Following in my Ancestor’s Path - Inspiration from my Grandfather - Harold Innis

Although I never met my grandfather (he died in 1952)  he traveled and wrote extensively about the Canadian wilderness and I can experience his thoughts and opinions through his publications, especially the book The Fur Trade in Canada.   

My grandfather was born on a farm in 1894 near the town of Otterville in Southern Ontario, Canada.   He fought at Vimy Ridge, France during WWI and was injured in action by a shrapnel wound in his leg. He was transferred to England where he spent many months convalescing. He returned home in the early 1920s and explored Canada by canoe, inspired by stories and research of indigenous people. 

In The Fur Trade in Canada, my grandfather described how plentiful the beaver and other fur bearing animals were over the early part of the European’s arrival in North America. He met with the various indigenous tribes, making every effort to experience their culture and understand the tribe dynamics. He wrote about how the animals were killed by the millions and their fur was sent back to Europe to be made into elegant hats, coats, trims on gowns, etc. The indigenous people, being soft on the land, killed animals for sustenance and the remaining animal parts were used for basic clothing, tools, medical remedies and much more. Harold learned that practically ever part of the animal served a purpose with honour.

My grandfather noted that towards the end of the 1800s, Canada's beaver population had declined significantly with the relentless hunting.   He reflected that unless conservation efforts were adopted, the beaver and other animals would be in danger of being wiped out.  

I have a deep connection to the work of my grandfather through his books and I’ve lived a life of animal conservation through my mother and world-famous giraffologist, Dr. Anne Innis Dagg. I realize that our fur bearing animals of today, especially the bears, are now in the same dire and needless situation as the Canada’s beaver in the 1800s. They are hunted for their fur, for decoration and simply for the sport of it. As my grandfather desperately stated, “We must move towards conservation or these proud animals may be wiped out".  

This is why my mother and I have started a movement to ban trophy hunting in Canada.  Canada has the unfortunate distinction of being the number two country in the world (behind South Africa) for providing access to animals for the purpose of trophy hunting.

Mary Dagg