Traditions of giving thanks long predate the arrival of European settlers in North America. First Nations across Turtle Island have traditions of thanksgiving for surviving winter and for receiving crops and game as a reward for their hard work. These traditions may include feasting, prayer, dance, pot-latch, and other ceremonies, depending on the peoples giving thanks. When it comes to European thanksgivings in Canada, we have a few tales to tell. As the story goes, in 1578, English explorer Martin…