Native trappers glad to attend annual fur convention

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The 11th annual Fur Harvesters Auction convention was held Feb. 28 to March 2 in North Bay and attracted an unprecedented number of Aboriginal trappers and representatives of Aboriginal trapping organizations.

Fur Harvesters Auction (FHA) is the largest fur management company in Canada and is solely trapper owned and operated. It is unique in that the FHA has equal representation of Native and non-Native on its board of directors, however, in past years, turn out of Native trappers for the annual convention has been poor.

"I'm glad that we came here," said Nancy Polson. "It's good for the kids. It's good for the family to see all that is involved in trapping. We want our kids to carry on our traditions and be able to utilize our land base properly. Our kids are part of a long line of traditional people who have always lived off the land. Our family has always trapped, hunted and fished."

The FHA convention attracts large crowds from the general public, as well as trappers from across Ontario, other provinces and the United States. The conference offers workshops for school kids and several schools sent bus-loads of students.

The convention also offers an opportunity for trappers of all ages to test their skills in contests, such as pelt handling and trap setting. There are also skinning demonstrations, seminars, a pancake breakfast, a fashion show, a dance, a banquet, and awards presentations and speeches.

The highlight of the award presentation evening was a speech given by Thomas Coon of the Cree Trappers Association. Coon spoke about children and the important role that parents have as the teachers of their children.

"It is good to be back here. I've been away for a while. The last time I was here I brought some young kids with me because we had had some problems with suicides in our communities. I brought these kids here to show them that there are people who care. I tried to show these kids that they could have fun. I couldn't bring those little girls and little boys this time. We have some good teachers, but the best teachers are mum and dad. Children learn from home, by watching and caring. It is from home that they start to see their future and their rights. Let's all be careful what we say and do at home."

Coon went on to outline the recent history of protest against the fur industry and the importance of maintaining the tradition of trapping and fur harvesting for both Native and non-Native people.

"There are certain people, people who sacrifice quite a bit of time for us, in our communities and here at the Fur Harvesters. There are people who work long hours for us, people who help us market and sell our furs.

"All the years of protests against fur trapping, 17 years of protests, and we are still here trapping. We were targets. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal trappers were told that 'trapping must be stopped.' That was 1985. Today we are still trapping. We demonstrated what we can do if we work together. You people here have demonstrated something important. You have demonstrated that Native and non-Native people can work together."

Coon said people have to change the way they think about each other.

"We have to change the way we talk about each other. We have to change the way we have treated each other. It is time we set aside our political differences, the differences that divided you and I. You need me as much as I need you. We have a common interest and that interest is to ensure that the fur market that has put the bread and butter on the table for our children continues to exist."

Later Coon expressed surprise with the response he got to his speech.

"I can't believe how many people have thanked me for my words tonight. I only said what had to be said. I hoped to get the message out and it seems that I did. I guess people were ready to hear what I had to say," said Coon.

The day before the start of the convention, the Fur Institute of Canada met with representatives of Aborignal trapping organizations to hold trapping standards workshops and seminars. This event boosted the number of delegates available to attend the convention.

"We were invited to come to North Bay by the Fur Institute of Canada for workshops and updates on humane trapping standards and to see which traps have been improved. We then, in turn, pass this information on to our trappers so that they follow the trapping standards. Humane trapping has always been important to us as it follows our own traditional teachings about the proper way to care for the animals that we trap. We came down for the workshops on humane trapping standards and we stayed over for the convention. We came away with a good feeling about the networking that went on this weekend. Thomas Coon said a lot of good words that we all need to act on," said Paul Coon Come of the Cree Trappers Association.

That sentiment was echoed by Roy Polson, president of the Algonquin Trappers Association.

"Our political strategy has to be to unite and protect our land base. We have to know our traditional lands and who is trapping where. We have to get our kids back out on the land. Trapping is our history. We have to work together as Aboriginal people, with non-Native trappers and with the various ministries," he said.

"It's a long process, but it only takes one person maybe to turn around and say 'let's listen to these people.' By listening to each other, we can gain understanding and then we can begin to work together. I see a lot of people really trying."

Some of the Aboriginal delegates discussed the possibility of developing their own management programs like that of the Cree Trappers Association, which handles the raw fur trapped in the James Bay region and deals directly with the fur buyers instead of going through an auction house. It also has a program that pays a set price per pelt to the trappers, so that they do not have to wait for a fur auction in order to collect payment.

Other delegates discussd the possibility of working with the FHA to establish raw fur management and better payment programs for Aboriginal trappers.

The 2001-2002 trapping season in Ontario was one of the best in recent years. The long fall and late appearance of snow and cold temperatures allowed many trappers to reach their quotas well before Christmas.

Fur prices have fluctuated over the past few years, but the past three years have seen the prices for various types of fur steadily rise. Although beaver prices have dropped slightly from last year, marten, mink and fisher have continued to increase.

Joanne Noseworthy of the Ontario Fur Managers Federation claims that prices for red fox are higher than they've been since 1985.