Saint-Martin, Quebec; before 1957; tin, iron, wood; 142 x 58.5 x 58.5 cm. CMC A-539

Honour to whom honour is due. The beaver is Canada's national emblem, symbolizing the industriousness and perseverance evinced by our ancestors in their struggle to adapt to the harsh Canadian climate. A bold architect, meticulous engineer and tireless builder, the beaver embodies the courage and ingenuousness of the pioneers who devised new shelters, clothes, foods, tools and games in order to overcome the isolation of the vast Canadian landscape and put down roots in the hard and hostile soil.

This weather vane was probably commercially manufactured. Made of several tin pieces hammered and soldered together, the beaver is perched above the cardinal points and a globe.