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"The extraction and supply of staples, such as fur, fish, wood, wheat, minerals, and petroleum, to large portions of the world shaped Canada's economic, cultural and political development."
Joe Martin and Christopher Kobrak, From Wall Street to Bay Street
![](Charles 1574 whaling.jpg)
"The fisheries of Newfoundland are inexhaustible and are of more value to the Empire than all the silver mines of Peru."
Sir Francis Bacon, The Essays or Counsels, 1625
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Cod fishing, 1698 LAC C003686
"One breathes, eats, sees, and talks nothing but cod." [when in Newfoundland]
Harold Innis
![](Charles 1608 cow.jpg)
![](Oct11%201664%2000%2000%20corn.jpg)
![](00 1780 2 Acc. No. 1977-55-8 c111502k.jpg)
Whaling, 1780, LAC Acc. No. 1977-55-8
![](000 1806 lumber raftc073702k.jpg)
The first lumber raft down the Ottawa river, 1806. Le premier train de bois sur la rivière des Outaouais, 1806. LAC, Acc. No. 1972-26-792, Charles W. Jefferys, 1920s or 1930s
[Upper and Lower Canada became the main supplier of timber when Napoleon decreed a blockade on all trade with Great Britain (including the Nordic countries].
![](Oct11%201808%20Fishing.jpg)
![](2023%20Mar%204%201820%20moose%201980%2004%2000%20hunting%20The%20Micmac%20News%20Sydney%20.jpg)
The Micmac News, Sydney, April 1980
![](Oct11%201822%20e011074263.jpg)
Indian Hunters Pursuing the Buffalo in the Early Spring. Chasseurs indiens poursuivant le bison, tôt au printemps. LAC, Acc. No. 1981-55-68 Bushnell Collection, Peter Rindischbacher, ca. 1822
![](Feb 19 18 1837 Sugar c131921k.jpg)
Making Maple Sugar, Lower Canada. Préparation du sucre d'érable, Bas-Canada. LAC Acc. No. 1988-10-3, Philip John Bainbrigge, ca. 1837
![](dec%2015%202022%201846%20lumbering%20nypl%20digitalcollections..jpg)
Lumbering in Canada, New York Public Library
![](dec%2015%202022%201858%2002%2005%20Lumber%20NB%20Harpers%20Weekly.jpg)
Harper's Weekly, New York, 5 February 1858
![](Charles 1869 fishing c114501k.jpg)
Fishing at Sault Ste. Marie. Pêche à Sault-Sainte-Marie. LAC, Acc. No. 1981-55-6, William Armstrong 1869
"Like the fur trade, the trade in deals and timber was rooted firmly in the geography and history of the country. Supplies were apparently inexhaustible. The river system of transportation was suited to the carriage of the buoyant softwood logs; and the commercial philosophy and system which had been elaborated to serve the fur trade could be transformed to support the commerce for the new staple."
Donald Creighton
![](NY 1835 farming.jpg)
The First Harvest in Canada, J. D. Kelly, 1900?
![](fff 1838 2Quebec lumber c016549k.jpg)
Dépôt de bois près de Québec, vers 1838. Timber depot near Québec, ca. 1838. LAC C-016549, Willliam Henry Bartlett
![](000 1846 logging e000996291.jpg)
Oxen Dragging a Felled Tree. Boeufs tirant un arbre abattu. LAC, Acc. No. R9266-250 Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana, George H. Harvey, ca. 1846-1910
![](Feb 19 18 1849 Sugar c011041k.jpg)
Sugar Making in Canada. Cabane à sucre au Canada. LAC Acc. No. 1989-512, Cornelius Krieghoff, 1849
![](000 1853 rafting lumber.jpg)
Steam ferry-boat and rafting timber on St. John River near Fredericton, New Brunswick. LAC, Acc. No. 1985-3-70, William S. M. Wolfe, 1854-54
![](00 1854 Acc. No. 1943-121-84c039744k.jpg)
Cod fishing, 1854, LAC Acc. No. 1943-121-84
![](zzz 1858 08 23 logging.jpg)
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![](MLB 1863 cutting wood1 c013978k.jpg)
Cutting Wood in the Forest. Indiens coupant du bois dans la forêt. LAC 1937-288-1, William G. R. Hind, ca.1863
![](June%2018%202021%201866%20Oil%20Well%20Gaspe%20C.%20E.%20(Gaspe,%20Quebec).jpg)
Oil Well, Gaspe´ C. E. (Gaspe´, Que´bec), 1866, TRL JRR 1598 Cab IV (Pye)
![](May%2011%202020%201870%20Lumberman1%20TRL%20941-3-39%20Cab%20IV%20(Hind)%20Fra.jpg)
Lumberman, Toronto Reference Library, 941-3-39 Cab IV (Hind) Fra, 1870
![](Mar%203%202022%201878%20Debut%20de%20lexploration%20des%20premieewa%20mines%20damiante%20a%20Thetford%20Mines%20BAnQ.jpg)
De´but de l'exploration des premie`ewa mines d'amiante a` Thetford Minesm 1878, BAnQ
