Fred Ford inherited a family legacy and a Canadian legacy.

His grandfather was a fur trader and photographed the Caribou Inuit in the early 1900s and their first contact with European culture. Fred’s mission is to share this story and continue to chronicle the world in the tradition of his forefathers.

Creative team

Writer/director/producer: Ruth DeGraves

Director’s statement

Ruth DeGraves says:

“I think it’s important to understand where we all come from and our common Canadian heritage – and what a great and dramatic history it is.

I’m so privileged to relate this small part of our Canadian story. And God bless Fred Ford, his grand dad HT Ford,  and very much the Caribou Inuit people of Baker Lake who are so central to the fascinating picture of Canadian history, both romantic and real.

Most critical was that I had the great support of my friend, the wonderful Fred Ford and my gentle broadcaster Cam Bennett, and my fabulous, fabulous editor John Gurdebeke.

The people involved in The Chronicler were so very generous and I can’t thank them enough.”

About Ruth DeGraves

Update: Sadly, Ruth passed away in 2014.

Ruth is currently embarking on a new short documentary about one of her favorite themes: Canadian culture and early European encounters with our First Nations people. This will be a complimentary cousin to The Chronicler.

Her work background includes more than a decade as writer / producer / broadcaster for CBC radio and her work on numerous documentary films for the National Film Board of Canada as well as independent film.

Ruth is also a fiction writer with three short stories and an internationally published novel.