Thanksgiving has been officially celebrated as an annual holiday in Canada since November 6, 1879. [2] While the date varied by year and was not fixed, it was commonly the third Monday in October. [2]

The theme of the Thanksgiving holiday also changed each year to reflect an important event to be thankful for. In its early years, it was for an abundant harvest and occasionally for a special anniversary.

In our offices, the Canadian teammates often tease their US counterparts by saying Canadian Thanksgiving is the REAL Thanksgiving as compared to when the US celebrates it in November. That always gets an immediate reaction from our American teammates since American Thanksgiving is a really big deal in the US. However, I think it's fair to say that both the Canadian and United States' celebrations of Thanksgiving have common themes and origins: there are lots to be thankful for and let's make time to be grateful.

For our firm, there is lots to be grateful for. Yes, even during these very challenging times. Here's a short and incomplete list:

  1. Our Teammates

Like most small businesses, our firm relies on its teammates to perform. And they have. When it became apparent that COVID was going to provide a significant challenge for our firm, our families, other teammates, our clients and overall community, they all stepped up. They did so by dealing with the challenges head-on, without political correctness but instead with compassion, empathy and authenticity. I'm grateful for all of our teammates' efforts this year and every year. While we still have challenges to overcome, the opportunities in front of us are exciting, and because of our Partners / Directors / Associates / Administrative Professionals at Moodys Tax, we're ready to grab those opportunities!

A big thank you to our team. And a special thank you to their family members. Our teammates often work hard for the benefit of our clients, and sometimes that means that their family obligations are sacrificed.

I'm grateful.

  1. Our Clients

A business couldn't exist without a supportive client base who hopefully become fans and spread the word. Great clients also provide constructive feedback about how things could be better, and we are grateful to have that kind of relationship with ours. Thank you for spreading the word, for sticking with us when times have been challenging and for always providing great feedback.

Again, a sincere thank you. Our team is grateful for such meaningful relationships with our clients.

  1. Our Referral Sources

Most small businesses rely on word of mouth promotion and supportive referral sources. If the small business delivers value for a person, that person will often tell someone else about their experience. Heck, they might even become "fans" and routinely send the small business new leads. Our firm is no different. We rely on referrals from our existing clients and centres of influences (other accounting firms, insurance and investment professionals, bankers, lawyers, and many others). We work hard to provide value and make our referral partners proud of their decision to include us.

A big thank you to our firm's referral sources. Our firm would not be able to grow without your trust.

  1. Our Firm's Suppliers

Small businesses rely on their suppliers for many aspects of their businesses. For example, a restaurant could not exist without a reliable source and a timely supply of good quality food. Our firm is no different. We rely on great suppliers of other legal services, office equipment and supplies, computer services, weekly flower delivery (plants and flowers are good for the soul), marketing and brand development services, and countless others who help us every day. Yes, even our landlords, bankers and insurance providers are great! We are fans.

A big thank you to all of our suppliers. You help us daily, and your impact is not lost on us.

  1. Our Communities and Country

While there is no shortage of challenges in our communities and country - especially today – there is also no shortage of things to be thankful for. Canada has a long proud history of enabling its citizen's opportunities to thrive. I'm confident that our country's communities will continue building that history and work together to ensure that our future is bigger than our past (I'm stealing that phrase from Dan Sullivan of The Strategic Coach). Our firm will continue to work hard to do our small part to help our country and community's future become bigger than our past.

A big thank you to all that work hard to make our country better. We're grateful. (And, yes, that includes all of the hard-working people at the Canada Revenue Agency and those who serve in public office! 😉).

From our Partners/Directors/Associates/Administrative Professionals at Moodys Tax, thank you! We are grateful for the reasons above and many more. As spoken by many psychologists and social scientists - including this one in a 2013 TED talk: "it's gratefulness that makes you happy; it's not happiness that makes you grateful".

I very much agree. I'm grateful.

Moodys Tax Law is only about tax. It is not an add-on service, it is our singular focus. Our Canadian and US lawyers and Chartered Accountants work together to develop effective tax strategies that get results, for individuals and corporate clients with interests in Canada, the US or both. Our strengths lie in Canadian and US cross-border tax advisory services, estateplanning, and tax litigation/dispute resolution. We identify areas of risk and opportunity, and create plans that yield the right balance of protection, optimization and compliance for each of our clients' special circumstances.

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