"Canada was built on dead beavers"

The quote "Canada was built on dead beavers" by Margaret Atwood is a pithy commentary on the historic economic and cultural foundation of Canada that emphasizes the fur trade's main function in the country's advancement. Atwood, a renowned Canadian author understood for her keen insights into cultural and historic concerns, utilizes this metaphor to encapsulate a considerable aspect of Canadian history.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the fur trade, especially beaver pelts, was a primary financial driver for European inhabitants and Indigenous peoples in what is now Canada. Beaver pelts were highly sought after, primarily for their use in making felt hats, which were a style staple in Europe. This trade became the backbone of the colonial economy, influencing settlement patterns, financial policies, and even international relations.

By stating "Canada was built on dead beavers", Atwood highlights how the exploitation of natural deposits, particularly through the extensive trapping and trading of beavers, was fundamental to the country's colonial and financial growth. This expression encapsulates both the economic benefits and the ecological and social repercussions of such a business. The fur trade caused collaborations and disputes with Indigenous populations, whose knowledge and skills were integral to the trade but who were often marginalized and affected adversely by European growth and policies.

Furthermore, this quote can be viewed as a review of how nationwide stories sometimes gloss over the environmental and sociocultural costs of financial progress. It reviews Canada's colonial past and its traditions, questioning the sustainability and principles of developing an economy on the extensive extraction of natural deposits. Therefore, Atwood's words act as both a historic reflection and a timely for contemporary consideration about how nations specify their identities and values through the utilization and frequently exploitation of their natural environments.