Canada Goose jackets under fire for coyote trim

Protests regarding the popular winter-wear company Canada Goose are ongoing around Calgary, with the February demonstration in the northwest community of Kensington.

Maureen Hurley was among the group protesting the use of coyote fur on the hoods of the company’s winter coats. The protestors carried graphic signs with mitt-covered hands, garnering the occasional honk from passing cars.

“We’re just trying to educate people as to what’s involved behind every fur jacket or jacket with fur trim. There’s a lot of animal suffering,” Hurley said.

Dani Reiss, the president and CEO of Canada Goose, sent out an email in response to the protests. The email stated that while the company respects “the position of activist groups, unfortunately they often provide inaccurate and misleading information,” such as the use of old-fashioned steel traps “now only found in museums.”

 In a 2009 study, Statistics Canada revealed that over 70,000 wildlife pelts were sold from Alberta.

Hurley said that “apart from the sheer cruelty and suffering involved,” she is concerned the traps may capture non-target animals, including endangered species.

 Gary Godberson, a fur trapper from Lacombe, Alta., said he is familiar with these criticisms regarding the fur industry.

 “We don’t trap any endangered animals,” Godberson said. “There’s a lot of controls, quotas and seasons, which is good, so I think that’s a bit of a misconception.”

 “I think just having that respect for the animal is extremely important,” he added. “It feels good to see that an animal was put down humanely, and we’ve harvested in a good way. That’s what we strive for.”

emanconi@cjournal.ca
zchoy@cjournal.ca

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