![](NY 1880 Vancouver-00c011040k.jpg)
A Logger's Camp on Vancouver Island. LAC Acc. No. 1989-201-32, E. Sandys, 1880-1900
The Grand Hotel
http://folklore.bc.ca/the-grand-hotel/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gkRlJo__BY
![](Oct11%201881%2011%2026%20poundmaker.jpg)
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Ploughing - April. LAC, Acc. No. 1984-164-36 Source: Mr. Laurent Allard, Laval, Québec, Henri Julien, 1880-1908
![](dec%2015%202022%201884%2008%2027%20north%20Puck.jpg)
Puck, New York, 27 August 1884
![](Sum2 1887 -1909ranching c011024k.jpg)
A Ranch in the Rockies. Une ferme dans les Rocheuses. 1887-1909, Edward Roper, LAC Acc. No. 1989-446-11
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Breaking Prairie in July, Northwest Territory, Canada (Arthur Field's place, about 5 miles northeast of Broadview). Labourage de la prairie au mois de juillet, T.N-O., Canada (ferme d'Arthur Field's, environ 8 kilomètres au nord-est de Broadview). LAC, Acc. No. 1989-446-25, Edward Roper, ca. 1887-1909
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Railway Station and Corn Elevator, Brandon. Gare de chemin de fer et élévateurs à maïs, Brandon. LAC, C-022395, John Pedder, ca. 1887
![](2023%20Mar%204%201890%2006%2021%20coal%20Dominion%20Illustrated%20Monthly.jpg)
Dominion Illustrated News, 21 June 1890
![](June%2018%202021%201887%20Massey%20March%20Albert%20F.%20O.%20Hartmann.jpg)
Massey March Albert F. O. Hartmann
![](May%2011%202020%201891%20seal%20oil2%20c086455.jpg)
Preparing seal or whale oil for market. Victoria, BC, LAC C-068455
![](June%2018%202021%201892%20No.%20%20Shaft%20Vancouver.jpg)
No. 1 Shaft, Vancouver Coal Company, Nanaimo, 1892, BC Archives G-02984
![](Jun%2019%202023%201892%20cattle%20Calgary.jpg)
![](Mar%203%202022%201892%2005%2007%20sealing2%20Le%20samedi%20Montreal.jpg)
Le samedi, Montréal, 7 May 1892
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Newfoundland fishing 1897, LAC e000610861
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![](00 1900 Acc. No. 1948-59-2e010958865-v8.jpg)
Threshing wheat on the plains, Manitoba, n.d. LAC Acc. No. 1948-59-2
![](NY 1900 electricity.jpg)
Angel of Progress, electric power, 1900
![](June%2018%202021%201900%20Hauling%20Logs%20By%20Ox%20.jpg)
Hauling Logs By Oxen, 19—, BC Archives NA-06524
![](June%2018%202021%201900%20Salmon%20canning.jpg)
Vancouver City Archives
![](00 1905 00 00 Threshing scene Portage Plains Manitoba n.d. PA-066659.jpg)
Threshing scene, Portage Plains, Manitoba, n.d. LAC PA-066659
![](May%2011%202020%201905%2001%2000%20Canadian%20Lumberman2.jpg)
Canadian Lumberman, January 1905
![](Mar%203%202022%201905%2005%2000.Exports%20The%20National%20Monthly%20of%20Canada%20Toronto.jpg)
The National Monthly of Canada, Toronto, May 1905
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![](May%2011%202020%201907%20The1%20Lumber%20JackTRL%20ARTS-PC-657.jpg)
The Lumber Jack, Toronto Reference Library ARTS-PC-657, 1907
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![](Mar%203%202022%201907%2006%2015%20mining%20The%20Can%20Courier.jpg)
The Canadian Courier, Toronto, 16 June 1907
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![](Feb%2022%202024%201909%2010%2023%20mining%20Harpers%20Weekly%20NY.jpg)
Harper's Weekly, New York, 23 October 1909
![](Dec%2019%201910%20women%20harvesting2%20c009787.jpg)
Communal harvesting. The men ride the binders and the women stook. LAC C-009787, 1910-12
![](June%2018%202021%201910%20Depecage%20dune%20baleine.jpg)
De´pec¸age d'une baleine au quai de la Quebec Steam Whaling Company, Sept-I^les, 1910, National Archives of Quebec
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![](Oct11%201910%2008%2003%20Farmer.jpg)
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![](Jul%2023%202020%201911%2001%2015%20gold%20The%20Toronto%20World.jpg)
Lou Skuce, The Toronto World, 15 January 1911
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"From fur to logs, from rocks to oil and gas, our country's wealth of primary resources provided the backbone of prosperity through most of the twentieth century."
