NationStates Jolt Archive

As some of you Canucks may or may not be aware, CBC is showing a series now calling "The Greatest Canadian". And it's up to US (yes, us, that's no the United States) to choose who's number one. See, they already listed off 100-11, but the top ten need to be voted on now. If you want to see the full list, it's here at http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/greatcanadians/a.html
Now, the top ten to choose between are:
Frederick Banting (The man who discovered insulin, for the uneducated)

Alexander Graham Bell (Telephone... you know.)

Don Cherry (Do not vote for this man; you know who he is)

Tommy Douglas (Long-time leader of the NDP, founder of public healthcare, the bill of rights, and rebel against the Liberal power structure for 50 years)

Terry Fox (The heroic young one-legged man who tried to run across the country for a cure for Cancer, and who died in the process, now remembered annually)

Wayne Gretzky (Played hockey, and he shouldn't be on this list)

Sir John A. Macdonald (Founded the country, had a railroad built, and revelaed his corruption building the railroad.... still only lost one election in his career)

Lester B. Pearson (Nobel prize winner for his handling the Suez Canal Crisis; PM that introduced Canada Pension Plan, Medicare, which he ripped off from Tommy Douglas, the Canada Student Loans program and a Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism)

David Suzuki (Scientist and environmental guru, helping to educate Canadians about the environment for one hell of a long time).

Pierre Trudeau (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, bs about "Just Society, and controversial handling of the October Crisis by envoking the War Measures Act after a pair of kidnappings... also, he said "Just watch me", which was kinda cool)

Wanna vote for it? Go to http://www.cbc.ca/greatest

More importantly; Duke it out here. Who is your vote for? Mine's for Tommy Douglas, and I'll explain why later.... this was a somewhat lengthy post already.

He or she died on the beaches of Normandy, France.

jim

I have to say Sir John A. Macdonald, because the only one on the list I actually know who he is is Gretzky, and he doesn't have a Sir.

neither

He or she died on the beaches of Normandy, France.

jim
The Unknown soldier made the top fifty at a disappointing 21. Who do you think was higher? Mike Myers. Yet for some reason... there's a hockey player in the top 10. What's that say about the voters?

I have to say Sir John A. Macdonald, because the only one on the list I actually know who he is is Gretzky, and he doesn't have a Sir.
You could have read the descriptions, you know. ;)

The Unknown soldier made the top fifty at a disappointing 21. Who do you think was higher? Mike Myers. Yet for some reason... there's a hockey player in the top 10. What's that say about the voters?

Why would a player of a game, take any precedence over one who fought and died for another? Or a Teacher for that matter?

The greatest Canadian fought and died beside my own family.

Easy!

Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Why would a player of a game, take any precedence over one who fought and died for another? Or a Teacher for that matter?

The greatest Canadian fought and died beside my own family.
I can hardly disagree with you. Unfortunately, this poll is based around the top ten that have already been decided. There's no way I'd go for Gretzky or Don Cherry even being on the list, but some of the decisions really are ridiculous.
If it makes you feel any better, Frederick Banting worked in a field hospital during the first world war, and Lester B. Pearson was a WW2 vet. The former's discovery has saved countless lives, and did a great deal for the quality of life of diabetics.

Now, come on! Let's get to the arguments. Who voted for that spineless halfbreed, Trudeau? Let's look at his record... he managed to get young women to fawn over him to get elected, rather than winning based on, I dunno, principles or something... oh sure, he talked about some kind of "Just Society", but just what does that mean? Does it mean that based on the FLQ's kidnappings of Pierre Laporte and Mr. Cross, that civil liberty ought to be suspended. People talk about how the US has become like Big Brother lately, but that's nothing next to what Trudeau did. Soldiers on the streets, Francophones rounded up by the hundreds overnight, and did it even help M. Laporte? Hell no. He was found in the trunk of a car..

Now, Trudeau finally managed to do something about his "Just Society" when he signed the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982. It was a damn fine idea. Too bad it wasn't Trudeau's idea. Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas had passed the first real piece of human rights legislation in Canada, the Saskatchewan Bill of Human Rights, in 1947; that's THIRTY FIVE YEARS before Trudeau did a god-damn thing about it. So he managed to take something that already existed, and put it into the constitition. Not bad... hell, he'll probably get on the $20 Bill someday for that one.

