In the footsteps of Radisson and Des Groseilliers

I completed my first day with "The North West Company", Canada's oldest company, a half truth. In reality, this North West Company was formed in 1987 when a group of employees bought the Northern Stores division of the Hudson's Bay Company, which is one of the world oldest chartered corporations in operation, probably true. Today's North West company shares its name with a fur trading company that was forced to merge with "The Bay" around 1820. The rivarly between the Hudson Bay Co. and The North West Co. had descended into violence and murder so they were pressured into becoming one company. Back then these companies engaged in continential exploration searching for new sources of fur and had hundreds of trading posts and forts along rivers, lakes, and seas. Back then its employees were guides, interpreters and les voyageurs, those who canoed everywhere all the time collecting furs. In our present day, the Bay is a department store (a place where I go to sample beaver pelt cologne) and The North West Company operates: "The Quick Stop" (If I own a convenice store I shall name it "Quick Go"), "North Mart" and franchises for "Cost U Less" and "Giant Tiger". I am a cashier, not a voyageur like Radisson or Des Groseilliers, yet I can say that I work for the storied North West Company. I look forward to the future half truths I tell my grandchildren!


Nice coat of arms at the following website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:North_West_Company_-_Coat_Of_Arms.jpg