If I had to vote for one person, I’d probably vote for Lester Pearson. But that’s an off-the-top-of-my-head response.
[slight hijack]
A friend of mine once had the following conversation while checking in at a U.S. airport for a flight to Pearson International Airport in Toronto:
Check-in clerk: “Boy, they sure pick the weirdest names for airports. Who’s Lester B. Pearson, anyway?”
My friend: “Well, he’s a former Prime Minister of Canada, he was Canada’s first ambassador to the United States, he played an active role in the organization of the United Nations, he won a Nobel Peace Prize, and he designed the Canadian flag. But I know exactly what you mean; I mean, who’s this ‘John F. Kennedy’ person?”
I thought of Bishop and Bailey. I eliminated Bailey because
A) You can’t possibly argue he’s in the top ten, and
B) You can’t even reasonably argue he’s one of the top ten ATHLETES, considering we’ve had other gold medal winners, too. I mean, what about Gaetan Boucher? Marnie McBean? Sale and Pelletier? The triathlon guy?
Billy Bishop’s a tough case. I think most historians agree that his official kill total of 72 is, ah, quite exaggerated, and there is scant evidence that the raid he won the VC for ever actually happened. But liar or not, he remains a huge part of Canadian myth.
I nominate William Shatner and James Doohan, because I am a Trekkie, Pamela Anderson because I am a heterosexual male, and Gordon Sinclair, because I am an American.
Oh yeah, and Colin Mochrie, because he makes me laugh on Whose Line.
Ryan Stiles is also (arguably) Canadian, I must point out. Born of Canadian parents in Seattle, his family moved to Vancouver when Ryan was 10. He has identified himself as a Canadian on Whose Line, though in all likelihood he has (or had) dual-citizenship and currently resides in Washington state.
Catriona Le May Doan is a pretty darn good athlete, too. There’s also that speedskater guy (can’t remember his name) who took home a few medals this last winter olympics.
I think my personal favorite (today, anyway) is Terry Fox.