FYI, Bell is ACTUALLY SCOTTISH! He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847. He later moved to Ontario and then to the United States.

Trudeau sucks, he's just like a fascist Canadian. Without the "strong Vs weak" thingy, of course. Which means, in fact, he's not fascist at all. But he sucks whatsoever! Oh well. Go Tommy.

FYI, Bell is ACTUALLY SCOTTISH! He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847. He later moved to Ontario and then to the United States.
Yep. Kinda makes you wonder why he's on the list?

bump

Trudeau sucks, he's just like a fascist Canadian. Without the "strong Vs weak" thingy, of course. Which means, in fact, he's not fascist at all. But he sucks whatsoever! Oh well. Go Tommy.

You don't know Canadian history very well to say that. Haven't you a clue what he did for our country? He defined us as a nation. Some people like to blame him for deficit spending.. it was happening every where.. not just Canada. He was a true hero of the people. You also don't understand what a "fascist" is either.

You don't know Canadian history very well to say that. Haven't you a clue what he did for our country? He defined us as a nation. Some people like to blame him for deficit spending.. it was happening every where.. not just Canada. He was a true hero of the people. You also don't understand what a "fascist" is either.
Dammit, Tycoony! You're making my argument look bad.
"Hero of the people"... please do elaborate.

That was so funny last night, watching Pierre Burton teaching everyone how to roll a joint.

Pamela Anderson is Canadian :eek:


Even with that I'm still going to vote Colin Machare

What i'd like to know is how did Don Cherry ended on the top 10?
I'd rather have Louis Riel (#11) in the top 10 than him.

Dudley Doo-Right is more famous than half that list.

What i'd like to know is how did Don Cherry ended on the top 10?
I'd rather have Louis Riel (#11) in the top 10 than him.

...and Jean Vanier definately should've been Top 10. As one person I've talked to the list about said himself, after he dies, Jean Vanier will almost certainly be made a saint.

What I found really strange about the list was Louise Arbour, Mordecai Richler, and Sam Steele ranked 97,98, and 99 on the list. Trying to claim that they are not among the 25 greatest Canadians is a fools errand.

I can't believe neither Frederick Banting nor Terry Fox has received a vote yet. I also find it amazing that I am the only one to pick Lester B. Pearson. I mean, come on people, he invented the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces.

can I have an apricot?

suzuki

alexander grahm bell was scottish...

What i'd like to know is how did Don Cherry ended on the top 10?
I'd rather have Louis Riel (#11) in the top 10 than him.
The top 10 were nominated by CBC viewers/Internet users.

and don cherry's an idiot. damn leafs-loving idiot. i don't get how a sports commentator who knows fuck all about the game ends up in the top 10.

i voted for david suzuki, he's one smart fellow.

GENERAL SIR ISAAC BROCK

Captured Detroit with a handful of men, fought agaisnt all odds and led Canada to victory by repelling the U.S. Invasion PERIOD.

alexander grahm bell was scottish...
He immigrated to Canada in 1870.

Behold fools,for I am the greatest Candian!

No,I think it's Pierre-Eliot Trudeau,actually,but Sir John A. Macdonald is a close second.

"Hero of the people"... please do elaborate.

Perhaps some are too young to recall "Trudeaumania" He gave us our national identity. He gave us (while not perfect, but what is) our Constitution. He gave us our independence from Britain. He gave us a unique identity that didn't mirror the Americans. He was the first P.M. ever in the 20th century to tell the Americans Canada was not for sale. Sadly years later Brian Mulroney would try to sell our country out from under us any way. He had character and personality and loved this country unparalleled with any one (except maybe Farley Mowat , another great Canadian) Trudeau made me love this country in more ways then one. He showed me that we were unique people and we were no ones doormat. He stopped the FLQ dead in it's tracks. Christ, I could go on and on.. no Canadian in our history has even come close to Trudeau. Maybe Pearson on some level but only because of Peacekeeping. Yet still, Trudeau was da man!

