The Man behind the River

(This monument is located at the New Westminster Quay)

Simon Fraser (20 May 1776 – 18 August 1862) was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was responsible for building many of the first trading posts west of the Rockies, and, in 1808, he explored what is now known as the Fraser River, which bears his name. Simon Fraser's exploratory efforts were partly responsible for Canada's boundary later being established at the 49th parallel (after the War of 1812), since he as a British subject was the first European to establish permanent settlements in the area.

adapted from Wikipedia
See more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Fraser_%28explorer%29