The economy in New France was the import and export taking place as part of the fur trade.  Talon wanted to stimulate this economy, meaning that he wanted to rouse action, to stir up the economy, and to make it more exciting and profitable.

            Talon’s principal objectives revolved around establishing a multi-faceted export industry, producing a surplus for export.

            Although the inhabitants of New France could produce enough wheat to feed themselves, they nevertheless remained entirely dependant on the French imports for clothing.  So, Talon began to encourage the settlers to sow linen and hemp, to produce fabrics and rope as well.  He also encouraged the raising of sheep, as well as developing a home-based weaving industry.  Soon enough, two tanneries were established, where the skins of oxen, cows, moose, and deer were utilized to make footwear and harnesses for the colony.  In 1671, Talon happily wrote to the King of France that he finally had the means to clothe himself and the colony from head to toe.

            Also, Beer, in New France, at the time, was considered a nourishing beverage, so Talon built a brewery in Quebec City in1668 for the needs of the population to be met.  This further increased yet another production of a resource for the economy, and for the benefit of the settlers, they were also enabled to brew beer for their own use.  At the same time, as well, Talon passed an ordinance, restricting the importation of French alcohol products. 

            As for the natural resources, the colony’s two most abundant natural resources were lumber and fish, and, offered the tremendous trade possibilities for France; they had a possibility of being properly exploited.   The vast stretches of forest near the colony enabled Talon to exploit lumber in two possible ways: he would export hardwoods like oak wood to France for naval construction, and he would export the softer woods such as pine and spruce to the West Indies for the craft of making chest, boxes, barrels, and casks.

            Talon also reorganized the existing shipyard, which had been established the year before following his arrival to the colony in New France.  Soon, the shipyard was turning out ships of various sizes for use in France’s military and commercial navies, as well as the colony’s fisheries and trade with the West Indies, all under the direction of Talon.  The shipyard, though, did not become a success because of the high cost of specialized workers, and a lack of funds needed to sustain the enterprise.  This did have a rather large impact on the economy due to this waste of resources and money.  So, Talon fired up the economy further with cod.

            There were long imported vast quantities of cod in France.  The fish was used to feed its general population, as well as for meeting the requirements of the church calendar, which called for, and included, at the time, 150 “fish days” per year.  Then New France came along.  Fish was one of the colony’s natural resources, and it remained largely underexploited, even for the scale in order to feed the families, and to earn extra income.  The exploit of fish such as salmon, eel, cod, and seal for export did not come into use until the making of fisheries, which was yet another one of Talon’s ideas for the colony that remained successful.  Gaspe and Acadia were of the first locations to be established with fisheries.  Unlike some of Talon’s ideas, however, the fisheries became successful. 

            Another economical-boosting activity was three-way trade.  The three-way trade between Canada, the West Indies, and France had a significant success from 1667 and on under Talon’s guidance.  This is how the three-way trade worked:

Ships left New France following the fall harvest filled with wood, fish, and seal oil

The same ships were then loaded with sugar, rum, cotton, and tobacco, for the markets of France, upon unloading in December in the West Indies The ships then return from Canada from France at the beginning of summer, bearing fabrics, wines, firearms, and other manufactured goods.

This trade continued each year during the administration of Talon, even though the quantities were modest.  One voyage was unfortunately enabled every 12 months, due to the ice which covered the St. Lawrence River for 6 months of the year, with the enormous distances as well, with the costs of the trade still remaining high as well.

            Talon also started creating a process to unify New France: he sent explorers and expeditions in all directions, with the hopes that he would enlarge and consolidate the natural frontiers of New France to the “nerve centre”, which was represented by the St. Lawrence Valley.  For controlling the continental fur trade, Talon aimed at building a network of alliances with the First Nations as well.  He also did his best to establish and fortify the empire’s far-flung borders, ensuring that the defense and integrity of the French territory was working at its best, and was of high importance.

            Talon was also interested in the colony’s mineral resources, in addition to his plan for territorial expansion.  He sent prospectors at Gaspe, Cape Breton, Trois-Rivieres, and Lake Superior.  The results of the prospecting, which were discoveries of lead, coal, iron and copper, were sent to France to be inspected for and analysis.  Numerous obstacles prevented the colony form proper exploitation, which did not exactly stimulate the economy that much-a lack of adequate funds, skilled labour, enormous distances, and transportation difficulties.  This all meant that the exploitation of mining in New France would not begin for the time being.  But, the economy still remained uplifted, nevertheless. 

Our opinion:

We believe, that, from a point of view in regards to the families, that stimulating the economy would give it a huge boost.  Some of the benefits for the families would be:

• More money in the three-way trade, due to the increased amount of work, it will provide more pay.
• The new imports for the colony would enable healthier food, more medicine, and home building supplies for families as well.
• The families would have more employment and work due to the fur trade, with more money for the necessities.
• There would be larger families with healthier food, and the population would expand further.
• Due to the fur trade, the colony will become wealthier and that would hold to be more prosperous for the families as well.

In conclusion to this topic, the colony was further stimulated by Talon in terms of the development of the colony, and the import and export coming and going form New France.  This was a great benefit, and the colony prospered, along with the population with the healthier food as well.