In this story, the narrator's father is involved in the fur trade, a common occupation among many Canadians. Investigate the history of the Canadian fur trade. Which "peltries" (pelts/furs) were the main exports? Does Canada still have a specialization in fur? Where are the current markets for these products?

During the 1970s, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his wife were prominent international figures. What made this couple so fascinating and influential?

“Boys and Girls” cleverly uses the old saying, "only a girl." Today, popular culture is full of "girl" themes or catchphrases: Girl Power, "bad grrrls or riot grrrls," and more. This trend is intriguing considering earlier feminist efforts to highlight that the term "girl" was often used to describe adult females, not just children or teenagers. The campaign to promote the use of the word "woman" for adult females seems to have been largely successful. Do these "girl" movements signify a step back, even if they mainly refer to teenage girls or young women? Or do they represent something new and different? Discuss.

Around the time Munro wrote "Boys and Girls," Gloria Steinem was a significant feminist activist in the United States. Look into Canadian feminist history and identify the major feminists in Canada during this period.

Which Native American tribes are native to Canada? What has been the history of their activism regarding reservation or land rights over the past twenty years?