Animal 0 Posté(e) le 15 novembre 2008 Last updated at 9:45 AM on 12/11/08 Cree moccasins for sale at Robertson Trading Post in La Ronge. Wild fur trade becoming extinct LA RONGE ANGELA HILL The wild fur trade has been brought to its knees by the ever-fickle fashion industry, the anti-fur lobby and a global economy in turmoil. "It's subject to pure supply and demand forces based solely on the whims of fashion," said Scott Robertson, owner and manager of Robertson Trading Post in La Ronge. He is a fur buyer and one of the last of his kind. It's a skill he picked up from his father and it soon became a passion. "We do it mostly because we've always done it, not because it's a money maker - it's a bit like farming," Robertson said. From early November until mid-January, trappers will bring in pelts. Robertson will purchase them and send the furs to Toronto for the North American fur auctions. Once en route it is a waiting game. "Cross your fingers and pray ... you have no idea what it is going to sell for," Robertson said. Prices are based on previous sales results and current events. "It does not look promising. This is a year to be cautious." Every year Robertson sees less fur, but it has nothing to do with animal populations. "There is no shortage of wild furs, there is a shortage of trappers." One reason trappers no longer want to be involved with the fur industry is the plummeting price of pelts. "I get more money in the summertime killing beavers than in the wintertime," said Gregg Charles, chairman of Wapawekka Trappers. They get a contract from the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure to control the beaver population. "We unclog the culverts, we shoot the beavers or trap them and just turn in the beaver tail and it is $70 for each one," he said. The pelt is worth less than $30. The fashion industry in North America has been heavily influenced by the anti-fur lobby, which directly affects the price. "We've convinced everybody that you are a bad guy if you wear fur, something akin to being a slave trader or drug pusher. You're a bad guy if you are a trapper and you're a bad guy if you're a buyer and the truth is nothing could be further from the truth," Roberson said. The focal point of the anti-fur lobby is the right for every creature to die a humane death, he said, but in the wild that's impossible. "There is always someone trying to eat you ... if you die in a trap or you are eaten alive by a bear, wolf or fox, what the hell is the difference? They're both a nasty way to go," Robertson said. He sees the irony when the same types of people that support the anti-fur lobby come into his store and fall in love with moccasins and beadwork. "People ooh and aah over this stuff and they love this stuff, but this is all the trappings of the fur business," Roberson said. "That smell - smoked, tanned moose hide - that's the smell of the north." Despite what Robertson called the environmentally friendly nature of the wild fur trade - virtually unchanged for the last few centuries - the anti-fur lobby is winning. The initial quest for fur changed the course of history, shaped Canada and altered lives of aboriginal people. Now it's happening in reverse. "Congratulations for destroying the fur business. You've driven all the aboriginal people off the land and into the cities with the problems that entails: gambling, domestic violence, drug abuse, alcohol abuse ... is that the better alternative? I don't think so," he said. Robertson said when the trade was at its peak in the 1980s La Ronge had a healthy economy with several snowmobile shops and floatplane bases. Now, it is virtually impossible to make a living off any aspect of the fur trade. Robertson Trading Post makes its money by selling groceries and items to tourists. ahill@paherald.sk.ca 12/11/08 http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=189290&sc=13 Partager ce message Lien à poster Partager sur d’autres sites
