Synopsis
Ask any Canadian what our national animal is, and the response will undoubtedly be, The beaver. Now ask the same person how long Castor Canadensis has actually been the official symbol of our industrious, hard-working and perhaps overly stolid nation. The answer will probably be, Forever. In fact, it wasn t until 1975 that a bill was passed by parliament formally declaring the beaver our national animal.
The Canadian beaver that cute, industrious little bloke, competent engineer and builder, indifferent forester, and amazing water-resource manager is the undisputed symbol of our nation, but just how much is known about the beaver? Many books have been written about the significance of the fur trade a trade on which our politics, way of life, and economy were based. Others talk about the physical characteristics of the beaver and its habitat. Anecdotal material, usually interesting and/or humourous snippets about the beaver, can be found in almost every book written about early Canadian history. All of these works, some great, some good, some forgettable, focus on the beaver in a very specific way on its contribution to our developing economy, to our geography, or on the beaver s significance as a wildlife resource. What has not been produced to date is a comprehensive overview that provides, through illustrative as well as narrative material, a tribute to the animal which has had such an influence on Canada. On issues ranging from patriotism to ecology, the beaver has been coveted as a distinctive and very positive Canadian symbol. This book pays the tribute due the beaver in an informative and fun-to-read format.
Long before the beaver was proclaimed Canada s national animal (indeed, long before this nation was a nation), the beaver was recognized as a symbol of industriousness, reliability and honesty, and its reputation for such qualities persists today. As early as the 1800s, manufacturers and crafts people wanted their products associated with that emblem of industry the beaver. The book goes as far back as this period in its presentation of just how influential the beaver has been. It also takes the reader to the present, reminding us that the beaver is still very much a part of our culture.
The Canadian Beaver Book has been written to show all beaver lovers (and the few beaverphobics who hold the misguided view that beaver are stupid, destructive, oversized rodents) the breadth of influence that the beaver had, and continues to have, on all aspects of Canadian life.
About the Author
Jim Cameron (1942-2008) was not a woodsman, but rather a geographer interested in both the natural environment and the symbols we use to help create our small corner in this world.
He was a concerned Canadian who felt our unique geography, history and culture should be both recognized and fostered. The sentiment encouraged this tribute to Canada s national animal.
Jim s personal interest in the Canadian beaver began when his family became the proud owners of a forty-hectare bush lot near Magnetawan, Ontario. It was immediately evident that the land was already occupied through squatter s rights by several beaver families. The family and the beaver have been more or less amicable co-owners of the property ever since. While some of Jim s friends wondered about his interest in beaverabilia, no one ever held it against him or these busy rodents.
Jim was an Associate Professor of Geography at Atkinson College, York University, and held a BA (Hons) from the University of Western Ontario, a MSc from the University of Guelph and a PhD from the University of Glasgow, Scotland. He served as a councillor for sixteen years in the town (now city) of Vaughan, and spen his retirement in Kincardine, Ontario, on the Lake Huron shoreline.
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