Perhaps some are too young to recall "Trudeaumania" He gave us our national identity. He gave us (while not perfect, but what is) our Constitution. He gave us our independence from Britain. He gave us a unique identity that didn't mirror the Americans. He was the first P.M. ever in the 20th century to tell the Americans Canada was not for sale. Sadly years later Brian Mulroney would try to sell our country out from under us any way. He had character and personality and loved this country unparalleled with any one (except maybe Farley Mowat , another great Canadian) Trudeau made me love this country in more ways then one. He showed me that we were unique people and we were no ones doormat. He stopped the FLQ dead in it's tracks. Christ, I could go on and on.. no Canadian in our history has even come close to Trudeau. Maybe Pearson on some level but only because of Peacekeeping. Yet still, Trudeau was da man!
Yes that's all good and well but the Quebec separatists (and a few other) will never forgive him for his role in the "night of long knives".

Yes that's all good and well but the Quebec separatists (and a few other) will never forgive him for his role in the "night of long knives".

Well, one could argue that "separatists" are not exactly proud Canadians now are they! Also I don't believe Trudeau went around kidnapping and killing people.. the Quebec separatists can't make that claim. "WWT"!

"night of long knives".

Oh and for the record...

The myth about the charter is that Quebec was left out of the Final night of negotiations, becoming a victim of the "night of long knives." This author was a ranking member of the Ontario delegation to those province-federal negotiations, and here is the unvarnished truth. A Quebec delegation led by the affable and popular separatist premier Rene Levesque arrived in Ottawa in November 1981 as part of an eight-province coalition. That coalition purported to oppose Prime Minister Trudeau's proposal to produce a made-in-Canada constitution for the country. (Canada was established as a confederation of British colonies by the British North America Act of 1867, which thereafter served as the country's constitution. Trudeau wanted Canada to write its own constitution by adopting the British statute and adding a charter of rights.) Aside from New Brunswick and Ontario, all Canadian provinces were part of this anti-Ottawa coalition, whose goal was to battle Ottawa to a compromise or a court-imposed constraint, while at all costs avoiding a referendum pitting the provinces against Ottawa and the charter of rights. (The provinces would have lost badly.)

As the negotiations proceeded, it became clear that the Quebec delegation had no fall-back or compromise plan. Their strategy seemed incomplete, incompetent, or both.

When in a rhetorical flourish Trudeau suggested the possibility of holding a referendum in Quebec on the proposed new constitutional arrangement, Levesque embraced the referendum instantly as a way to polarize Quebecers once again. (His sovereignty-association option had been soundly defeated one year earlier.) The other coalition partners felt betrayed, and it became each province for itself.

Negotiations that produced the "notwithstanding clause" and language-education rights for francophones in population centers nationwide proceeded all night. The Quebecers were kept informed but decided not to participate. The profound pity is that their abdication left key gains for Quebec, like a veto on any constitutional changes dealing with language, on the table. And why? Despite the message from Quebec voters one year earlier, the Parti Quebecois government was only prepared to advance partisan interests. Gains for Quebec would have proved that Canada could work for Quebec and would have fulfilled promises the federalists made in the 1980 referendum campaign to achieve change within Confederation if Quebecers voted to stay.

If there was any conspiracy to keep Quebec out of the Final negotiations it was a PQ conspiracy to ensure that nothing good came from the negotiations. The elaborate canard of exclusion is pure theater, but its resilience testifies to the hardliners' resolve. The Quebec government's decision not to be present when Queen Elizabeth II came to proclaim the new constitution in the spring of 1982 posed an interesting problem. Should Canada change its constitution when a province larger than Texas, and with a significant percentage of the country's population, objects? That issue produced an honest and important debate, led by Conservative Senator Lowell Murray, to the effect that, whatever the reason, Quebec's refusal to sign was sufficient cause not to proceed. Murray was supported in the Senate by Earnest Manning, a former Social Credit premier of Alberta.

In the end, however, it would have been absurd to allow the hardliners who opposed any renewal of Confederation to prevail just so they could claim that Confederation was static. Yet despite these facts, the mythology of the "purposeful exclusion" of Quebec from constitutional discussions continues to be circulated by the hardliners and others who should know better.

Toss up between Alexander Graham Bell and Trudeau, but I picked Trudeau. He was a good guy.

