For one thing, I am often pleased by the interest of our students to learn about sealing and trapping. Some, but not all of them, may continue to dislike the idea of these kinds of wildlife use, but with a willingness to be more informed comes a better understanding, and with it more respect. For myself, I realized a long time ago that the good sealers, trappers and hunters know far more than me about wildlife and that I stand to learn a whole lot from them.

This is why I like reading through The Canadian Trapper. I have my favourites. I always read Jim Gibb’s column about the fur market. Not that I have any personal interest in the economics of the fur trade, but he always comes up with some interesting tidbits of information and I feel that I should know at least a bit about where the market is going (which I know has been on a steep downhill for a while).

Of course, I also always read from top to bottom the report from the PEI Trappers Association. Lately, I have enjoyed reading the series of articles by Danielle Levesque, based on her oral presentations. I find it very refreshing to get the perspective of a young woman about trapping.

Celebrating the Seal Hunt

In early March 2020, I attended the “Rendez-vous Loup-marin” on the Magdalen Islands, Québec, an annual celebration of all the positive things that the seal hunt has brought to that community. That time, it was women’s turn to contribute to the industry – including cuisine, clothing, arts, marketing and more to be celebrated. It was impressive to see all that women have done for the industry over many years.

It is my work with the sealing industry and with Inuit hunters in Nunavut that has cemented my appreciation and respect for responsible users of wildlife resources.

No Hardware Store Nearby

Some years ago, I had the privilege and pleasure to be on a sealing vessel for a week with skipper Eldred Woodford from Herring Neck, Newfoundland and Labrador.

One day, when we were far offshore, an oil pump of some sort broke down. Don’t ask me for more details; I know nothing about mechanics. This meant that Eldred had to reconnect a bunch of things from the steering wheel in the wheelhouse to another steering wheel on the top deck outside.

This is when I realized, who on earth am I with my few university degrees to brag about anything, when this man not only has to know how to navigate on the open sea and how to steer among ice floes during the seal hunt to avoid getting stuck, but also has to be a mechanic and an electrician all at once. As Eldred said at the time, there is no hardware store nearby to help you out when you are roughly 60 nautical miles offshore or when you are far out in the bush, for that matter.

I hope this gives you an idea of why sealers, trappers and hunters can have allies in some unexpected places and why someone like me, in his ivory tower that is a university, always enjoys the company of people who spend so much time on the land. I respect animals, I respect the environment, and I also respect all people. This has served me well over the years.

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Late last year, the Fur Council of Canada launched the inaugural Fur Design Competition for young designers residing in Canada, and in February the 12 winners were announced. These talented youngsters will shortly be attending a week-long, all-inclusive workshop hosted at Ryerson University in Toronto, under the expert tutelage of designer Farley Chatto.

So what inspires these fledgling designers? Truth About Fur fired the same three questions at each to see what we could learn. Maybe their answers will, in turn, inspire entrants in next year's competition, who should also read our post Insider Tips from Fur Competition Judges.

Raven Scott

Who are you in terms of design?

I am an innovative artist who always tries to put my culture forward in every design that I make. In this way I make every garment that I design personal to me, no matter what the project is.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love design because it tells a story and helps bring out a person’s character. Whether it be your mood for the day or your overall aesthetic, how we dress is an expression, and it's amazing to see how different we all are when expressing ourselves.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I always like to try new things, and before this competition, I have never worked with fur, nor have I ever designed a fur garment. But I was up for the challenge, and the outcome was more than amazing.

Chelsey Jussaume

Who are you in terms of design?

I design feminine clothing for all people who desire to stand out.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Fashion has a way of communicating who I am without having to speak. Authenticity and sustainability are at the heart of my designs. I create pieces focusing on garment structure and material manipulation, with the goal of conveying emotion. I often use fur to add uniqueness to a garment, and because it can be recycled many times.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I entered the contest wanting to challenge myself to create ready-to-wear garments that would please many people while using fur in unconventional ways. To me, natural materials are one of the many solutions to tackle the fashion industry’s climate impact. As a young designer, I acknowledge my responsibility to create clothing that is long-lasting, of good quality and easily upcycled.

Vincent Domingo

Who are you in terms of design?

In terms of design, I am more into haute couture designs where manipulations, embroideries and embellishments are my kind of detailed finishing.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Everything around us can be an inspiration in creating our own designs, and that’s what I love about designing. It brings out the beauty in everything and I think the fur itself will give an extra detail to our designs.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I joined the Fur Design Competition because I want to explore things about fur. I think it has a lot of things to offer, not just about designs but on how to create pieces into it from illustration to construction.

Etienne Levi

Who are you in terms of design?

Futurism, avant-garde, exoticism, empowerment and seduction usually inspire my designs.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Fashion and design in general always reflected the Zeitgeist. Through time, designers of the world have shown their culture through their own hands and eyes. I believe that we are now living in a world that is finally focusing on its problematics. There is now a bright light shining on our over-consuming habits and their effects on nature. I believe as an aspiring designer that it is finally time to understand the ravaging effects of massive production and start to slow down. Future Fashion needs to be more ecofriendly, more valuable, and more inclusive. Fur is an amazing material to achieve these goals.

Furthermore, one can always work with old fur to regenerate another completely different product. There is no waste because it is possible to work with leftovers to create jewelry, accessories or make a completely new fur plate that can be used to cut another garment later. For all these reasons and for its unique softness and warmth, I believe fur is one of the best sustainable materials to design with.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Working already with fur for about a year, I have learned to make designs with it. I wanted to show my own vision of the theme “Future Heritage”, that inspired me a lot. In addition, the reward really convinced me to participate. Indeed, it is not so difficult to include fur in my garments, but it has important inherent characteristics to think of. I really wanted to be invited to the intensive practice in Toronto not only to get better at sewing and crafting fur, but also to learn tips from professionals on how to cut it, how to spot flaws, and how to improve the quality of the product in general to avoid using too much.

Hannah Walkes

Who are you in terms of design?

I am someone who likes to explore the natural aspects of design and integrate nature into my designs.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love the freedom to make my visions and contemplate how I can make my vision a reality. I think fur would add a flair to my designs, and I would try to expand my natural designs to have a more animalistic side to them.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I wanted to partake in the competition because I have always wanted to learn about different types of furs and try and bring back the use of fur into everyday life.

Yassine Touati

Who are you in terms of design?

I am an accessories and jewelry designer. My design emanates from three essential elements: passion for the material, power of the color, and structure of the shape/symbolic of the pattern. It marries craftsmanship and technology, finding innovative ways to shape and sculpt the primary medium, always conscious of its fascinating physical properties and cultural dimensions.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love the creative process of bringing to life ideas and designs with all the challenges and excitement of innovation. I enjoy creating a story and stepping outside of my comfort zone. Fur, its history, and heritage have inspired me. My primary working medium is leather in all its diversity and potential, and spontaneously I sensed a form of a natural dialogue between leather and fur. Fur is the continuation of my journey working with beautiful, sustainable raw materials. Fur is changing my design approach, my understanding of 3D modeling. I have reached excellence in leather, and I would like to achieve that in fur and marry the two materials together in beautifully crafted and designed winter accessories.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I have always been fascinated with fur as a material, and I admired the late genius, Karl Lagerfeld. He marveled with fur design for over 50 years at Fendi. As a young designer who recently moved to Montreal, when I read about the Fur Council of Canada competition, I decided to submit my candidacy as a new adventure and a daring opportunity to create and innovate using fur. Despite the challenging times around the world and the fur industry's uncertain future, I have tremendous faith in the future laying ahead for fur design in technology and innovation and the fur industry in business development and especially sustainability. Fur will remain as emblematic of Canada and Canadian heritage as the maple leaf/syrup. I aspire to carry out creativity and innovation in fur design for my generation as a Canadian haute couture, artisanal and prestigious industry.

