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The role of Black people within the history of the fur trade is rarely considered. Black people were rarely in a position to write their own stories, so often those stories went untold. This owes to a complex set of factors including racism and limited access to literacy. Black people are also not the focus of many historical documents. However, historians have identified several Black fur traders working in different roles, and even an entire family of Black fur traders who left their mark on history.

Louis Burt Mayer (born Eliezer Mayer), studio executive (born 12 July 1884 in Dymer, Russian Empire [now Ukraine]; died 29 October 1957 in Los Angeles, California). Louis B. Mayer was one of the first Hollywood movie moguls, and arguably the most powerful. After running a successful chain of movie theatres, Mayer founded his own production company in 1917. In 1924, it merged with two other companies to become Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Mayer served as head of MGM until 1951, presiding over the biggest and most prestigious studio of Hollywood’s golden age. He was also instrumental in creating the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which administers the Academy Awards.

H. Harrison McCain, executive (born 3 November 1927 in Florenceville, New Brunswick; died 19 March 2004 in Boston, Massachusetts). The son of an exporter of seed potatoes, McCain graduated from Acadia U and worked as a sales executive for Irving Oil Co.

Louis-Joseph Forget, stockbroker, politician (b at Terrebonne, Canada E 11 Mar 1853; d at Nice, France 7 Apr 1911). Forget established his own brokerage firm in Montréal in 1873, dealing mainly in transportation and utility company securities.

Eric Lafferty Harvie, oilman, philanthropist (b at Orillia, Ont 2 Apr 1892; d at Calgary 11 Jan 1975). Harvie was called to the Alberta Bar in 1915. He served overseas in WWI, was wounded in France and achieved the rank of captain.

On 19 December 2015, Dennis Oland was convicted of second-degree murder in the bludgeoning death of his father, Richard (Dick) Oland. A year later the conviction was overturned on appeal, and a new trial ordered. The initial, 65-day trial was the longest in New Brunswick history. It also drew national attention due to its brutal nature and revelations about the storied Oland family, founders of the Moosehead brewing empire. In 2019, Dennis Oland was found not guilty of the murder in his retrial.

Gilbert Finn, OC, businessman, lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick 1987–1994 (born 3 September 1920 in Inkerman Ferry, NB; died 7 January 2015).

Adélard Raymond, pilot, businessman and politician (born 10 July 1889 in Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, QC; died 23 February 1962 in Montreal, QC). Raymond was a French-Canadian pilot who served in the First World War and then in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) from 1934 to 1945. He was the second French Canadian to be appointed air vice-marshal. Raymond was also involved in the hotel industry and in various commercial operations. He was elected mayor of Senneville, on the west island of Montreal, serving from June 1951 to June 1959.

Gilbert White Ganong, confectionery manufacturer, politician, lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick 1917 (b at Springfield, NB 22 May 1851; d at St Stephen, NB 31 Oct 1917).

Alain Stanké (Born Kaunas, Lithuania 1934). Alain Stanké, whose real name was Aloyzas-Vytas Stakevicius, was deported to a German concentration camp at the age of ten, and then emigrated to Paris complete his studies.

James Bagnall, printer, publisher, politician, officeholder (b at Shelburne, NS 1783; d at Bedeque, PEI 20 June 1855). The son of New York LOYALISTS, he moved with his parents to Charlottetown as an infant.

André Chagnon, OC, O.Q., entrepreneur and philanthropist (born 17 March 1928 in Montreal, Quebec; died 8 October 2022 in Vaudreuil-Dorion). Trained as an electrician, André Chagnon created Télécâble Vidéotron Ltée in 1964 (see Cable Television). Under his leadership, the company became one of the most successful telecommunications companies, not only in Quebec but Canada-wide. He also established a charitable organization, the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation. André Chagnon has been recognized as one of the most dynamic and innovative businessmen of his generation.

Harry John Carmichael, industrialist (b at New Haven, Conn 29 Sept 1891; d at Toronto 28 Oct 1979). Born in the US of Canadian parents, Carmichael came to Canada and became president and general manager of McKinnon Industries, St Catharines, Ontario, in 1929.

Hiram Walker, distiller, businessman (b at East Douglas, Mass 4 July 1816; d at Detroit, Mich 12 Jan 1899). Though Walker lived in Canada for only 5 years (1859-64), he built a distillery, a new town and a major railway line.

Hugh Graham, Baron Atholstan, newspaper publisher (b at Atholstan, Canada E 18 July 1848; d at Montréal 28 Jan 1938). In 1863 Graham went to work on the Montréal Daily Telegraph and by 1869 became a partner in the new evening paper, the Star.

Kenneth Colin (K.C.) Irving, OC, industrialist and entrepreneur (born 14 March 1899 in Bouctouche, NB; died 13 December 1992 in Saint John, NB). K.C. Irving built a business empire under the Irving name that ranges from pulp and paper and oil refining to newspaper publishing and broadcasting. He has been called New Brunswick’s first modern entrepreneurial industrialist. Businesses he founded were divided up among his sons and remain within the family. Irving companies continue to account for a large portion of New Brunswick’s economic activity.

Lise Bissonnette, OQ, journalist, businesswoman and author (born 13 December 1945 in Rouyn, Québec).

Camille Henri Thériault, politician, businessman, premier of New Brunswick 1998-1999 (born 25 February 1955 in Baie-Sainte-Anne, NB). Thériault served in the Cabinet of Liberal Premier Frank McKenna before briefly taking a turn as premier himself. After politics, he was chair of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board, and served as CEO of the Mouvement des caisses populaires acadiennes.