I'm all for Tommy Douglas, or Terry Fox. Terry Fox is a real hero, who had a massive Canadian impact.
Trudeau drove the Canadian economy to the ground. He buried it and murdered our economic future. We're still suffering the consequences of his idiot fiscal policies. He was a great man, well known, brought Canada's young voters out, and played a key role in our constitution... but that doesn't make him a great Canadian.
Published in the Globe and Mail was the list, and I was shocked to see AVRIL LAVIGNE (The No-Talent hack from Napanee, ON) was number 40 - 5 slots ahead of Jean Chretien. Now, admittedly, neither of these people are anywhere near being 'great', but Avril Lavigne has had no impact on Canadian culture. She's a singer, and not very good at that, and she's done nothing to enhance or add to Canada except another flash-in-the-pan artist who'll die off or move to America for good in due time.

Trudeau drove the Canadian economy to the ground. He buried it and murdered our economic future. We're still suffering the consequences of his idiot fiscal policies.

It wasn't just Canada this happened to. Pick up a freaking history book. And no we are not still suffering from it to this day. Sheesh! If you want to give Trudeau credit for our over a decade trade surplus fine, or give him credit for a balanced budget and huge surplus then fine! I don't know where some people get their economic information but the last time I checked.. Canada for only having a population of 35 million people is the 9th largest economy in the world. I say that's not too bad at all.. not too bad at all. Canada did just fine under Trudeau and we're doing just fine now. The only P.M. I can recall in my life time that almost destroyed Canada was Brian Mulroney , perhaps you have them mixed up!

As some of you Canucks may or may not be aware, CBC is showing a series now calling "The Greatest Candian".

I can almost hear the Americans laughing :D

Seriously though, I don't care who wins, as long as David Suzuki and Wayne Gretzy don't. Suzuki's a one-track minded environmentalist lefty (who, I hear, actually isn't very nice in real life), and while hockey's all good and fine, being good at it certainly does not qualify you to be the best Canadian ever.

Corporal Joseph Kaeble joined the Royal 22ième Régiment in 1916 and quickly earned his MM. Near Arras in 1918 he single-handedly repelled a strong German attack with his Lewis gun. Dying, he shouted: “Keep it up, boys…stop them”. He got the Victoria Cross for this action. General Sir Arthur Currie had great success at Vimy and then, appointed to command the Canadian Corps, won the battles of Passchendaele in 1917 and Amiens in 1918, and organized the victorious mobile warfare of the Last Hundred Days, showing generalship never equalled in the story of Canadian arms.

I'll also remind everyone that Corporal Joseph Jean Kaeble suffered several wounds that should have killed him out right, 8 grenade blasts, and 11 gun shots. He fended off wave after wave of German attacks while his section lay either dead or wounded. Joseph Jean Kaeble is the greatest Canadian to ever live.

If I had the chance, I would have voted for Currie, the very epitome of the citizen soldier (the man was a real-estate agent).

But as it was, I voted for Sir John A. He is, after all, from the city in which I live.

There was another Canadian soldier (actually a medic) who was in WW2, lived in my town till he died afterwards, I actually know a guy who lived down the street from him and used to talk to him (the guy I know is like 40 something, as I believe this veteran died quite a few years back).

He was a paratrooper and in 1944 (forget what battle, I think it was the Rhine Crossing) two other medics ran out to grab a wounded soldier and bring him to safety and they were mowed down almost right in front of this guy, so he runs out after that, gets shot in the nose, grabs the wounded, brings him back to safety, then proceeds to continue saving wounded guys for hours and hours. Then, when he finally goes off to have his wound looked after, he comes across a burning vehicle with three guys insides, the vehicles ammo (I believe it was a Bren carrier) was going off, so he runs over to it and pulled out the three guys, then finally went off to get his wounds looked after. Maybe not as impressive as Kaeble, but still pretty impressive.

I voted for Sir John A. He is, after all, from the city in which I live.

I love Kingston.. great party town. I had a lot of fun there in my youth.. lived there for around 8 months. I'm from Ottawa though and still live in Ottawa to this day. I wouldn't have a hard time living in Kingston either though.

I can almost hear the Americans laughing :D

Seriously though, I don't care who wins, as long as David Suzuki and Wayne Gretzy don't. Suzuki's a one-track minded environmentalist lefty (who, I hear, actually isn't very nice in real life), and while hockey's all good and fine, being good at it certainly does not qualify you to be the best Canadian ever.
If you think that's all Suzuki and Gretzky have done with their lives, then you're right.