Austin Bergeron

Who are you in terms of design?

I am constantly focused on shape, fit and silhouette. Proposing new shapes and silhouettes is the only thing that fuels my need and desire to design. To be honest, it’s the only reason I’m here, because it’s the one main aspect of design that I’m good at.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Design gives us an opportunity to reinterpret how we, as humans, represent ourselves. This is one of the reasons why I love design. We get to infuse our feelings and emotions into our designs which help us incapsulate a certain shape or feel. Fur represents an array of these different feelings and emotions, warmth, luxury, comfort, etc. Therefore, designing with fur opens the door to new schools of thought.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Design competitions give students an opportunity to showcase their skills and I wanted to showcase mine. Although I’ve never worked with fur, I felt that it was an interesting design element, and it sparked a lot of inspiration within me. I’m extremely happy that I entered the Canadian Fur Atelier design competition and look forward to entering more in the future.

Vishali Sitharthan

Who are you in terms of design?

I am an aspiring designer looking forward to learning and creating new innovations.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Designing makes me feel alive and powerful. Putting my ideas and thoughts together inspires me to thrive more. Designing and creating garments taught me to be patient; all good things take time to make, like how it takes nine months for a baby to come out. It takes time. Every time I make something, I feel like I am giving birth to a baby; I thoroughly enjoy every process and aspect of my creation. Moreover, I think using fur gives dimension and interesting texture to my ideas. It also elevates the look of my design and brings luxury with a timeless look.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

The challenge and complexity of the competition attracted me to do research. As a student, I have significantly fewer possibilities to work with fur and do research about it. This competition gave me a chance to do so. While participating in this competition, I had an excellent opportunity to learn about different techniques and finish of fur. I was also excited about the workshop to learn about fur; knowledge of working with skin can improve my garment skills.

Prudence Mekongue

Who are you in terms of design?

I am a designer who loves creating classic looks while incorporating sustainable fashion, be it through upcycling or recycling materials.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Design is a form of expression. While its an outlet, my design process is a chaotic space where I get to learn something new and challenge myself.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Firstly, I love fur because it reminds me of my heritage. The competition gave me room to translate why I love fur by using the theme "Future Heritage". I therefore entered the competition because this theme redefines what I interpreted as purposeful design for the future.

Carson Feng

Who are you in terms of design?

I am a designer that focuses on modern silhouettes that balance simple elegance with creative intricacy.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love solving problems through design and being able to bring my imagination into reality. This is especially true for fashion design. Working with fur makes me more sustainably-conscious, being more considerate of fashion’s impact on our planet and how we as young designers intend to navigate this problem.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

Fur is a unique textile that is important to Canadian ancestry, and I wanted to prove my skills as a Canadian designer.

Erica Lugt

Who are you in terms of design?

I am resilient, healing doing my part reconciling through the love of indigenous fashion!

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

Fur is sexy; imagine tying in your ancestral designs with a modern twist!

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

To gain skills to create modern sustainable clothing while inspired by our traditional designs.

Olivia Chislett

Who are you in terms of design?

I am 23 and up till now have only done designs for fun, heavily based around my culture.

What do you love most about design, and how do you think fur can elevate your work?

I love the different ways you can express beauty and ideas with designs, and the sheer amount of variety that comes when people of different backgrounds are able to share their designs. Nature has made such beautiful and unique things through fur, and fur is so deeply steeped in many cultures' traditional clothing. Adding fur adds a sense of quality, beauty, and comfort to the clothing.

What inspired you to enter the Fur Design Competition?

I'm always very excited about indigenous futurism, and loved the idea of sharing some designs. I figured it wouldn't hurt to give things a shot and share some designs.

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A troubling new trend among progressive legislators in the US is to virtue signal by proposing to ban the sale of natural fur products. Apart from the question of whether it is appropriate for government to legislate such personal choices, even a quick review of the facts suggests that progressives should be promoting natural fur, not seeking to ban it.

Unfortunately, the sponsors of recent fur-ban proposals in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and several other states have clearly not bothered to do their own research. Instead, they just parrot animal activist inaccuracies and even lies.

Take, for example, a House bill in Rhode Island, H 7483, and a House bill, H.965, and Senate companion, S.623, in Massachusetts. All three bills use the exact same language in claiming that farm-raised mink “endure tremendous suffering”, despite the fact this simply isn't true. North American farmed mink receive excellent nutrition and care, not just because it's the ethical thing to do, but also because it's the only way to produce the high-quality fur for which North America is known. Standards for pen sizes and handling farmed mink are developed by veterinarians, animal scientists, and animal-welfare authorities.

Scaremongering Over Covid

Fur-ban supporters are also guilty of scaremongering about the susceptibility of mink to Covid-19, claiming that mink farms are a threat to public health. Strict bio-security measures in place on all North American mink farms are one reason the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can state: "Currently, there is no evidence that mink are playing a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people."

As for the fear that a virus strain that showed up on mink farms in Denmark will lower the efficacy of vaccines, America's top infectious disease official is not too worried. "[A]t first cut, it doesn't look like something that's going to be a really big problem for the vaccines that are currently being used to induce an immune response,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was Chief Medical Advisor under President Trump and has stayed in the role under President Biden.

Bear in mind also that when there are outbreaks of swine flu (H1N1) or avian flu in chickens, we do not ban the sale of pork and poultry – although this is exactly what animal activists call for. Instead, farmers work closely with public officials to resolve the problems, just as US mink farmers have done with Covid-19.

Ignoring Positive Contributions

Fur-ban proponents also refuse to acknowledge the many positives of producing and wearing fur.

For example, they ignore the fact that farmed mink, as carnivores, eat by-products from human food-production – the parts of cows, pigs and fish that we don’t eat, expired cheeses, broken eggs – that might otherwise end up in landfills. Manure, soiled straw bedding, and other farm wastes are composted to produce organic fertilizers, completing the agricultural nutrient cycle. And mink are raised on family-run farms, providing employment and revenue to support rural communities.

They also fail to mention that half the fur produced in the US is taken from the wild, and from abundant species only. This way they avoid the awkward truth that many of these furbearers are so numerous that they'd have to be culled even if we didn't use their fur. Overpopulated beavers flood homes and roads; raccoons spread rabies and other dangerous diseases; coyotes are the main predators of young calves and lambs, and even pet dogs and cats; and the list goes on. Regulated trapping, as practiced in the US, helps to maintain more stable and healthy wildlife populations by smoothing out boom-and-bust cycles. And if we must cull some of these animals, it is surely more ethical to use their fur than to throw it away.

SEE ALSO: The ethics of fur. Truth About Fur.

Finally, it is grossly misleading for fur-ban proponents to claim that alternative materials render the use of natural fur “unjustifiable”. Fake furs – and more than 60% of all our clothing – are synthetics, mostly made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. We now know that each time these synthetics are washed, they leach micro-particles of plastic into our waterways that are now turning up in marine life, drinking water, and even breast milk. Cruelty-free indeed!

