Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and congratulations on the conclusion of what I understand has been productive information sharing, and celebration of Canada’s fur trade.

On behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, it has been a pleasure to co-host the Fur Institute’s AGM this year. 

My congratulations to the Institute’s Board of directors, for hosting this meeting in Yellowknife and for your continued efforts to advance the interests of Canada’s trappers on the world stage.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has been a member of the Fur Institute of Canada since its establishment in 1983.   As most of you are aware, it is an organization that I have been personally and actively involved with for over three decades.

The creation of this co-operative, non-profit organization to represent the fur industry was a necessary step; not only to defend our industry but to bring it into a modern era, and recognize the value of traditional, cultural and self-sustaining life style. It marked a new era that provided the fur industry with a stronger voice in an increasingly globalized marketplace.

The NWT has a long history in trapping and the fur trade. At the same time, our territory has evolved significantly; the people of the Northwest Territories have gone from being trappers to diamond cutters in less than a generation.  Despite this evolution, the Fur Institute of Canada remains as relevant today as it was when it was first established.

We have a high regard for the cultural values entrenched in that tradition, and for the activities of the traditional economy which have helped shape the North and remains in most communities today. This sets Northerners apart from other Canadians.

Over the years, I have talked a lot about what the Government of the Northwest Territories has done for the fur industry through various supports, programs and marketing initiatives.  Tonight, however, I would like to talk about what our Government and the NWT has gained from the industry we are celebrating tonight. 

The 33 year history of the Fur Institute of Canada represents a blip on the radar of the fur industry itself.

The Aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories have a deep connection to the land, water and animals for millennia. The animals clothed our children, decorated our ceremonies, contributed to our understanding of the environment, and introduced our people and the North to the rewards of a global economy.

While our society has evolved and modernized, the social, environmental, and economic benefits of trapping remain. This is clear by the success of the Government of the Northwest Territories “Take a kid trapping” program. Over 4,000 NWT children and youth have gone through the program. These kids have higher self-esteem, better life skills including understanding what it means to be self-reliant and make decisions.

The timeless practices pioneered by the fur community have and will continue to protect a way of life.

To our economy, fur provides valuable employment and income opportunities to trappers and artisans across the NWT.   Our trappers are among the best in the world and so is the fur that they bring to market. NWT wild fur, sold under the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Brand, consistently demands top dollars at auction which results in significant returns for NWT trappers.   

The Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program and our Hide and Fur Procurement Program are testaments to this fact and reflect this Government’s commitment to support and promote excellence in our traditional economy, from the trap lines through to the market place, with over $2.5 Million in contributions to the economy.

Last year trapping provided individuals in our territory valuable opportunities for income and employment, and is as important to our northern economy as small scale farming is in southern Canada. It also offers a reliable and sustainable safe haven against fluctuations of a boom and bust economy. It also helps us diversify and balance our economy in a manner that respects the social and cultural values and aspirations of NWT residents.

Meanwhile, the availability of furs, pelts and hides provides a ready source of raw materials that have allowed traditional artists to build a unique niche in the creation of traditional clothing and art pieces. It also provides a competitive edge to the NWT’s unique brand of Aboriginal cultural tourism.

We deliver the Take a Kid Trapping Program, and provide fur remnants to schools around the NWT for use in crafting projects every year. We invest about $2.5 million a year in support of harvesting practices. We are proud of this and of the fact that our programs are the envy of the Canadian trapping industry.

As wage economies take hold and disposable incomes increase, fewer NWT residents are engaged full time in these traditional activities.  They remain, however, entrenched in the economy of our smaller and most remote communities where costs are the highest and conventional cash incomes are the lowest. In these places, the North’s original economy remains primary.  

To the wider social good, the practices of trapping provide our people the opportunity to remain connected with the land. 

We need to maintain markets for our wild fur production. At one time all our fur was sold to the Europeans. Currently, 80 percent of our wild fur goes to China, and they have asked for our production to increase 2 to 3 fold to meet the demands.

Across our North, we are united by a reverence for the land and the resources it provides.  Trapping encourages reconnection with this relationship.  It instils a sense of pride which contributes to wellness, health, and capacity in our communities.  Beyond the strictly pragmatic, this spiritual connection to these timeless practices cannot be underestimated or undervalued.  As our elders continue to engage youth in the trapping lifestyle, community bonds are strengthened, physical activity is encouraged and traditional knowledge and skills are passed on that will help to support and sustain our communities into the future.  

Our society’s progress depends on the wellness of our peoples, and we foster participation in the fur harvest as part of this enhancement of social-well-being.

Finally, trapping contributes unique perspectives on conservation. A trapper has the knowledge of the land that he traps on and has long played a role in our conservation efforts. Trapping demands not only a keen attention to the environment, but an advanced ability to interpret the elements affecting it , a skill born of traditional knowledge passed down through generations.

Trappers are the ones on the ground who experience changes in weather, landscapes and the growth and migration patterns of plants and wildlife.   Our government is a leader in recognizing the value that this traditional knowledge brings to environmental decisions. By leveraging trapper expertise with the best-available local and scientific knowledge, we can come to a deeper understanding of the ecological and climate change that we are experiencing in our North.  This ultimately allows our government to make wise decisions in terms of both mitigation and adaptation in areas of natural resource management and climate change.

We continue to connect our trappers to international markets while educating and training resident trappers to maximize their returns with consistent and best practices for trapping and pelt preparation with the world renowned Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur brand.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are the reasons why the Government of the Northwest Territories’ has entrenched its support for trapping in our approach to future development. Our Government will continue to support and encourage this sector and the socio-economic benefits it brings our residents.  These same reasons, I believe, cement the role of the FIC as a needed enabler and advocate for the fur industry into the future.  

As the practices of trappers continue to be questioned and criticized by some nations and the global economy continues to ebb and flow, we need a strong, active organization representing the interests of trappers worldwide.

Together, we will carry forward this message: the promotion of responsible trapping is not only a moral and cultural imperative, but a pre-requisite for furthering responsible natural resource management and building localized economies. Together, we can continue to guide an important way of life through the ever-changing modern landscape. And together, we can ensure trapping remains timeless.

Thank you.