60% of the world's polar bears live in Canada. Yet, we chose the beaver as out national symbol. What's up with that?
Join me in petitioning Ottawa to reconsider this oversight and to make things right. Any animal that can rock a school bus or pounce through thick solid ice and pummel its way through anything is my kind of animal!
Enough about me.
Let's talk about the polar bears. Much has been made about their fate and I point you to polarbearsinternational.org and the North American bear center for details and information.
In the early years of Canada, the beaver was the economic motor through the trade of it's pelt. It was also a famine savior...and it could be found all across what was then Canada and Canada was then huge stretching to the Rockies, down the Ohio/Missippi valley to the golf of Mexico and down the Hudson to present day Albany NY.
ReplyDeleteThe polar bear is a local breed found only in Nunavut and occasinally around Churchill Manitoba. It is a fascinating animal but hardly as meaningfull a national symbol as the versatile beaver.
What are you a shill for the beaver industry?
ReplyDeleteYeah, but where are they now? What worth is beaver belts to our economy!
Down with the beavers! Up with the PB's!
Of course, I've had four shots of espresso already. So I may be a tad excited.
"are" beaver belts and not "is."
ReplyDeleteAren't you in a position to correct your writing even *after* you've clicked the 'publish' button lol? I'd be lost if I coudn't continue editing my faulty writing.
ReplyDeleteI understand what Paul says. Which brings me to say: is history a bagatelle for you, younger generation?
And, now that I think of it, isn't 'beaver' a taboo word also?
[wonder why English is so rich compared to other languages]
Not "belts", "PELTS" as for skin that becomes fur. I have nothing to do with the beaver or fur industries, but they did keep Canada alive for a good long time. And there are still beaver trappers earning a living.
ReplyDeleteYeah sorry, double typo on my end. Pelts.
ReplyDeleteI hope they're not outsourcing to China.
Of course, I'm only kidding the whole way here. The beaver does have a great history. I don't want no beaver lover taking issue with me.
MOR, bagatelle?
So we're clear, this was tongue in cheek.
While hardly taboo (more rude) beaver does indeed refer to, erm, a female private part.
I was also talking 'tongue in cheek' (you teach me loads of idioms).
ReplyDeleteWhen I posted my comment about the 'beaver' word, I soon feared I had offended you Canadians for that joke - since it is your national symbol. I didn't mean to, of course.
I never knew that use for the word. Never heard it either. But then, I'm neither Italian nor really anglophone.
ReplyDelete