Legal Research

Happy Thanksgiving

By Simon Fodden

Frobisher, 1577It’s Thanksgiving Day in Canada, so we’ll be feasting with family or just taking it easy. We’ll get back to regular posting tomorrow, but in the meanwhile, a bit of Canadian bragging: The first thanksgiving celebration by Europeans in North America took place in what is now Canada. The intrepid but not very lucky Martin Frobisher sailed from England for the Eastern Arctic and arrived in 1578 with 300 Cornish miners looking for gold. It’s said that they held a formal thanksgiving ceremony, which I can well understand, given that they survived the passage. Sadly, they returned at the end of August laden with ore that turned out to be chock full of mica rather than gold. (No tears for Frobisher, though: he turned to piracy and along with Francis Drake raided the Spanish who did yield gold.)

At a time when much of our “gold” is in the process of turning into “fool’s gold,” we still have a lot to be thankful for, not the least of which for me is the pleasure of your company, readers of Slaw. Thanks to you all.

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on October 13, 2008 (boomark / email).