Charlotte Gray
![](Nov 16 1914 04 06 BC resources.jpg)
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![](Jun%2022%202020%201915bushmen2%20Ottawa%20L%20o%20C%20LC-USZC4-12675%203g12675v.jpg)
Bushmen and Sawmill Hands Wanted, Ottawa, Library of Congress LC-USZC4-12675. 1915
![](Jun%2022%202020%201915%20Bushmen%20L%20o%20C%20LC-USZC4-12676%203g12676v.jpg)
Bushmen and Sawmill Hands Wanted, Ottawa, Library of Congress LC-USZC4-12676, 1915
![](www 1920 5 Feb. pulp.jpg)
![](www 1920 15 May oil interest.jpg)
![](00 1926 07 07 crop.jpg)
![](Jun%2022%202020%201921%20The%20Harvester2.jpg)
The Harvester by Lionel Lemoine Fitzgerald, 1921
![](Sum2 1924 00 00 water power.jpg)
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![](BB 1925 07 00 BCECTVS263.jpg)
British Columbia Electric Company, The Vancouver Sun, July 1925
![](BB 1926--34 TIMBER LAC Acc. No. 1983-27-38 .jpg)
Empire Marketing Board, Timber, 1926-34 LAC Acc. No. 1983-27-38
![](Mar 1926 1forestry.jpg)
BC Legislative Assembly building
BC Legislative Assembly building
![](Mar 1926 3mining.jpg)
BC Legislative Assembly building
![](Mar 1926 06agriculture.jpg)
BC Legislative Assembly building
![](Feb 19 18 1926 - 1934 Cannery c126194k.jpg)
A Canadian Salmon Cannery on the Pacific Coast. Une conserverie de saumon canadien sur la côte du Pacifique, Canada. Great Britain, Empire Marketing Board, LAC Acc. No. 1983-27-363, 1926-1934
![](1 1927 11 20 fisheries133.jpg)
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Work and Play. Indian Residential School, [Fort] Resolution, N.W.T. Travail et jeu ? pensionnat indien, [Fort] Resolution, T. N.-O. LAC PA-048021, 1928?
![](MLB 1928 02 16 resources.jpg)
![](Dec%2019%201930%20Logging%20c019134.jpg)
Ukrainian women cutting logs, Athabasca, Alberta. LAC C-019134, 1930
![](fff 1929 09 10 Peace River.jpg)
![](00 1930 00 00 fisheries.jpg)
![](Oct11%201930-1960%20%20fishing%20e011051640-v8.jpg)
Jimmy Sewid and other fishermen from 'Namgis First Nation pulling in a fishing net. LAC /e011051640, Canada. Dept. of Manpower and Immigration
![](00 1930 10 00 resources.jpg)
![](Feb 19 18 1931 12 15 eldorado.jpg)
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![](Feb 19 18 1936 03 14 mining.jpg)
![](00 1937 00 00 minerals of BC.jpg)
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![](Oct11%201938%2003%2026%20Alberta%20oil.jpg)
![](Nov 16 1941 electric power c087493k.jpg)
« This Is Our Strength - Electric Power » : Effort de guerre canadien et campagne de sensibilisation à la production. LAC Acc. No. 1983-30-103, Marion Scott, ca. 1941
![](zzz 1941 12 06 nickel152.jpg)
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![](Nov 16 1943 07 00 fishing.jpg)
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![](Nov 16 1943 09 15 farming QC.jpg)
![](Nov 16 1943 10 15 mining.jpg)
![](NY 1944 05 08 farming.jpg)
![](Sum2 1944 mining e010753666-v8.jpg)
Canada's Mining men break records. LAC Acc. No. 1983-30-1062, 1944
![](May%2011%202020%201946%20Mining1%20dredge,%20Yukon%20Toronto%20Star%20License%20TRL%20tspp_0009526f.jpg)
Mining dredge, Yukon Toronto Star License, Toronto Reference Library tspp_0009526f 1946
![](00 1947 05 30 shower.jpg)
![](May%2011%202020%201948%20whaling2%20e011175762-v8.jpg)
A humpback whale being skinned. Baleine à bosse que l'on dépouille. Photograph taken in British Columbia. NFB Photo Story: Annual Kill 600: Canadian Whaling Fleet. Title based on the following caption from the NFB Photo Story: Towed up seaplane ramp of converted RCAF base at Coal Harbour, a 50-ton Humpback has its skin peeled back, banana-fashion, be "flensing" crew. Using razor-sharp flensing knives, the crew makes three cuts through the blubber from tail to head, parting the firm white coat with a crisp sound. Blubber is then cut into strips and diced before being fed into digesters. Mammals yield big returns in blubber, oil and bone fertilizer. To a limited extent, fast-frozen, beef-like "whale steaks" are sold in Vancouver shops for human consumption. Canada's whaling industry has operated since 1890.Chris Lund, 1948, LAC National Film Board fonds/e011175762
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"Canada is like a farmer who maintains his high standard of living by selling off another piece of the farm every spring."
Walter Gordon, 1975
"We have come to believe that we can dig it up, cut it down, or pump it out, endlessly."
Douglas Wright, address, 28 November 1985
"For the most part Canadians, a notoriously lazy bunch, still live of the riches we were fortunate enough to stumble on here in the first place. Our prosperity, such as it is, is based on what we can dig or pump out of the ground or harvest from its surface or the surrounding seas."
Mordecai Richler
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