# Who is the Greatest Canadian? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2002, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719 "2002-10-24T17:56:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Muck\_Muck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@Muck\_Muck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muck_Muck)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/1 "2002-10-24T17:56:02Z")
Ok, a blatant rip-off of the “Greatest Briton” thread, but I couldn’t resist. Here’s my top 10 (in no particular order): 1. Davis Suzuki 2. John Ralston Saul 3. Wayne Gretzky 4. Joni Mitchell 5. Neil Young 6. Dr. Charles Best 7. Atom Egoyan 8. Terry Fox 9. Carol Shields 10. Leonard Cohen I know there are quite a few Canadian Dopers. Who’s on your list? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/2 "2002-10-24T18:00:54Z")
What the heck, I’ll play! Neil Young, Neil Peart, Geddy Lee, Bob & Doug and six other tuc-wearin’ hosers! * * * Take off, eh! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/3 "2002-10-24T18:47:14Z")
I don’t get it. Are we including ALL TIME Canadians? If so, man, David Suzuki? John Ralston Saul?? Holy moly… there ARE Canadians who did stuff other than host TV shows and write so-so books, ya know. 🙂 Assuming we include Canadians throughout history: **1. Sir John A. Macdonald** Absolutely #1 on the list beyond any doubt or question; to be quite honest, this is really “Sir John A. and a list of nine distant runners-up.” Literally was the man who led in the creation of the country as it exists today; far more the father of his nation than George Washington was. **2. Pierre Trudeau** The unquestioned leader of the movement that made Canada the sort of nation it is now; bilingual, socially liberal, multicultural. Successfully fought off the separatist movement. **3. Sir Sanford Fleming** What time is it? If you know, thank this guy. **4. George-Etienne Cartier** Along with MacDonald, the father of our country. The reason Canada is bilingual and not just a big New Zealand. **5. W.M. Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook** Canada’s greatest captain of industry and one of the most important Allied leaders of World War II. Depending on how you weigh contribution to the world vs. to Canada, could rank #1. \*\*6. (Tie) Banting and Best \*\* Responsible for saving millions of lives. **8. Mordecai Richler** Canada’s greatest literary figure by a margin of about a hundred percent. **9. Wayne Gretzky** Canada’s greatest athlete, the greatest Canadian celebrity of modern times, and a cornerstore of modern Canadian legend. **10. Yousuf Karsh** The greatest portrait photographer who has ever lived. Honorable mentions: Emily Carr, Robertson Davies, J.J. Hill, Tom Thompson, Denys Arcand, Norman Jewison, Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, Stephen Leacock, Farley Mowat, Marshall McLuhan, John Polanyi, Sir William Osler, Terry Fox, Lester Pearson, Norman Bethune, Douglas Shearer, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Ferguson Jenkins, Maurice Richard, Gordie Howe, James Naismith, Roch Carrier, Sir William Lyon Mackenzie King, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/4 "2002-10-24T19:07:59Z")
Jesse Palmer. You can put Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy up around there too. But Jesse’s the man. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/5 "2002-10-24T19:12:01Z")
Oh, that’s easy: [John Byner](http://www.toonarific.com/a/antandaardvark.html), of course. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/6 "2002-10-24T20:47:10Z")
[Here’s](http://www.angelfire.com/mn/paullywally/anticanada.html) a list of famous (greatest?) Canadians. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/7 "2002-10-25T00:03:06Z")
John A. would be my first choice, but I’d make sure [Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie](http://www.worldwar1.com/bioccurr.htm) gets into the top ten. Joe Shuster, co-creator of Superman, gets at least an honorable mention. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/8 "2002-10-25T00:40:05Z")
I suppose we’d have to include Edith Prickley, Perini Scleroso, Mrs. Falbo, and Johnny LaRue as well. I think you have all covered the list for me pretty well. Nobody has mentioned Kim Campbell. She became the first female Prime Minister, but she wasn’t elected and she couldn’t hang on to it. It’s too bad that our first female pm was so startlingly bad at it. Welcome, Muck Muck! Wave to the Rockies for me! ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/9 "2002-10-25T02:00:31Z")
Bobby Orr. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/10 "2002-10-25T02:15:20Z")
Alex Trebek? Lorne Greene? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/11 "2002-10-25T03:06:57Z")
[Northern Dancer](http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/thoroughbred/1976/Northern_Dancer.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/12 "2002-10-25T05:21:08Z")
**Gordon Lightfoot** ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/13 "2002-10-25T05:25:11Z")
GingerOfTheNorth, no contest. ---
**Author:** ![xanadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c4cdca/32.png) [@xanadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanadu)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/14 "2002-10-25T05:31:27Z")
LORNE MICHAELS IS THE GREATEST CANADIAN WHO EVER LIVED!!!mmmkay. Glad I got that off my chest. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/15 "2002-10-25T05:45:42Z")
From an American’s perspective, I’d have to say [Gordon Sinclair.](http://who2.com/gordonsinclair.html) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/16 "2002-10-25T06:56:44Z")
Dudley Do-Right ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/17 "2002-10-25T09:35:28Z")
The Kids in the Hall ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/18 "2002-10-25T11:39:51Z")
Me! (ain’t duel citizenship grand?) ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/19 "2002-10-25T11:41:16Z")
Or dual. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![TelcontarStorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ab097/32.png) [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719/20 "2002-10-25T12:47:00Z")
James Dohan? Bill Shatner? The Great Bird? My bet? Steve Smith Just the opinion of an uninformed American [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-canadian/133719.md?page=2)