Natural fur, by contrast, is produced responsibly and sustainably. Each fur garment is cut and sewn individually by artisans maintaining heritage handcraft skills. A well-made mink coat can be worn for 30 or 40 years or more, passed from mother to daughter and granddaughter. Unlike most clothing, a natural fur coat can be taken apart and completely restyled. And after decades of use, it can be thrown into the garden compost where it will biodegrade completely. Using natural fur makes more sense than ever at a time when environmentalists are saying we should buy better-quality clothing and keep it longer.

Scapegoating Artisans

So why do we hear so much anti-fur rhetoric? Despite its “luxury” image, the fur trade – from farmers to trappers to craftspeople -- is a small and artisanal industry that has been unfairly stigmatized and scapegoated. The fur trade is easily sacrificed by politicians bent on winning votes and raising funds, in the knowledge that it simply doesn't have the resources to compete with multi-million-dollar, media-savvy, “animal rights” lobby groups.

No one is obliged to wear natural fur – or, for that matter, wool or leather – or to eat meat or dairy. These are personal choices, and they are rarely black and white. For example, despite the growing popularity of vegetarianism, few of us actually go the whole nine yards, let alone become vegans. Instead, we may opt to become pesco- or ovo-vegetarians, meaning we still eat seafood or eggs. Others choose to buy organic beef, or free-range eggs.

As we navigate these choices, we want more information about the environmental and ethical implications of our decisions. In response, the International Fur Federation is launching FurMark this year to further enhance traceability and transparency about industry standards.

What is not appropriate is for legislators to impose such decisions from on high. Rather, it behooves them to actually meet with the people whose cultures, reputations, and livelihoods they are so blithely and unfairly attacking. Politicians who fancy themselves to be progressive may then find that they should be promoting natural fur, not seeking to arbitrarily ban it.

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To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Gene Walters was born in South Dakota in 1927, but his family moved to the untamed forests of northern Alberta when he was about a year old. By age nine, he was helping his older brother, Andy, on the trapline, and that's where he stayed until he passed away in 2011. To say he was a trapper would be an understatement. In every sense, he was a part of the wilderness in which he spent his entire life.

Now his story is available for all to share. Child of the Wilderness, published in 2005 but deserving of a far wider audience than it has so far found, is a labour of love compiled over several years by Gene and his family and friends. And it will appeal to trappers and non-trappers alike.

Trappers – and survivalists, for that matter – will enjoy Gene's bottomless well of tips about their shared craft, and the lessons he learned, often the hard way, just to stay alive. All readers, meanwhile, will enjoy Child of the Wilderness on at least two levels.

Firstly, it is an intimate diary of a man who learned to live in an unforgiving landscape at a very early age, and kept at it for the rest of his life. And it is told in an effortless manner that trappers seem to excel at. The language is plain, never flowery, and the stories are a perfect blend of matter-of-fact lessons and dry humour. We are tutored while also being entertained.

Gene also stays squarely focused on the subject matter: living off nature, and the myriad family members, friends and animals that shared his journey. One suspects he never had the kind of extraordinary experiences most autobiographers love to share, like having an affair with a princess or rubbing shoulders with celebrities, but what may have been mundane experiences for him – like getting charged by a giant grizzly – will seem extraordinary enough for most of us!

On a second level, Child of the Wilderness will appeal to any fan of recent history, and in particular that of Canada's fur trade. Spanning as it does no less than 73 years on the trapline, it provides a record of a period in the country's history in which – sad to say – man's connection to the land began to fade. Historians so often have to work with primary sources that are snapshots of limited time periods, perhaps even just special events, that they must then piece together to form a larger picture. Child of the Wilderness renders unnecessary much of the contextual guesswork by providing a detailed background of daily life in one place, over many decades.

So without further ado, let's provide some of that context, in Gene's own words.

ON BUILDING TRAPLINES: "I’ll explain what we did regarding traplines. We started out with four townships; that’s two townships apiece. The trapline now is about 10 townships or better. I did a lot of skydiving and whatnot to get this line. Well, let’s face it – I didn’t really jump out of a plane! I suppose you could say I had good friends in the Forestry service, because all these lines were put in by the Forestry except the last line I got. This line that we have now was actually five traplines."

YOUNG, ALONE, AND ARMED! "We’d been in the bush about three weeks when my brother [Andy] had to go home to bring in more supplies, and he said, 'Look, young fellow, why don’t you stay here until I come back? If I take you along, it’s going to take me longer than if I go by myself.'

"I was only nine years old. I had a .22 but still was a little bit leery of staying alone. He talked me into it. I finally said to him, 'The only way I’ll stay is if you leave me the rifle (a .300 Savage), and I can go kill a moose.'"

The next day, a very young Gene did indeed bag his first moose!

FAT AND PROTEIN: "When I went to the bush with my brother we not only saved bear grease but we dried moose meat and smoked it. Also, we’d catch fish. We were at a lake called Meekwap, at the south end of where we trapped. We caught fish with a net and those were hung up, dried and smoked. As far as camping out in cold weather goes, don’t ever believe that you shouldn’t eat fat food. If you didn’t eat fat foods with lots of protein back in those days, you wouldn’t have survived. People’s lifestyles should designate what they eat."

RAFTING LESSON LEARNED: "In the spring of 1944, I took the dogs with me to fill a beaver permit. When I got to the river there was an ice jam. It wasn’t safe to cross on the ice jam so I went up the river a-ways. I chopped logs with an axe to make a raft before dark.

"I made it small, tied my stuff in the middle and kept my rifle on my back. When I was pushing the raft out, I made the mistake of yelling 'Let’s go, fellows!' to the dogs. The whole cockeyed works lit on one end of the raft and it started sinking. The front came up and the only thing that kept me on was clamping my knees on the stuff I had tied to the raft. I finally got all the dogs off the raft, except one. Rover wouldn’t get off because he was chickenshit.

"I saw the ice jam coming up. I paddled with a small pole and barely made it across before I hit the ice jam. It was the last time in my life I ever said 'Let’s go, fellows!'”

DON'T PACK YOUR DOGS HARD: "I’ll tell you about the dogs we had over the years. Andy had Rusty, Smoky, Schmeling and Tunney. Schmeling and Tunney were named after heavyweight boxers Max Schmeling and Gene Tunney. We had another one by the name of Cruiser.

"One day we were by Mile 20, and Cruiser took about two lunges and fell dead of a heart attack or an aneurysm. He wasn’t being overworked, because if I remember right, he wasn’t packing hard at all. We never packed our dogs hard. We’d pack more dogs if that’s what it took, because you didn’t want to wear your dogs out."

DAD WAS NO TRAPPER: "During all those hard times, fur was worth more money than anything else. You almost couldn’t give grain away, but at the same time you could sell a coyote for up to 10 dollars for a real good one. Red fox brought 12, 15, or 20 dollars, depending on how good it was. Cross fox sold for up to 40 or 50 dollars, and silver fox were worth up to a hundred and more. You can see why a person would have gone trapping. ...

"My dad went out on the trapline with my brother a time or two, but my dad himself was not a trapper. He had come from the prairies. If you took him three or four miles out in the bush and turned him around twice, he was lost and wouldn’t have found his way back."

