Fur Day on the Hill 2026

On February 3, the Fur Institute of Canada visited Ottawa for Fur Day on the Hill 2026 to meet and greet the nation’s political leaders. Joining us were members of the FIC Board, Canada Mink Breeders Association, the Cree Trappers’ Association, Écofaune Boréale, Ontario Fur Managers Federation and Saga Furs. Ably supporting them all were our friends at Summa Strategies and Torchia Communications.

During this day-long event, we met with Members of Parliament, Senators, representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministers, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, covering a diverse range of topics. These included maintaining Canada’s position as a world leader in the fur trade by fighting trade bans and promoting fur and seal products, and ensuring our men and women in uniform are prepared for operating in the extreme weather of the Arctic environment by outfitting them with personal protective equipment made from fur instead of inferior synthetic materials.

In the evening, we hosted a cocktail reception for Parliamentarians and colleagues, that doubled as a showcase for furs from FIC members International Fur Dressers & Dyers and Écofaune Boréale. The chilly weather also gave everyone a perfect opportunity to show the Hill a wide array of their own furs.

Building relations with politicians is a key part of FIC’s mandate as advocates of the fur trade, and this makes Fur Day on the Hill an important event on our calendar. It helps us cement alliances with federal representatives of all political stripes, while familiarizing them with issues that affect our trade.

Fur Day on the Hill with MPs
L to R: MP Blaine Calkins; FIC executive director Doug Chiasson; MP Carol Anstey; and MP Laila Goodridge.
Fur Day on the Hill with MPs
L to R: FIC executive director Doug Chiasson; Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson; FIC chairman Jason White; MP and parliamentary secretary Ernie Klassen; and FIC Board member François Rossouw.
Fur Day on the Hill with MPs
L to R: MP Clifford Small; MP Laila Goodridge; MP Blaine Calkins; MP Carol Anstey; and FIC chairman Jason White.
Fur Day on the Hill with Christine Ackermann
L to R: FIC executive director Doug Chiasson; FIC Board members Jason Parker and Serge Larivière; Christine Ackermann (legislative assistant to MP Lori Idlout); and Allan House and Thomas Stevens of the Cree Trappers’ Association.
Fur Day on the Hill with MPs
L to R: MP Clifford Small; FIC executive director Doug Chiasson; MP Laila Goodridge; MP Carol Anstey; Catherine Moores, executive secretary, Canada Mink Breeders Association; MP Blaine Calkins; and CMBA vice-president Rob Bollert.
Fur Day on the Hill with Patti LaBoucane-Benson
L to R: FIC Board member François Rossouw; Sen. Patti LaBoucane-Benson; FIC chairman Jason White; and FIC Board member Matthew Stepien.
Fur Day on the Hill with Clifford Small
L to R: FIC Board member Jason Parker; MP Clifford Small; FIC executive director Doug Chiasson; and FIC Board member Mike O’Brien.
Fur Day on the Hill with Younggi Ahn
L to R: Chris Vaughn and George Vongas of Saga Furs; Younggi Ahn (chargé d’affaires, Korean Embassy); FIC Board member Serge Larivière; and past FIC chairman and life member David Hutton.
Fur Day on the Hill with Blaine Calkins
L to R: Ontario Fur Managers Federation president Ray Gall; Louis Gagné of Écofaune Boréale; MP Blaine Calkins; FIC Board member Danny Surette; and Jeremy Compeau and Mario Antunes of the OFMF.
Fur Day on the Hill with Bev Busson
L to R: FIC Board member François Rossouw; FIC chairman Jason White; Sen. Bev Busson; Catherine Moores, executive secretary, Canada Mink Breeders Association; and FIC Board member Matthew Stepien.
Fur Day on the Hill with Chris d'Entremont
L to R: Canada Mink Breeders Association vice-president Rob Bollert; FIC Board member Mike O’Brien; MP Chris d’Entremont; CMBA president Ian Stansell; and Matt Moses of the Nova Scotia Mink Breeders Association.
Fur Day on the Hill with Chris Lewis
L to R: Jeremy Compeau and Mario Antunes of the Ontario Fur Managers Federation; MP Chris Lewis; and OFMF president Ray Gall.
Fur Day on the Hill with Ted Falk
L to R: MP Ted Falk; Chris Vaughn of Saga Furs; Jim Flemming and Catherine Moores (executive secretary) of the Canada Mink Breeders Association; Matt Moses of the Nova Scotia Mink Breeders Association; CMBA president Ian Stansell; George Vongas of Saga Furs; and CMBA vice-president Rob Bollert.
Fur Day on the Hill 2026
L to R: Rob Bollert (vice-president), Catherine Moores (executive secretary), Ian Stansell (president) and Jim Flemming of the Canada Mink Breeders Association; Matt Moses of the Nova Scotia Mink Breeders Association; and George Vongas and Chris Vaughn of Saga Furs.

SEE ALSO:

Fur Day on the Hill 2024: Fur Institute Strengthens Political Ties. Truth About Fur, March 10, 2024.

Fur Day on the Hill: Fur Institute welcomes friends in Ottawa. Truth About Fur, May 1, 2023.

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