How Furs Built Canada

When the French, English, Scots and other Europeans first started coming to what is now Canada, they weren’t interested in creating a new country.

They were looking for ways to make money. And one of the best ways to make money 400 years ago was sending beaver fur to Europe to be made into hats.

That’s right — hats!

Fashion drove what we call the fur trade, and the fur trade drove people to explore and settle Canada.

Their stories are sometimes exciting, sometimes sad, sometimes scary, sometimes funny.

There’s no way we can tell you everything about those times, but in this issue, you’ll discover some of the people behind the fur trade, the good and bad it caused, and how it shaped our country.