Final answer:
In the fur trade, the Francophone Metis had diverse and essential roles such as trappers, traders, middlemen, interpreters, laborers, and canoe builders. They leveraged their mixed European and Indigenous background to facilitate trade and navigate between cultural practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The roles that the Francophone Metis played in the fur trade were quite diverse and significant. The Metis, being of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, often served as trappers and traders, taking advantage of their knowledge of both cultures.
They also operated as middlemen and interpreters between the European traders and the Indigenous peoples, being proficient in languages and practices of both groups. In addition, they were skilled laborers and canoe builders, contributions essential to the fur trade's infrastructure. Their ability to navigate between cultures made them indispensable to the enterprise.
As the fur trade was the major economic driver in New France, it involved various roles that the Metis were particularly suited for. They could engage with the Indigenous populations in ways the European settlers could not, due to their mixed heritage and familiarity with both worlds.
This cultural blend allowed them to establish harmonious trading relationships and secure the necessary furs that were highly demanded in Europe. Consequently, the statement that the Metis were involved in trapping, trading, interpreting, laboring, and constructing for the fur trade, aligns with the historical role of the Metis, making the answer to the question 'd) All of the above'.