In an effort to dismantle the British trading network, which made the fur merchants of New France lose large profits, Pierre Gauthier de Varennes, sieur of La Vérendrye, his sons and his nephew also intensified their activities in the hinterland. In the mid-18th century, they founded several trading posts near lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg, to try to intercept the Cree and the Assiniboine who were on their way to Hudson Bay. At the same time, de Varennes' oldest son, Pierre, continued to explore the continent.  
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