CATCHING MINK FEED: "In later years, when we still had the mink in the ’60s, we fished tullibee, for the mink feed. The fish in Slave Lake were small. It took about three of them to make a pound. We used small mesh nets, about two-and-three-quarters; the depth was 80 to 100 mesh nets. If we wanted deeper nets, we overlapped the 80 mesh nets. ... Sometimes you’d bring in a 100-yard net and have two tons of fish. ...

"If you got caught with four or five nets out, with that many fish, it was a nightmare. You took the fish home, sold them to everybody you could, and filled every freezer you had. The odd time you’d lose some. The mink would eat a half to one pound a day. You’d grind the fish up with minerals and feed it to the mink."

GOOSE RIVER AND AN AMAZING HORSE: "The Indian [who sold Gene a horse] told me that when I got to a river or anything, not to force the horse to cross. He said to cross first and then call for him and he’d come by himself. Well, I couldn’t believe that. I have seen some well-trained horses in my life, and I thought that was a little far-fetched.

"When we got to Goose River it was pretty high, so we built a raft. I told Andy I would take everything across and he could stay and hold the horse. The mistake I made was, when I was told the horse would come straight over to me, he wasn’t just whistling Dixie. Instead of going down the river from the horse, I went straight across from the horse and that horse tried to swim straight over to me – he was going to come where I was. I thought I had better run down the river a bit, so I did and the horse came to right where I was. It was the most amazing thing you ever saw in your life. When you came to a mud hole or a bad place, you’d just turn him loose and go across it so he would come to you. He would cross on his own and never get stuck. He was an amazing animal and I only paid 15 dollars for him."

STINKY BAIT: "There’s no special secret with meat for coyote and wolf bait. We simply skin the beaver out and use the carcasses. We cut them up and put them in plastic pails, which we get from the fast-food outlets and grocery stores. They’re five-gallon pails with lids. You fill them a third full. You also get fish that they’re going to throw out at the fish plant. You throw about a half-dozen fish in the pail and let it rot all summer. It stinks like hell. The older the bait, the better. We’ve got some that’s four or five years old."

DON'T POISON THE FAMILY! "In the ’60s when Alice and Brian and I were at the lake, I used to get up and make breakfast. One morning I got the fire going, and of course it was a log shack and there were mice in it. I went to put oatmeal in the water and I could see these seeds in it. I couldn’t figure out what they were. We had this mouse-seed poison that looked like flax seed; anyway the mice had packed this seed into the oatmeal. We threw it all out. God knows what would have happened if we had eaten it."

SEVEN MILES WITH A GRIZZLY: "Back in the ’80s I was out with one of the dogs on the power line across Goose River. It was the middle of the day and we were having a rest. The dog, Winnie, got excited and I looked down the line and couldn’t see anything. She got more excited so I looked up again, and out onto the power line came this huge grizzly bear. I had a licence but I didn’t want to kill a bear that far from nowhere. The only way I could get the hide out was to carry it. I decided I’d leave him alone. But he started coming towards us and when he was about 50 yards away I yelled at him. He wouldn’t stop, he just kept coming. I picked a point where I would have to shoot him. He reached that point and he was dead. Boy, then I had a job. I skinned him, carried the hide out that day and went back the next day with a pack sack to carry the head out. I had to carry that huge hide about seven miles, draped around my neck. I knew I’d had a workout by the time I got to the truck."

And that's just a taster. Maybe the day will never come when you have to pack a dog, smoke moose meat, build a raft, or face a charging grizzly, but wouldn't it be great to know how?

To order your copy of Child of the Wilderness, email [email protected] or visit https://www.facebook.com/Child-of-the-Wilderness-570244633405348.

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To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

"Take a kid trapping" was first published in the March/April 2021 issue of Canadian Trapper magazine, telling your stories for the last 34 years. For subscription information, visit us on Facebook or email [email protected].

Our council president asked for some help to write this issue's article as they were swamped with work. I have to admit I was stumped on what to write about. The Timmins Fur Council is normally very active with no shortage of things to talk about, but Covid-19 has put a real damper on our usual activities.

Our executive has done its best to improvise, adapt and overcome – with outdoor socially-distanced meetings when allowed and party-line telephone meetings – but our usual activities like the trap boil, annual general meeting, kids fishing derby, kids fun shoot (introduction to firearms), garbage clean up and our world class wildlife dinner have all had to be placed on the back-burner. I thought, “What am I going to write about when we haven’t been able to do anything as a council in months?"

Then the thought came into my head about the way many of our presidents have ended their address for years. “Take a kid trapping, you will both be better for the experience.”

This is something I could talk about as I have learned a great deal about it over the last few months. It really changes things and I thought I could share a few tips about the whole experience.

SEE ALSO: Put down your gadgets kids, learn to love nature. Timmins Fur Council.

You see, when the pandemic started and child care shut down we were forced to take over that role, and it became clear that if I was going to run a line this season, my three-year-old, Liam, would be running it with me. It has been a great year of wonderful memories and a few hard lessons for both of us. I would like to share a little bit of this year with you all.

Off-Season / Nuisance Work / Bugs

The trapper’s job is never done with the closing of the trapping season. Trails must be maintained, nuisance beaver removed, scouting of the line is ongoing to make up a plan for the next season. Here in northern Ontario, this off season brings warm weather, and bugs – blackflies, mosquitoes, horse flies and deer flies. My poor son inherited his mother’s genetics when it comes to bug bites. In the early spring they both look like the "Elephant Man" until they build up some immunity to the biting insects. This can make a day in the field miserable for a young one (and his dad).

The first tip I can share is to get your young one a bug suit, pants and jacket. This is a game changer and allowed me to complete my nuisance jobs and trail cutting. When it is not in use, store it in a Ziploc bag with a shot or two of Muskol. Also, when cutting trail, I switched from the dangerous chainsaw / brush saw to a set of loppers. I could safely cut with a toddler around and he would help pick up the branches.  

Scouting

I am the type of trapper that likes to have a year-round presence on his line – always paying attention to the ebbs and flows of the furbearers and trying to make a game plan for the upcoming harvesting season to hold these animals just below their carrying capacity. This means spending a lot of time travelling on the trapline. A young child generally lacks the patience for a full day of exploring.

The next tip I want to share with you all is how to easily hold a child's attention. Snacks! Lots of them, and different kinds. Young children have the magical ability to love one type of food today, and hate that same food the next, so bring a good variety.

Get Them Involved

Giving a child an age-appropriate task makes them feel like part of the team and helps hold their interest. While I would not expect my three-year-old to be setting 330s on his own, carrying the trap setters or some similar, safer task helps to boost self-esteem and encourage the idea of helping where you can.

All summer long Liam helped his mother with the vegetable garden. The pride on his face was visible when it came time to harvest the food (usually before it was ready), and the same can be said out on the trapline. When he would help retrieve a grouse or help grind up some beaver meat for a chili supper, he learned where his food came from and was very proud to be a part of its preparation.

Putting Up Fur

A big time commitment to the trapper is putting up their catch for auction. The young children will not take kindly to sitting on a chair in your stinky garage for 10 hours while you process your catch, but involving them in the fur put up can help hold their attention and allow you to get your job done. While knife work is off the table for the young one, my son loved helping brush the fur and hammering the nails that Dad had started.

Keep Them Motivated

Most kids have a very short attention span, especially boys. It can be frustrating when you are trying to get your daily chores done and your young one just wants to drag their feet and make snow angels.

