Last week, my wife cheekily asked me whether I celebrate Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day. I told her I honor Canadian Thanksgiving.
From History.com: “Columbus Day, a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century, but did not become a federal holiday until 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus’ achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage.”
How did it grow? “The first Columbus Day celebration took place in 1792, when New York’s Columbian Order—better known as Tammany Hall—held an event to commemorate the historic landing’s 300th anniversary. Taking pride in Columbus’ birthplace and faith, Italian and Catholic communities in various parts of the country began organizing annual religious ceremonies and parades in his honor.”
I get this. Still, “throughout its history, Columbus Day and the man who inspired it have generated controversy, and many alternatives to the holiday have proposed since the 1970s, including Indigenous Peoples’ Day, now celebrated in many U.S. cities, states and territories.”
I always found the fact that Columbus never landed on the continental Americas to be curious. But this is cool: “In many Latin American nations, the anniversary of Columbus’ landing has traditionally been observed as the Dìa de la Raza (‘Day of the Race’), a celebration of Hispanic culture’s diverse roots. In 2002, Venezuela renamed the holiday Dìa de la Resistencia Indìgena (“Day of Indigenous Resistance”) to recognize native peoples and their experience.”
O Canada
Ultimately, I honed in on Canadian Thanksgiving because its southern neighbor, a long-time ally, has been treating Canada poorly. From Congress.gov, “Since 2025, U.S.-Canada trade tensions have increased following the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.” The blow-by-blow is well-described.
The Canadian government notes: “Canada and the United States (U.S.) are bound not only by geography and history, but also by extensive trade and investment flows, cross-border supply chains and energy infrastructure, and enduring people-to-people ties. Our two countries also share a deep and longstanding defence and national security partnership, providing both countries with greater security than could be achieved individually.
“Trade and investment between Canada and the U.S. support millions of jobs on both sides of the border and help ensure the secure and flow of goods and people across the border that is vital to both countries’ economic competitiveness and prosperity.”
As for the ill-advised tariffs, “according to U.S. Census Bureau data, in 2025, the United States imposed duties on about 15% of U.S. imports from Canada by value (about $56 billion total), with a total $10 billion in calculated duties (compared to $0.4 billion in 2024). Most Canadian goods entered duty-free, likely because goods were certified as USMCA-compliant…
“Canada and the U.S. share a land border that, at close to 9,000 km, is the longest international border in the world, and most Canadians – 2 out of 3 – live within 100 km of the border” Yet the current regime belittles its long-term ally with its “51st state” talk. Ask most US business close to the border, and they will tell you they aren’t seeing those Canadian licence plates nearly as often as they did in 2024. Little wonder that the Buffalo Bills had Barenaked Ladies perform O Canada at their home opener in their new stadium.
Like a good neighbour
I have not been to Canada nearly often enough. The 2011 trip to Toronto and Peterborough, the latter for the Olin International Family Reunion, was probably the longest time there. Or it might have been my trips to Montreal in 1991 and 1992.
I have been to Niagara Falls at least a half dozen times, on both sides of the border. The only other time I can remember was in 1998 when a friend drove from Detroit, MI, to London, ON because the gas was cheaper.
I really need to get to the Maritime provinces, at least.
So, I’m sorry, Canada, that you’ve been so poorly treated by folks allegedly representing me. I loved the idea that Canadians added to the cultural mix that is the United States since I used to read the World Almanac list of famous celebrities and discovered than Lorne Greene (Bonanza TV show), Peter Jennings, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young, among many others, were Canadian . Here’s a more contemporary list plus the Wikipedia roster.
Here’s hoping that things will be better between us in a year and a half. Oh, and thank you, Canada, for all of your wonderfulness.
I would like to apologize to Canada – For the last couple of years, we have not been good neighbors to them!
In one of the history classes I’ve taken recently, we talked at length about celebrating Columbus Day (and not celebrating it). I was appalled to learn about how he treated people.