![]() A coin was created – which was known as a “buck” – that was equal to the value of one male beaver pelt.The Hudson’s Bay Company put 4 beavers on the shield of its coat of arms in 1678 to show how important the hard-working rodent was to the company.Sir William Alexander, who was granted title to Nova Scotia in 1621, was the first to include the beaver in a coat of arms.The trade of beaver pelts proved so profitable that many Canadians felt compelled to pay tribute to the buck-toothed animal. Both English and French fur traders were soon selling beaver pelts in Europe at 20 times their original purchase price. King Henry IV of France saw the fur trade as an opportunity to acquire much-needed revenue and to establish a North American empire. As these hats became more popular, the demand for the pelts grew. In the late 1600s and early 1700s, the fashion of the day demanded fur hats, which needed beaver pelts. Historical significance of the beaverĪfter the early European explorers realized Canada was not the spice-rich Orient, the main profit-making attraction was the beaver population. ![]() ![]() However, the beaver was a part of the Canadian identity long before Parliament passed the National Symbol of Canada Act. The beaver was given official status as an emblem of Canada when an Act to provide for the recognition of the beaver ( castor canadensis) as a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada received royal assent on March 24, 1975. Over the past century, the following symbols have been formally adopted by the Government of Canada and are now considered official symbols of our country.
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