My next tip I will share is one that helps to keep my son motivated to get our work done. You see, he loves my camp. I made sure that the camp was a fun place for him. It has a warm wood stove, treats and candy, and toys he does not normally get to play with. When he starts to dilly-dally on the line, I just need to remind him that if we get our work done soon we will be able to go to the cabin and play with toys, but if we dilly-dally we will run out of daylight and have to go home without seeing your fun toys. This always grabs his attention and puts him back on track.

Cold Weather Trapping

Unlike the 9 to 5 worker that watches the clock hoping for the day to pass so they can go home, the trapper is more achievement-driven, giving thanks for the day in the morning and hoping they will have the time to complete all the work they want to accomplish before the sun goes down and they are forced back to their cabin or truck. The winter months here mean the sun is down as early as 4:30 in the afternoon. The temperatures are cold and everything gets a little harder to do. Taking a youngster out in the woods is no exception.

There are all kinds of quality clothes for a trapper to buy or make that will keep them warm on the line in all kinds of weather, but kids’ clothes are not made for long durations in these cold temperatures. Some of the snowsuits are decent, but the boots and mitts available for a child are not warm enough for a full day in extreme temperatures. If you can sew, or know a local crafter, why not have some of your harvest tanned and made into garments for your family. There is nothing warmer.

My next tip is a big one. Change your plans when bringing children. I look back at the crazy things I have done, and the absolute jackpot scenarios my stupidity has brought me to. Being 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) from a road at -40 degrees Celsius (-33.8 degrees Fahrenheit), crossing questionable creeks on the Ski-Doo hoping I could skip across the thin ice, et cetera.

These are not things one can do with a child. A mechanical breakdown, or sinking a sled, or falling through thin ice at a beaver house are risks an adult trapper takes. It is part of the excitement and adventure. But when you are responsible for someone else, that risk versus reward adventurous spirit gets toned down a notch or two.

That is a big part of trapping with kids. Play it safe. Do not expect you will be able to accomplish the things you used to be able to do alone. Make a plan that keeps you close to the camp or the truck and, if you are remote, plan on having a few campfire warm-up breaks. Once you learn to slow down and not expect too much, the experience will become a lot more fun for both of you.

Plan Your Season

Knowing I would have my son with me for most of the year, I started out with the “hard to get to” spots when I was alone, and saved the easy spots for when we were together. Mid-season I shut down the west part of my line which I would not normally do, and just concentrated on the east part of my line around the cabin.

I saved a new beaver colony which set up just across the bay from my camp for winter. It was ideal. We could walk across and check traps, and if anything went wrong or someone got wet, the warm cabin was less than a kilometer away.

They Say the Darnedest Things

We had taken Liam out fishing the summer before. He was the judge on whether a fish was kept or released. Now with trapping season underway we came across one of the biggest, nicest looking wolves I have ever caught on my line. With Liam on my shoulders, a rifle and gear on my back, and this 95-pound (43-kilogram) wolf in tow, my son said to me, “I think we should let him go.”

Ha, ha, I did not quite know what to say. I explained that this was not a “catch and release” kind of thing as the wolf was now dead, and I wondered how he would react.

He said, “That’s ok Dad, you did a good job with the snares. He didn’t even move.” I was floored. It is amazing what they pick up on.

So that was my learning experience this season with a young helper on the line. I had to make some changes for sure. I did not cover as much ground as I usually do in a season and my fur cheque will probably be a little smaller than I am used to, but I have found richness in experience and memories made with my son that could not be bought with all the money in the bank. We are both better off for it.

So I will also sign off with, "Take a kid trapping, you will both be better for the experience!"

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Last month, the 12 winners were announced of Canada's inaugural National Fur Designers Competition, judged by four Canadians all with their fingers firmly on the pulse of the fashion business: stylist Shea Hurley, designers D'Arcy Moses and Sage Paul, and model Stacey McKenzie. Later this year – Covid permitting – the fur competition winners will enjoy an all-inclusive workshop in Toronto under the expert tutelage of stylist to the stars Farley Chatto.

So how did the judges get to where they are today, and what advice do they have for the next generation? Truth About Fur found out.

Shea Hurley, Fashion Stylist

Grounded in fashion communications, buying, design and sales, Shea is now a sought-after fashion stylist. Her sense of style has helped top-tier advertisers and brands retain their edge as she strives to create value, inspire trends, and drive growth. To learn more, visit Shea's agency, Plutino Group, and her Instagram account sheahurley, or drop her a line at [email protected].

Truth About Fur: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring young designers, what would it be?

Shea Hurley: Be professional. Respect yourself enough to know your vision, what you're trying to say with your offering, and stay consistent with that message. This, with proper business management, will give your brand integrity. Fashion and apparel design is a long game – you learn with every garment, every collection, every season. Constantly.

With that, do your homework, know your market, competitors and potential collaborators. No designer is an island. Have grit, and humility, be tenacious with flexibility and malleability. Build your network wisely.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a stylist?

Shea: Ha, I still don't know that I want to be a stylist! It has been 15-plus years that I have absolutely loved and hated, but that's part of it. It's a part of me.

Seriously though, I fell into styling from wanting to be an agent or buyer, and was really great at it right out the gate. I have learned so much, seen so many places, met so many incredible people, all while playing dress up and creating so many different stories along the way.

TAF: Tell us about your life as a stylist.

Shea: Well, to be honest it's quite a balancing act. As much as it is about the clothes, it's more about the vision and players in each project. Lots of different personalities and tons of work, from sending pull requests to designers, showroom pulls, in store and online shopping to packing and unpacking, just to pack and unpack again. Writing carnets for customs, waiting on deliveries, pick ups, etc. Laying everything out neatly and safely, to then build looks. Steaming those looks for them to be wrinkled and steamed again, taping shoes to save the soles, pinning and clipping clothes to fit and/or hang properly, cleaning makeup off clothing and accessories. Chasing photographers who waltz models through fields, dirty alleys, puddles, mud, the list goes on. Dry-cleaning, mending rips, tears, button loss, etc. Organizing all the receipts and balancing budgets to fit the sometimes four-page expense reports. Keeping clients as well as merchants happy and satisfied on the same project can be a very difficult task that requires lots of tact, thank you cards and bottles of wine as gifts for everyone's special occasions. And then onto the next project. The stress truly never ends. But all in all it is very fulfilling and I do love it.

There are plenty of perks too. Working with incredible pieces of clothing that are history in the making, alongside dynamic people (models, celebrities, personalities, designers, creatives, photographers), to build an idea from the ground up fuels me. Fashion shows are a tremendous amount of work but also can be so magical and inspiring to attend and work on. Same for events. The networking never ends, so as enjoyable as it is to socialise within the industry, it is still and always will be work. Needless to say, I love what I do.

D'Arcy Moses, Fashion Designer

As an infant, D’Arcy was adopted by a white family in Alberta, and didn't learn he was Slavey Indian until he was 18. He has since reconnected with his roots, while going from starving artist to celebrated designer, with a passion for trendy clothes incorporating First Nations elements. For more on his remarkable journey, read "D'Arcy's big bet" by Up Here magazine.

Truth About Fur: What advice would you give to aspiring designers?

D'Arcy Moses: Be yourself. If you have a great design concept – one that's honest, from the heart – then use it. Work hard toward this. There is no free easy street with design; it takes dedication and hard work.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a fashion designer?

