The information is derived from:

Canada Fur Watch: Aboriginal Livelihood At Risk - Fifth Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs (May 1993)
Evaluation Directorate, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Evaluation Report of the Fur Industry Defence Program (November 1991)
Defence of the Fur Trade, A Discussion Paper Prepared by Department of External Affairs (May 1985)

The Canadian government, both federally and provincially, seem determined to not only support the fur industry, but to promote it. Such a “Fur Industry Defense Program” was initiated in 1987, with a 5-year program and $8.1 million of taxpayers funds. The only justification was to “enhance Aboriginal involvement in the fur trade”. But few Aboriginal people are significantly involved in the commercial fur trade.

Three departments were responsible for the program – Indian Affairs, Ministry of Environment and External Affairs. They soon however, in 1991, recommended involvement by other departments – Agriculture, Industry and surprisingly, Revenue Canada. We wondered why, at the time, but of course we later learned that Revenue Canada was to silence all the groups opposed to the fur industry, including Fur-Bearer Defenders. But somehow, even without being able to give tax saving receipts, we have remained and clearly not silenced.

Canadians, however, have lost three of our long-standing major anti-trapping, anti-fur groups, all of which were in Ontario, where the media centres are.

It is most unfortunate that these groups could be silenced because they represented the voice of the people. Now it is much easier for the fur industry to attract media attention, without criticism or opposition.

We noted (humbly) that “not much headway has been made in countering the anti-fur campaigns in Canada.” Hurrah!

In 1991, an evaluation was done and assurances that more millions of taxpayers funds are being used.

In 1993, a Standing Committee of Aboriginal Affairs was held by the House of Commons, with 8 Members of Parliament on the Committee.

They made 23 recommendations, including #21 – “The Committee recommends that Revenue Canada ensure that any organization that obtains charitable status under the Income Tax Act operates within the Department’s guidelines on political activity”.

At last our suspicions were confirmed. We now know why after 50 years operating as a charitable association, Fur-Bearer Defenders' charitable status was annulled.

George V. Clements
Director
Fur-Bearer Defenders
225 East 17th Avenue, Suite 101
Vancouver, B.C., Canada V5V 1A6

Phone: 604-435-1850
Fax: 604-435-1840
www.BanLegholdTraps.com
www.DogCatFur.com
www.CrueltyisNOTgreen.com

Fur-Bearer Defenders is a well-established Canadian non-profit society working to stop trapping cruelty and protect fur-bearing animals. We are managed by a dedicated, volunteer Board of Directors, and our work is entirely supported by donations and memberships of individuals.