Wayne Gretzky (Played hockey, and he shouldn't be on this list)Agreed. But hey, he's not Don Cherry.
Lester B. Pearson ... introduced Canada Pension Plan, Medicare, which he ripped off from Tommy DouglasThat's our system of government; where would we be if big tent parties didn't steal good ideas? It'd be nice if the Tommy Douglasses got more credit though.

I'll take Graham-Bell, because he revolutionised the world. Without him, I would not be making this tribute.

As for actual Canadians, I'll say Trudeau. I don't remember him, but from what I've read he sounds good.

Trudeau drove the Canadian economy to the ground.
Isn't Canada in the Top 10 of the Quality of life list? Yes.

Aaaaaaaaaaah, Don Cherry! No, not Don Cherry, anybody but him! Jeez, that guy...

Aaaaaaaaaaah, Don Cherry! No, not Don Cherry, anybody but him! Jeez, that guy...
Yeah, how the hell did he make it to that list anyhow? :confused:

Who is the Greatest Canadian? In my mind it's a tossup between Tommy Douglas and Pierre Trudeau. But my vote goes to Tommy Douglas because his ideas were widely ripped off by the Liberals and I like him better. Pearson isn't a bad choice either, although I think Douglas and Trudeau are better options.

As for some of the rest of the list ... oh god. Don Cherry shouldn't be on the list at all, let along Top Ten. Wayne Gretzky may be a national treasure, but he's still just an athlete. I like David Suzuki mostly, but he shouldn't be on the list. Actually, the list is pretty damn flawed.

And it's bad in the whole Top 100. That musicians should be in the list at all is dubious ... but since they are, why the HELL is Avril Lavingne, who's only been popular for a few years on the list? And why is Stompin' Tom Connors ahead of NEIL YOUNG?!? Neil Young! I want to flog some people here.

Finally, about Mr. Trudeau. I think he's a good choice, but a lot of his policy was pretty much ripped off of Tommy Douglas and the NDP. In fact, the best thing about the Liberals is that they're willing to rip off the NDP. Also, Tommy Douglas is a prairie boy. :D

"Stephistan: It wasn't just Canada this happened to. Pick up a freaking history book. And no we are not still suffering from it to this day. Sheesh! If you want to give Trudeau credit for our over a decade trade surplus fine, or give him credit for a balanced budget and huge surplus then fine! I don't know where some people get their economic information but the last time I checked.. Canada for only having a population of 35 million people is the 9th largest economy in the world. I say that's not too bad at all.. not too bad at all. Canada did just fine under Trudeau and we're doing just fine now. The only P.M. I can recall in my life time that almost destroyed Canada was Brian Mulroney , perhaps you have them mixed up!

Siljhouettes: Isn't Canada in the Top 10 of the Quality of life list? Yes."

Trudeau put our nation into debt that we're just getting out of. He was a good P.M., and probably the last one to actually have a passion for his country, but I wouldn't consider him the greatest Canadian as many do. Yes, we're out of Trudeau's debt, but his debt hampered the progress of the Canadian economy for decades. And it did not help when we had Mulroney afterwards, who was worse with fiscal management, and did nothing for Canada (at least Trudeau did do stuff for Canada).
And I do not deny that Canada is doing well, Siljhouettes, but the truth is that all of the Prime Ministers that should have been on this list (other than Trudeau!) aren't there. MacKenzie King? How about Sir Wilfred Laurier? Or Diefenbaker? My problem is that the top ten is a popularity contest, and Trudeau was popular. But he definitely wasn't the greatest Canadian, as so many people seem to blindly think. Was he a good PM? Yes. Is Canada in good shape? Yes. I don't deny any of these things, and didn't deny it in my post. But, is Trudeau worthy of being the "Greatest Canadian"? Definitely not.

Easy!

Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Sounds like the only Canadian on the list. . .
:rolleyes:

Alltough not Canadian, I am aware of Trudeau and Suzuki aso.

TRUDEAU

I'm -all- for Suzuki. The guy is a genius, and a great public speaker.
BTW, I just should mention so people don't get the wrong idea... I'm not against Trudeau being on the list. I was more upset over Avril Lavigne being on the top 50 than Trudeau being on it at all. :P

Canada psh whats that some sort of everquest expansion.