D'Arcy: I was about 12 years old and I was leafing through one of my mother's Harper's Bazaar magazines. It was a photograph of Yves Saint Laurent with Catherine Deneuve. A black velvet dress with a huge pink bow, back of the dress. Iconic. There was an energy there. I knew that this was what I wanted to do. Couture.

TAF: How did you get to where you are today?

D'Arcy: It all started in Vancouver. I was a young Dene man – 19 years old – who wanted to design. I bought my first sewing machine from a pawnshop on East Hastings Street for $60. I felt freedom for the first time. After that, I could only afford to buy beautiful cloth (pure silks) at about 10 centimetres at a time. I was a waiter at a Whitespot Restaurant, and saved every dime. There is no shame in being a waiter. It's honest, hard work, and I kind of loved that job.

Then I got a grant from the then Canadian Native Arts Foundation [renamed the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation in 1997 and Indspire in 2012] of $1,600 - a king's ransom for a young designer. So I used this to build a collection that was shown at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Then I decided to move to Toronto, and driving across Canada was beautiful. I got to Toronto and was poor, poor, poor! But a new life lay ahead!

I was making stretchy tube dresses to sell on the streets of Toronto. I was looking for a label manufacturer and accidentally dialled the Toronto Fashion Incubator. I remember asking the woman on the phone – her name was Mimi – for a label manufacturer. She said no, but put me in touch with the Incubator's director at the time, Carol Outram. I met her, she looked through my drawings of my designs, and then slammed my portfolio shut. I was terrified.  She told me, "In a few years, you will be famous."

After that, I applied to the Toronto Festival of Fashion / New Labels, and was accepted. More hard work followed, and I was still buying fabrics by the centimetre. I was working at the then Simpsons department store in the basement at minimum wage.

Then my collection took off and the press took notice, plus very good friends supported me. And then came licenses. The retail landscape has changed, but it's looking good so far!

SEE ALSO: D'Arcy Moses: First Nations heritage inspires modern fur designs. Truth About Fur.

Sage Paul, Fashion Designer

Sage is a member of the English River First Nation, based in Toronto. She is an award-winning artist and designer, and artistic director of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto. See her full bio at Sagepaul.com.

Truth About Fur: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring designers, what would it be?

Sage Paul: Keep at it! It’s a challenging road to making a career in fashion, but it is totally realistic and possible if you keep at it.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

Sage: When I was just a little girl! I was inspired and encouraged by the women in my community to create, and so I did, because I loved it.

TAF: Tell us something about your designer life.

Sage: My designer life has shifted these days to focusing on Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto (IFWTO). It’s important to me to create this space for Indigenous designers before I can get back to design.

Stacey McKenzie, Model

Born in Jamaica, Stacey is a model, TV personality and motivational speaker. She has appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, Essence and Flare, and in ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gaultier and MAC Cosmetics. She has been a judge on both America's and Canada’s Next Top Model. To learn more, visit her on staceymckenzie.com, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Truth About Fur: If you could give one piece of advice to young designers, what would it be?

Stacey McKenzie: My advice to aspiring designers is to never give up. I've met quite a lot of aspiring fashion designers within Canada and they focus on making it in Canada, but when it doesn't happen, they give up. They need to push themselves by not being so comfortable, try other cities/countries, try to get people to rock their clothing, put themselves out there and don't give up on making it.

TAF: When did you know you wanted to be a model?

Stacey: At the age of nine I learned that modelling is a career, and I learned what it takes to be a model and knew right away that's what I wanted to be. I felt within my heart I was meant to be a model, and was persistent because I felt so strongly about it. I was different looking, and even though I got a lot of negative attention, I realised I was getting attention which I took as a positive thing and that it could work in my best interest becoming a model. When I moved to Toronto, I learned more about fashion through shows like FashionTelevision and Fashion File, plus I had the opportunity to see and buy fashion magazines which doesn't exist in my country.

TAF: Tell us about the Walk Camp.

Stacey: The Walk Camp is a camp I started for young girls within inner city neighbourhoods who wouldn't necessarily have the opportunity to be mentored by the likes of certain people within their respective fields. I grew up in these same communities and know what it felt like to not have someone or people guide me the right way, so I wanted to create a day camp giving the 30 girls I choose every summer the opportunity to be mentored by professionals. Some of the mentors include the former High Commissioner of Canada Laurie Ann Peters, host of Toronto's Breakfast Television Dina Pugliese, host of CityLine Tracy Moore, fashion designers Sunny Fong and Farley Chatto, singer Liberty Silver, plus many more. The Walk Camp recently launched in Jamaica, the country of my birth, which I am really excited about because that's where my journey began. It's been a blessing.

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I have been employed in this business from the fur auction end since the early 1980s and as a trapper earlier yet. The first real crisis I personally witnessed in this business happened in the mid-1980s when the Ontario Trappers Association (OTA) went through a major shift in new directors being voted in at the annual trappers convention. Out of that the new board hired Price Waterhouse to develop a new management platform for the OTA fur sales service. When the dust settled, it saw Alex Shieff resign after 20 years at the helm as captain of a real success story, OTA, which he played a major role in building.

A multi-tiered management team was put in place with people being hired with no history in the trade. It was during this time of great unrest and turmoil that the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) formed Trappers International Marketing Service (TIMS) and set up a warehouse directly across the road from where Fur Harvesters Auction (FHA) remains today.

TIMS hired away many senior graders, managers and agents from OTA which made our situation even tougher. As well, at the time we were in a depressed market with prices and clearances at unhealthy levels. The end game of the subsidiary company TIMS was to put OTA out of business. As reported in the Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 11, 1986, when TIMS's newly appointed GM, Ron Lancour, was asked by a reporter, “Why not set up the subsidiary in Toronto and leave North Bay the Association?" he replied, “If you’re going to be in competition, what better place is there to locate than next door?”

Goodbye TIMS and HBC

Well, that was 35 years ago and TIMS was a flash in the pan and was dead and gone in a few short years. Actually FHA bought most of their warehouse equipment as well, and I recall many of us here rolling carts and bins of equipment down the road from their warehouse to ours prior to TIMS closing down forever. Shortly after this, for the first time since HBC was incorporated in 1670, its name ceased to be associated with wholesale fur trading. While the Toronto location of the auction house remained the same, the name was changed to North American Fur Auctions (NAFA).

In the 1960s there were eight fur auctions in Canada: HBC, Dominion Fur Co., Soudack Fur Auctions, Edmonton Fur Auction Sales, Western Canadian Raw Fur Auction Sales, Canadian Fur Auction, Saskatchewan Fur Marketing Board and the OTA. Some were forced out of business but many were simply swallowed up by the HBC to become a subsidiary or affiliate forwarding agency for that corporation with all furs being auctioned in Toronto.

SEE ALSO: Fur auction houses: Buying and selling fur pelts. Truth About Fur.

During the 1980s and up to 2005, Canada was home to three remaining auction houses. In 2005 the late great Ted Pappas, owner of Western Canadian Raw Fur Auction Sales, decided to hand his business over to FHA leaving only two companies standing.

During the past 35 years we have seen markets rise and fall and troubles come and go. As of last year, FHA is the last remaining fur auction company, not only in Canada, but in all of North America.

Why is that, how can it be possible? I leave this to each and every trapper to ponder but the thousands loyal to FHA have their opinion on the matter.

Great Fur Auction

Now here we are today running this great fur auction company during a global pandemic, which we have never before witnessed. All international travel is restricted and most countries remain locked down.

