From fur to fir: Lessons for the BC forest industry from the anti-fur campaign

Abstract

BC's forest industry is feeling internal and international pressure to change its practices, and there is an increasing move to certification, amidst debates about preferred certification modes. This reflects changes in the economies of many of Canada's rural and northern communities, which have traditionally been dependent upon natural resources, but are now coming under pressure from the global community – not only in economic terms, but in terms of social values. As demography changes, and with it, social and economic values, this pressure is likely to continue. The Canadian North first felt such pressure as a result of the European boycott of the Newfoundland seal hunt, and then anti-trapping boycotts that have occurred periodically since then. These campaigns have had a profound effect on the lifestyles, cultures and sustainability of the northern communities. Over almost three decades, the government, non-government organizations and people of the North have had to learn to deal with and respond to these external campaigns that threaten them. The lessons they have learned about the nature of these campaigns could be useful to the province of British Columbia, which is now coming under increasing pressure from Europe and the US regarding its forestry practices. This paper outlines the evolution and characteristics of the international campaigns against sealing and trapping, as well as the experiences of northerners in dealing with them. It goes on to apply these lessons to the BC situation, with some recommendations for appropriate responses. Fundamentally, these campaigns reflect changing demographic and social characteristics and values in North America and Europe, and the changing relationship of people to natural resources, but they also raise questions about fair reflection of the variety of stakeholder interests in resource decision-making, and the limits on definition of "stakeholders." Key words: Boycotts, resource use