But as it was, I voted for Sir John A. He is, after all, from the city in which I live.
You live in Kingston? I live in Kingston! Born and raised?
Geez, what's up here anyway? I leave for 6 hours and alluva sudden the thread's a page back.. ah well.

The greatest Canadian is the guy who first said "aboot."

God bless that man or woman for the many, many, many hours of laughter he or she gave the rest of the world.

I realize that, as a citizen of the United States, I am entitled to little say in this matter.

That said, I object to the selection of candidates for the "Top 10" list as it does not include either Stephistan or Sirithil.

--The Jovial States of Cogitation
"Laugh about it for a moment."
NationStates Self-Proclaimed Court Jester

I realize that, as a citizen of the United States, I am entitled to little say in this matter.

That said, I object to the selection of candidates for the "Top 10" list as it does not include either Stephistan or Sirithil.

--The Jovial States of Cogitation
"Laugh about it for a moment."
NationStates Self-Proclaimed Court Jester
So noted, in the interest of keeping up friendly relations with our neighbours to the South. Maybe next time.

Did anyone else notice that that entire top 10 list is composed of males? And how many women were there on the top 100 list in the first place? Were all of them bad singers? I mean... there was probably some woman in the past who, like, fought to give half of our population the vote or something... and wasn't there someone way back when who got the government to recognize the female half of Canada's population as "persons" under the law? I mean it's not like it's a big deal, we're only talking about slightly more than half of the people who live in this country... but maybe such a deed is worthy of at least some consideration as a top 10?.. And aren't there some female writers out there in Canada who have or had some international acclaim?.. or is it a position of our wonderful diverse and inclusive and mosaic-like society that famous women can only be bad singers?.. Who picked the original names for the list, anyway? And who forgot to vote for the women?

Ah, and the greatest prime minister in Canadian history? Could have been Sheila Copps, if the old boys' club had given her a chance.

Stephistan: about Trudeau, I was playing devil's advocate. I don't think he's the greatest. Great, influential, yes but not the greatest.

Cogitation: As far as I know, this voting is not open to only Canadians. If you have a knowledge of our history, you can chime in all you want.

Ovresand:There were women (other than singer) who made the top 100. The higest ranking woman was Shania Twain at 18. But you have Laura Secord at 35, Mary Maxwell at 44 and Louise Arbour at 97 among others.

And my vote goes to anyone but Don Cherry.

FYI, Bell is ACTUALLY SCOTTISH! He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847. He later moved to Ontario and then to the United States.

And he didn't actually invent the telephone.

Ovresand:There were women (other than singer) who made the top 100. The higest ranking woman was Shania Twain at 18. But you have Laura Secord at 35, Mary Maxwell at 44 and Louise Arbour at 97 among others.

And my vote goes to anyone but Don Cherry.
Let's not forget Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, and Margaret Atwood. Exactly the kind of people Oversand was complaining about being absent (All three in the top 100).
I can applaud your voting decision.

And he didn't actually invent the telephone.
SHH! Don't tell the voters that.

Tommy Douglas hands down! He brought us medicare and paved the way for other social programs which have improved Canadian life.

I mean, sure Banting was a great man for inventing insulin, and Trudeau was a great Prime Minister, but, I don't need insulin, and I am an NDP supporter, so, I think Douglas is the greatest Canadian. ^_^.

Anyone who votes for Don Cherry is blowing out their ass. The only good thing about that man is that he is anti-Ottawa.

Tommy Douglas hands down! He brought us medicare and paved the way for other social programs which have improved Canadian life.
Don't forget Tommy's Saskatchewan Bill of Rights; the first of it's kind in Canada. Think the Charter wasn't influenced by it? Pfft! Like the Liberals ever had a good idea they didn't steal.

Easy!

Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Make that two votes!! :D

I can hardly disagree with you. Unfortunately, this poll is based around the top ten that have already been decided. There's no way I'd go for Gretzky or Don Cherry even being on the list, but some of the decisions really are ridiculous.
I have to agree with you here.

One other that should not be on the list is Alexander Bell. Although Bell lived here for awhile and is buried here, he was born in Scotland.

I'd say the Canadian in my bed.