FHA's business model has been standing since 1947 – to sell fur into the international markets through competitive bidding in our auction room. We are not fur buyers and this wild fur auction house was founded by men decades ago that were tired of the take-it-or-leave-it option. Without an international auction, there will never be a true basis as to what your hard-acquired catch of fur is worth.

SEE ALSO: Fur Harvesters Auction ramps up services for trappers and trade. Truth About Fur.

This past two years we have witnessed a surge in travelling fur buyers set up to take advantage of our inability to host international buyers at auction. I understand the power and leverage of cash in hand, but I understand more importantly that was all we had for hundreds of years until trappers got fed up and started an auction in North Bay in 1947.

April Auction Going Ahead

Our next auction is set for mid-April and we are going to have it. There is a chance that only Canadians can attend as our federal government seems intent on keeping us locked down a bit longer. All indications are that many articles are in greater demand now and we are intent on holding to stronger valuations at this auction. Once the final hammer falls, all unsold goods will move onto our online platform where the same valuations will be held to.

We are receiving many calls daily from all over the world asking for coyotes, muskrats, sables, beaver, lynx, bobcats and raccoon. Oil prices in Russia are up and this has Russia back in the game and their cold winter has helped further. The Feb. 8-12 sable auction at Sojuzpushnina in Russia saw prices advance strongly and this reflects most positively for our upcoming sale. China has been extremely successful in the past several months as online garment sales are extremely strong. This has led to many good orders coming in from this important market.

We are much more optimistic going into this year compared to this time last season. This pandemic is nearing its end and when it happens our shippers will be greatly rewarded for their loyalty and commitment to this great company, Fur Harvesters Auction Inc.

Remember, you own the place.

Stay well and GOD BLESS.

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The following letter was first published by Powell River Peak in response to the January 30 article "David Suzuki and scientists call on government to end fur farming in Canada,"

David Suzuki styles himself as an environmentalist, so it is surprising he recently sent a letter (co-signed by three other “scientists”) to the BC Minister of Agriculture criticizing mink farming.

Mink farming plays a key role in the agricultural cycle. Mink are carnivores and are fed leftovers from our own food production, the parts of chickens, cows, fish and other food animals we don’t eat (often as much as 50 per cent of biomass) – “wastes” that would otherwise end up in landfills. In turn, mink manure and carcasses are composted to produce organic fertilizers to replenish the soil. Nothing is wasted.

At a time when we are encouraged to buy better quality clothing and keep it longer, to reduce waste, using fur makes more sense than ever. Mink fur is a remarkably warm and long-lasting natural clothing material. We often see mink coats that are 30 or 40 years old, or older. Fur is one of the few examples of clothing that is passed from one generation to the next. A fur coat can also be taken apart and “restyled” into a new coat, or recycled to make vests, handbags or other accessories. After decades of use, old furs can be thrown into your garden compost where it will biodegrade completely.

SEE ALSO: The closer we look at the "green transition", the greener fur looks. Truth About Fur.

By comparison, synthetics from which 80 per cent of our “fast-fashion” clothing are now made are generally derived from petroleum, a non-renewable, polluting and nonbiodegradable material. Such synthetics may cost less than natural materials like fur, leather or wool, but they don’t last long – millions of tons of these nonbiodegradable synthetics are thrown into the trash each year. These synthetics also leach millions of microparticles of plastic into our waterways each time they are washed – plastics that are now being found in marine life. Not good for nature!

Claims that mink farming is “cruel” are also misinformed. Like other animal agriculture in Canada, mink farmers follow codes of practice developed by veterinarians, animal scientists and animal welfare authorities, under the auspices of the National Farm Animal Care Council. Mink farms in BC are inspected and licensed by the Department of Agriculture to ensure codes are followed. And farmers have every reason to ensure their animals have excellent nutrition and care: this is the only way to produce the high quality fur for which Canada is known internationally.

The mink on BC farms are not “wild animals,” as activists claim; mink have been raised on farms in Canada for more than 100 years. They are well adapted to farm life and physiologically different than their wild cousins.

Similarly, activist claims (parroted by Suzuki) that mink farming should be banned because mink can be susceptible to COVID-19 are not supported by science. Although COVID-19 has been detected on farms in four US states, top infectious disease expert Doctor Anthony Fauci and the US Centers for Disease Control have not recommended culling infected farms, let alone an end to mink farming. They have implemented quarantines and strict biosecurity controls – the same precautions that have been applied in BC. The fact that the virus has emerged on only two Canadian farms, nine months after the first cases were detected in Europe, shows that these biosecurity measures are effective.

SEE ALSO: With proper precautions, mink farms don't pose Covid-19 risk. Truth About Fur.

Suzuki’s call for a ban on mink farming is misguided. When Swine Flu (H1N1) and Avian Flu were found on farms, we didn’t all stop eating pork and chicken or close down pig and poultry farms (although that is what animal activists called for then, too); instead, farmers worked with authorities to responsibly contain and eliminate the viruses. That is exactly what mink farmers are doing now.

As Canadian farm families work to protect their animals and their livelihoods, they need our support, not unfair attacks from urban activists and their celebrity cheerleaders. For the producers’ side of the fur story, please visit TruthAboutFur.com.

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The following statement from the four signatories below was released to the media on Jan. 24, 2021.

"Harvesting and trading fur and other gifts of nature is our inherent right since ancient times, not a privilege to be bartered or revoked!" says Chief Brian Wadhams, trapper, of the 'Namgis First Nations.

As Indigenous trappers and traditional trapline holders, we can no longer remain silent about self-appointed “animal rights” activists who think they have a right to spread lies about the fur trade and call on politicians to ban the production or sale of fur products.

The latest example of this vicious and misleading campaigning is a recent call by animal activists for the Canadian Government to ban mink farming, after mink on two BC farms tested positive for COVID-19. While mink farming is not a tradition in our culture, we oppose this attack on small family-run farms and on rural communities where the majority of Indigenous harvesters live. And we are not naïve: we understand that this attack on mink farming is just the latest weapon in an orchestrated plan to turn the public against any use of fur – a campaign that directly attacks our culture and inherent rights as Indigenous peoples of Canada. We call this for what it is: Cultural Genocide.

The fur trade played a central role in Canada’s history, and it's an important part of our Cultural Identity; our people were harvesting and trading furs long before Europeans ever set foot on our eastern shores. The harvesting and sale of fur still provides income for many First Nations communities throughout Canada. Beavers, muskrats, and other furbearing animals also provide nutritious food for many hunters and their families. The respectful harvesting of fur and food from abundant wildlife populations is central to our relationship with the land – a relationship that the federal and provincial governments are legally mandated to protect.

Let us be crystal clear: the goal of animal activists – including those now calling for a ban on mink farming – is to destroy all markets for fur, to further their own ideological agenda. In doing so, they are directly attacking our right to responsibly harvest and trade nature’s gifts, which is our inherent right, a right recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada and by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP).

It is doubly unfortunate that animal activists seek to mislead the public and the government about fur at a time when Canadians seek to live in better harmony with nature. Furs are a sustainably produced, long-lasting, and biodegradable natural clothing material. It is the Honest Fabric. By contrast, the fake furs and other synthetics promoted by animal activists are generally made from petroleum, a non-renewable, non-biodegradable, and polluting resource.

