GNWT advances Fur Institute of Canada Agreement in China

Press release from the Government of the Northwest Territories

January 22, 2015 - 7:38pm

BEIJING (January 22, 2015 ) – As  a founding member of the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC), the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) advanced a proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the FIC and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

The agreement was formally endorsed last week by Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, David Ramsay, to CPAFFC Chairman, Yao Mingyu, and Vice Chairman, Hu Sishe. Under the agreement, educational and promotional products developed in Canada would help to improve the perceptions and trade of fur products within the Chinese marketplace.

“The long-standing partnership that we have built with trappers in our fur industry is key to the new relationships we are establishing in China to underscore our industry’s ties to its traditional roots,” said Minister Ramsay.  “The potential value of this market for our residents and communities is immense. Our traditional harvesting practices are a marketing advantage for NWT wild fur.”

In a recent address to the CPAFFC, NWT Premier Bob McLeod said that continued cooperation will ensure Chinese consumers have a long-term and stable supply of high-end Canadian commodities, including Genuine Mackenzie Valley Furs. The Canadian industry has access to the world’s foremost market for wild furs.

China and Canada are members of the World Conservation Union and subscribe to the basic principles of sustainable use.  “It is our responsibility to work cooperatively to ensure that future generations of consumers recognize the sustainable and responsible approach reflected in our time-honoured Canadian Aboriginal traditional harvesting practices,” said Premier McLeod.

Due to its high quality, limited supply and humane harvesting practices, NWT fur and the products created with it are increasingly sought by socially and fashion-conscious consumers worldwide.

China is the largest importer of fur in the world and represents over 80 percent of fur-related purchases, manufacturing and re-exporting of finished products globally.

Promoting NWT wild fur under the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Furs label is a primary objective of the GNWT’s current trade mission in China and Japan.