I'd say the Canadian in my bed.

Sorry not bed. What's the word? Lecture!

This poll sucks, they left out the McKenzie brothers. >:/

This poll sucks, they left out the McKenzie brothers. >:/
Tell it to those who voted through the CBC website. They're the one who came up with the ten finalists.

Tell it to those who voted through the CBC website. They're the one who came up with the ten finalists.

I'd say they had no sense of national identity, but Gretzky and Cherry are up there, soooo...

I voted for Lester Pearson, for many of the reasons already mentioned. Although the program on Tommy Douglas last Monday was very moving. If it weren't for Pearson, I'd vote for Tommy.

Did you know that Trudeau was an NDPer before jumping ship to the Liberals?

I can see the alternate history now: Trudeau and Trudeau-mania as the vehicle that brings the NDP to power. It would be an interesting exercise.

While I personally would never have voted for Don Cherry, don't be so hard on him. Yes, he is a blow-hard with a blindspot for Toronto. BUT he has also done a lot of good things - he's a major supporter of children's and women's hockey, supports a lot of charities, and recently started his own charitable foundation in honour of his late wife Rose. He's not just a big mouth with bad suits.

As for Wayne Gretzky, yeah, he's a hockey player, but arguably the greatest athlete of a sport that, like or not, is a huge passion in Canada. Greatest Canadian or no, you can't deny that he is a cultural icon. And he's done his fair share of charitable work as well.

I was really disappointed to see General Romeo Dallarie only made 16th on the list. That man espouses everything it means to be a Canadian and what he went through and did in Rwanda to help those people can not earn enough praise.

Out of the top 10, for me its a very tough choice between Tommy Douglas and Frederick Banting. Banting's discovery, which was insulin, has saved arguably more people in the world than any other medical discover except for maybe penicillin or the polio vaccine. His achievement has allowed hundreds of millions of diabetics to live normal long lives.

Tommy Douglas is be far the greatest social democrat this country has ever seen, universal health care, bill of rights, public auto insurance, etc. The list goes on. he has created the ideas for and achieved and fought for so much for canada.

there was probably some woman in the past who, like, fought to give half of our population the vote or something... and wasn't there someone way back when who got the government to recognize the female half of Canada's population as "persons" under the law?

That was Nellie McClung. I believe she finished in the Mid teens.

All I know is I will forever be astounded that Louise Arbour, Mordechai Richler and Sam Steele finished 97, 98, and 99 on the list.

Louise Arbour spent a big chunk of the 90's prosecuting War Criminals from the Balkans and Rwanda and was a Supreme Court Judge before leaving to run the UN office that investigates and prosecutes War Criminals.

Mordechai Richler was, simply put, one of the greatest English language authors the world has ever produced.

as for Sam Steele, he almost single-handedly gave the RCMP the great reputation it has in the world today. Add to that he was a hero of the Boer war that trained and led the only Cavalry units that could actually scare the Boer's shitless.

As for Sam Steele, he almost single-handedly gave the RCMP the great reputation it has in the world today.

Its reputation isn't doing all that well. Deporting people to Syria to be tortured = not good. Neither is invading and searching reporters' homes. I mean those were isolated incidents, and for the most part I'm sure the RCMP is doing quite well... but that doesn't mean that things like that should happen. Ever. So yes. Their reputation has been higher in the past.


Add to that he was a hero of the Boer war that trained and led the only Cavalry units that could actually scare the Boer's shitless.


Okay... "Hero of World War II" I can understand... "Hero of World War I" I can understand... "Hero of the Boer war"???

Come on, that was the quintessential colonial war! Britain told Canada "hey, Canadians, go shoot some Boer people who never did you any harm so we can take their land and gold!" and Canada's like "Sir yes sir! All hail the glorious British Empire! Let us die for the material enrichment of our colonial overlords who will serve as officers and commanders, keeping a safe distance from the actual battles we'll fight!" and so on. It was a war fought over gold and land. And an aggressive war at that. And the only reason we fought it was because we were a British colony so it's not exactly a great piece of Canadian identity. It was a meaningless war that contributed nothing to Canada. What's so Greatest Canadian-like about it?

But yes. RCMP important. That would be a good reason to be on the list. But the Boer war???

Where is alex trebek? He's a republican too!