History of the holiday 11th October, 2010  Save as Bookmark  Send this Page to Friend. Canadian Thanksgiving Day Home   Canadian Thanksgiving Day Wallpapers   Canada   Canadian Thanksgiving History   Canadian Thanksgiving Recipes   Earlier than in the US   Greetings   Traditions   Comptons says: "The first Thanksgiving Day in Canada was observed at Port Royal, N.S., in 1710, when the town and fort passed into English hands for the last time. In 1760 a day of thanksgiving at Halifax marked the victory of General Jeffrey Amherst's troops at Montreal. Early thanksgiving days were held at various times, usually to celebrate military victories or the birth of royal children.     In the year of 1578, the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a formal ceremony, in today's Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey to Canada. Martin Frobisher was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in Northern Canada named after him "Frobisher Bay". Martin Frobisher had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlement in Northern America and he did celebrate a harvest feast. This is considered the first Canadian Thanksgiving. Other settlers arrived and continued the celebration. French settlers, who arrived at about the same time in Canada, with explorer Samuel de Champlain, held their own celebration of thanks, which included a huge feast. They also formed "The Order of Good Cheer" and gladly shared their good fortune with the Canadian Native Indians. The next "Thanksgiving" in Canada was celebrated after the seven year war, which ended in 1763, by the citizens of Halifax, they held a special day of Thanksgiving. The Scottish settlers of Nova Scotia emphasized the religious aspect of a day of thanksgiving. Halifax in 1762 was the first community to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Harvest celebrations have been around a long time. Ever since the very first harvest, about 2,000 years ago, people have given thanks for a prosperous bounty. During the American Revolution, Americans who remained loyal to England moved to Canada where they brought the customs and practices of the American Thanksgiving to Canada. There are many similarities between the two Thanksgivings such as the cornucopia and the pumpkin pie. According to one Canadian resource the Canadian table usually features venison and waterfowl over turkey. However, a professor from Durham College tells us that in Southern Ontario eating waterfowl or venison at Thanksgiving has never happened and that the turkey or/and ham is the featured food. Conversely, Lee adamantly states that when he was young "wild duck/goose was always served for Thanksgiving and, if they were fortunate venison as well! This was a common practice in that area at that time."