Indigenous people have respected and protected the survival of the animal populations upon which we depend since time immemorial. Our message today to self-appointed “animal rights” extremists and their celebrity cheerleaders is this: Your misguided attacks on the fur trade are not “progressive”; they are attacks on Indigenous people. Your uninformed and misguided lies must stop NOW! 

We take this opportunity to remind the Government of Canada, and their provincial and municipal counterparts, that fur trapping, trading, displaying and selling fur is our Inherent Right, not a privilege to be bartered or trifled with. You are responsible for protecting these rights!

Furthermore, governments cannot make any changes in policy or legislation concerning the responsible harvesting, production, displaying, selling or bartering of fur products without full consultation and consent from Indigenous people, as the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.

We will no longer remain silent while self-appointed urban activists attack our cultural traditions and livelihoods.  It is time you showed some honesty, decency, and respect for Indigenous fur harvesters and our fur trade partners.

It's time to take a stand. We call on all Canadians to say “No!” to the lies and cultural intolerance promoted by anti-fur groups. We ask you to support Indigenous harvesters, to support the responsible and sustainable use of nature's gifts -- and to buy and proudly wear Canadian Fur. 

Thank you.

Signed by Indigenous Fur Trappers & Supporters.

• Chief Roy Jones, Haida Gwaii First Nations.

• Chief Brian Wadhams, trapper, 'Namgis First Nations.

• Karen Dunstan, Lytton First Nation member, trapper, and director of the BC Trappers Association.

• Thomas Sewid, Kwakwaka'wakw / Cree, Pacific Balance Marine Management.

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A fresh opportunity is coming soon for future designers to receive a holistic education on working with fur, against a backdrop of its cultural and historical importance to British Columbia's Indigenous First Nations.

The Learning Hub of Education and Design School will be held in Alert Bay on the 'Namgis Indigenous First Nations Traditional Territory of Vancouver Island. It’s a product of a partnership among BC's First Nations, Pacific Balance Marine Management Inc., and Nanaimo-based FurCanada. The ultimate aim of this partnership is to re-establish sealing and the fur trade as an important player in the economy of BC, where commercial sealing ended in the early 1970s. The Learning Hub executive would like to thank the 'Namgis First Nations for sponsoring this program.

Pacific Balance Marine Management Inc. is a First Nations group pushing for a license to sell pinniped products, including furs, human and pet food, and seal oil. FurCanada, which will organise the Learning Hub, is a fur manufacturing company in Nanaimo specialising in luxurious home décor, including blankets, pillows, floor coverings, garments, furniture and accessories. It is also known for its museum-quality taxidermy mounts.

FurCanada CEO and president Calvin Kania had hoped to welcome the inaugural batch of students this March, but Covid-19 has pushed the launch back to at least November. Once the green light is given to proceed, 25 students will engage in 10 days of intensive study, with all materials, tools, machinery, accommodation, meals, transportation, field trips and instructors covered by a nominal fee of $500 per head. Prior experience will not be a factor in the selection process, but prospective participants must demonstrate a genuine interest in learning about fur, including its history. For full details and updates about applying, see FurCanada's website.

Expert Instruction

Instruction will be provided by two experts with extensive international résumés.

Heading the program will be Prof. Vasilis Kardasis, who is currently FurCanada's Innovation and Design Director responsible for the company's Seal Fur Workshops. He is a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art in London, England, and has done stints at Dior, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Saga Furs, and Studio NAFA.

Assisting him will be Panagiotis "Panos" Panagiotidis, currently Master Furrier and Production Manager at FurCanada. Like Prof. Kardasis, Panagiotidis has years of experience working with European fur companies, and the two previously cooperated in organising the Summer Fur School in Kastoria, Greece.

Under their tutelage, students will work with a range of furs, including seal, beaver, mink, sable, fox and coyote. They will practice stretching and nailing (“blocking”) skins, and proper handling of a fur knife when cutting pelts to fit a pattern. They will also be taught how to sew furs and leathers – including smoked-tanned moose, elk or deer – by machine and by hand. And they'll work with textiles ranging from traditional hemp to modern, high-tech fabrics. Plus they'll spend half a day covering the basics of one of FurCanada's specialties, taxidermy.

To broaden their understanding of the fur trade still further, students will take field trips to a mink farm (Covid permitting), a trapline, and a fur retailer, and they'll take part in a First Nations seal harvest where they will learn proper retrieval and how to remove hides, blubber and meat.

Special Advisors, Guest Speakers

In devising the Learning Hub program, FurCanada wanted to reflect the strong roots Canada's modern fur trade has in the 4,000-year-old culture and heritage of the First Nations. For this, it was imperative to bring the right advisors on board.

This role has been filled by three British Columbians, who will also serve as guest speakers: Chief Roy S. Jones Jr. of the Haida Gwaii First Nations; Tom Sewid, artist and commercial fisherman, of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations; and Chief Brian Wadhams of the 'Namgis First Nations.

Other guest speakers will represent fur retailing, trapping, fur farming, fur manufacturing, taxidermy, auction houses, tanning, and industry associations. There will also be government officials on hand to explain the importance of environmental protection and animal welfare in this most regulated of industries.

Last but not least, two special slots have been reserved for media representatives to join the program, so they too will learn about the fur trade and be able to tell our story. "We want the world to know First Nations fur trappers and the Canadian fur trade are here to stay, to revive, to flourish and to succeed," says Kania.

Why Teaching Matters

While the Learning Hub program is new, it's not FurCanada's first foray into the world of teaching: last March it launched a series of Seal Fur Workshops. So what drives Kania and his team to educate others?

"Perseverance and passion for the trade, passion for fur trappers, passion for Canada’s cultural heritage and our country’s history. There wouldn’t be a Canada today if it were not for the fur trade," says Kania. "And above all, passion for the animals that were sustainably harvested with the world's top state-of-the-art traps – which happen to be the most humane trapping devices available anywhere.

"I come from a fur trapping family, so it was very important to me that this element of the trade takes a leading role in this program. Fur schools have come and gone over the years, but none that I can recall enveloped the entire trade in one program. No other country has all the elements as Canada does – wild fur, farm-raised fur, trappers, fur auction houses, furriers, manufacturers, designers, tanners, and fur traders.

SEE ALSO: Trapline Tales: Greasy Bill Creek, my father's final resting place. By Calvin Kania for Truth About Fur.

"And of course there's my passion for Indigenous First Nations people and their struggle within Canada. Among many issues facing the fur industry, the trade itself will have to come to terms at some point in acknowledging Indigenous reconciliation. Now, more than ever, is the right time to change the channel on how our trade functions. It’s time we think outside the box and make some radical changes if we wish to see it survive another 400 years. It starts with educating young people, one person at a time."

So is this how the Learning Hub fits into Kania's vision?

"Yes. In general terms, we want to ensure the preservation and continuation of the fur trade in Canada and also worldwide," he says. "And for the Canadian industry to survive and succeed in the 21st century, we must reach out to our most important benefactor, ally and the original producers of fur – the First Nations. The fur trade existed and flourished among First Nations long before white settlers arrived on our shores."

More specifically, the Learning Hub curriculum is designed to give students a combination of practical skills and the knowledge they will need to go out into the world and represent the fur trade accurately.

"For the fur designers and furriers of tomorrow to prosper, they should acquire as much knowledge as possible, not just about working with fur, but also where it comes from and its history," says Kania. "Learning Hub students will be the future of the trade, and we must give them the necessary tools to carry us forward."

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