The Greatest Canadian

[Swede]

Don't forget to vote for you choice. Being from Saskatchewan I picked Tommy Douglas. Without him there would be no medicare,the progressive country I know and love would not exist.

http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/

[grannylib]

1. Tie between Neil Young and Tim Horton...music, coffee and donuts.

Don't care so much for the trains or the hockey.
Cops in Canada hang out at the donut shops just like they do here!

[OneBlueSky]

2. and the definitive choice it . . . (fanfare) . . . .

JONI MITCHELL 1943-
The voice and the words are utterly distinctive. Starting as a folk singer she explored other musical genres, including jazz and continues to produce highly respected paintings. Hits, such as Both Sides Now, Chelsea Morning and Big Yellow Taxi have become international favourites.

[iverglas]

3. what, not Bible Bill Aberhart??

I was watching Newsworld earlier this a.m. and thinking about it, and I came to Tommy Douglas too. If I had to pick somebody. It's not the kind of exercise I particularly like.

"Great"? It kinda comes down to balancing "influential" and "virtuous", when I think about "great". You want somebody who had a major influence on the country, and whose influence was consistently exercised for the good of the country.

I can think of all kinds of highly virtuous people who weren't tremendously influential -- Norman Bethune might be an example. (Bethune's influence was hardly felt inside Canada, but heck, maybe that shouldn't be the test.) And influential but not exceptionally virtuous -- well, there's always Pierre Trudeau. (He was influential in a number of very positive ways, like the Charter and bilingualism, but also in a number of very negative ways, like War Measures and economic policy.)

I figure Tommy is the one (or at least one of the ones) who gets the highest aggregate score on the two. ;)

[Gaffey Duck]

13. Bethune is a buffoon...

His main "contribution" to Canada is helping one totalitarian army kick another totalitarian army's ass in a foreign country.

[Hand]

4. Theodore Tugboat... nt

:spank:

[HEyHEY]

5. Terry Fox

Don't argue with me on this, Terry holds a place in my heart

[yvr girl]

8. He''s the most beloved, for sure

I don't know if he had the most significant impact, but he is one of the best.

[Wat_Tyler]

6. I'll go with Tommy, too.

Obvious choice, but then, he is Tommy Douglas.

[ohiosmith]

7. Easy! Gene Kiniski.

[Valerie5555]

9. Am PEEVED off as a Cowtownite or Calgarian since the 1 time "hometown boy"

who was that Canadian Ambassador guy who snuck the Americans out of Iran when they eluded capture at their own embassy at the height of the Iran Hostage Incident or KENNETH TAYLOR didn't make the list.

[hermetic]

10. I'm just learning about Canadian history

and I sure like Lester Pearson. Could use a few more like him, eh?

[Parrcrow]

11. Tommy Douglas

[metis]

12. What about a heroine?

Laura Secord

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Secord

[Gaffey Duck]

14. On one hand...

I WANT MY JEAN LESAGE!!!

On the other hand, I'd vote for Tommy anyways. :-)