Wikipedia:

the Greatest Canadian

The Greatest Canadian logo

Officially launched on April 5, 2004, The Greatest Canadian was a television program series by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to determine who is considered to be the greatest Canadian of all time, at least among those who watched and participated in the program. The project was inspired by the BBC series Great Britons.

Radio-Canada, the CBC's French-language arm, was not involved in The Greatest Canadian project, reducing the input of Canada's French-Canadian minority over the results. The CBC did make its Web site available in French, however.

The "Greatest Canadian" was not decided by a simple popular poll, but was instead chosen through a two-step voting process.

On October 17, 2004 the CBC aired the first part of The Greatest Canadian television series. In it, the bottom 40 of the top 50 "greatest" choices were revealed, in order of popularity, determined by polls conducted by E-mail, Web site, telephone, and letter. To prevent bias during the second round of voting, the top ten nominees were presented alphabetically rather than by order of first round popularity.

This second vote was accompanied by a series of documentaries, where 10 Canadian celebrities acting as advocates each presented their case for The Greatest Canadian. Voting concluded on November 28 at midnight and the following evening, November 29, the winner was revealed to be Tommy Douglas.

The series has a spiritual sequel, The Greatest Canadian Invention.

The Greatest Canadian

Tommy Douglas, #1
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Tommy Douglas, #1

On November 29, Tommy Douglas won the title as CBC's Greatest Canadian. He had been at first place for almost the entire contest. Douglas is famous as a father of Medicare. Prior to his political career, he received his Arts degree at Brandon College, where he met his best friend Stanley Knowles as well as his wife. He became a Baptist minister in small prairie towns such as Carberry, Manitoba, before he became a minister in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. During his time as a minister in Weyburn, Douglas began and completed his Masters thesis entitled "The Problems of the Subnormal Family".[1] At the height of the Great Depression, local farmers would come to him for help, since many of them were losing their farms to holding corporations as they were unable to pay their bills on time. Douglas helped start up the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation as a lobby group of farmers, and it became a political party. Soon, people of the working class wanted to be part of the group, although they traditionally never got along with fellow farmers. While Douglas was Premier of Saskatchewan, he was able to help farmers keep their property, and introduced many social reforms including automobile insurance and Medicare (although it was not passed until a few weeks after Douglas resigned as Premier of Saskatchewan). While leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP), with backing from the Progressive Conservatives, he was able to pressure the federal Liberals to introduce such policies as the Canada Health Act. Actor Kiefer Sutherland, star of the TV series 24, is Douglas' grandson, and a noted supporter of Medicare to this day.[citation needed]

Top 10

Terry Fox, #2
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Terry Fox, #2
Sir Fredrick Banting, #4
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Sir Fredrick Banting, #4
Dr. David Suzuki, #5
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Dr. David Suzuki, #5

On October 17, the top 10 were revealed in alphabetical order, and on November 29 the top 10 were announced in order of votes (with the pictures below following the same pattern):

  1. Tommy Douglas (father of Canadian Medicare, Premier of Saskatchewan)
  2. Terry Fox (athlete, activist, humanitarian)
  3. Pierre Trudeau (Prime Minister)
  4. Sir Frederick Banting (medical scientist, co-discoverer of insulin)
  5. David Suzuki (geneticist, environmentalist, broadcaster, activist)
  6. Lester Bowles Pearson (Prime Minister, former United Nations General Assembly President, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)
  7. Don Cherry (hockey coach, commentator)
  8. Sir John A. Macdonald (First post-Confederation Prime Minister)
  9. Alexander Graham Bell (Scottish-born scientist, inventor, founder of the Bell Telephone Company, which later became the American Telephone and Telegraph Company)
  10. Wayne Gretzky (professional hockey player)

Advocates

In broadcast order:

Numbers 11 through 100

  1. Louis Riel (politician, Métis leader)
  2. Jean Vanier (humanitarian, founder of L'Arche, author)
  3. Stompin' Tom Connors (singer, songwriter)
  4. Neil Young (musician)
  5. Peter Gzowski (broadcaster, writer, reporter)
  6. Roméo Dallaire (Commanding UN Officer Rwanda, humanitarian, author)
  7. Corey Bernardo(politician, diplomat, humanitarian)
  8. Shania Twain (singer, songwriter)
  9. Bobby Orr (hockey player)
  10. Mike Myers (actor, comedian, writer, producer)
  11. Unknown Soldier (soldiers)
  12. Harold A. Rogers (founder of Kin Canada service club)
  13. Maurice Richard (professional ice hockey player)
  14. Sir Arthur Currie (commander, general in World War I, principal of McGill University)
  15. Nellie McClung (feminist, social activist)
  16. Dr. Norman Bethune (physician, medical innovator, humanitarian)
  17. Céline Dion (vocalist)
  18. Sir Isaac Brock (major-general, commander in War of 1812)
  19. Jim Carrey (film actor, comedian, writer, producer)
  20. Rick Hansen (athlete, humanitarian)
  21. Pierre Berton (author, historian, broadcaster)
  22. Michael J. Fox (actor, activist)
  23. Gordon Lightfoot (folk singer, composer, lyricist)
  24. Hal Anderson (a broadcaster who invited his listeners to vote for him as a joke)
  25. Laura Secord (heroine)
  26. Ernie Coombs (children's entertainer)
  27. Tecumseh (First Nations leader)
  28. Mario Lemieux (professional ice hockey player)
  29. Bret Hart (professional wrestler)
  30. Avril Lavigne (singer, songwriter)
  31. John Candy (comedian, actor)
  32. Sir Sandford Fleming (engineer, inventor universal standard time)
  33. Sir Wilfrid Laurier (prime minister)
  34. Mary Maxwell (Bahá'í adherent)
  35. Jean Chrétien (prime minister)
  36. Leonard Cohen (poet, novelist, folk singer/songwriter)
  37. John George Diefenbaker (prime minister)
  38. Billy Bishop (flying ace)
  39. William Lyon Mackenzie King (prime minister)
  40. Rick Mercer (comedian)
  41. Pamela Anderson (actress, model, animal rights activist)
  42. Craig Kielburger (children's rights activist)
  43. Gordie Howe (hockey player)
  44. William Stephenson (soldier, airman, businessman, inventor, spymaster)
  45. Glenn Gould (pianist)
  46. William Shatner (actor, writer)
  47. Lucy Maud Montgomery (author)
  48. Paul Henderson (ice hockey player)
  49. Tim Horton (ice hockey player, founder of the Tim Hortons doughnut chain)
  50. Stan Rogers (folk musician, composer)
  51. Sir William Edmond Logan (geologist)
  52. Marshall McLuhan (educator, academic, philosopher)
  53. Roberta Bondar (astronaut)
  54. Brian Mulroney (prime minister)
  55. Burton Cummings (musician)
  56. Sheila Fraser (auditor general)
  57. Patrick Roy (ice hockey goaltender)
  58. Jean Béliveau (professional ice hockey player)
  59. René Lévesque (reporter, founder of the Parti Quebecois, premier of Quebec)
  60. James Naismith (inventor of basketball)
  61. Margaret Atwood (novelist, poet, literary critic, author)
  62. Senator Anne C. Cools (senator)
  63. David Thompson (surveyor, explorer)
  64. Emily Murphy (women's rights activist)
  65. Sarah McLachlan (musician, singer)
  66. John McCrae (poet, doctor)
  67. Dr. Charles Best (medical scientist)
  68. Robert Munsch (children's author)
  69. Ed Belfour (NHL goalie)
  70. Chief Dan George (actor)
  71. Sandra Schmirler (curler)
  72. Dan Aykroyd (comedian, actor, screenwriter)
  73. Elijah Harper (politician, band chief)
  74. Kurt Browning (figure skater)
  75. Emily Carr (artist, writer)
  76. Mike Weir (professional golfer)
  77. Dr. Henry Morgentaler (physician)
  78. Farley Mowat (novelist, non-fiction author)
  79. Donovan Bailey (athlete)
  80. Bryan Adams (singer, songwriter)
  81. Preston Manning (politician, leader of the Reform Party)
  82. John Molson (brewer, entrepreneur)
  83. Joni Mitchell (musician, painter)
  84. Anne Murray (singer)
  85. Lord Stanley (governor general)
  86. Geddy Lee (musician)
  87. Raine Maida (musician)
  88. Mordecai Richler (author, scriptwriter, essayist)
  89. Sam Steele (member of the Northwest Mounted Police)
  90. J. S. Woodsworth (pioneer of the social democratic movement)

Comments and criticisms

Some critics[attribution needed] have said the format used to select the "top 10" was not completely honest since CBC knew the ranking order of the nominees as determined by popular vote, but did not reveal this information. This format is identical to that of the Great Britons series and was designed to encourage a more informed vote as the feature documentaries were run.

At least three members of the top 50 got into the list by an active mass-voting campaign among that individual's loyal, well-organized followers. Kin founder Harold A. Rogers, DJ Hal Anderson, and Bahá'í activist Mary Maxwell all benefited from an active grassroots campaign to get their names included in the list. CBC openly admitted this[citation needed], and recognized that these three esoteric individuals are probably quite unknown to the general public. Others complained that all the top 10 were men and all but Suzuki are white. The producers admitted they were surprised and disappointed to see the demographic mix work out as it was, but decided that interfering with it to create a diverse list would be pointless as they would be criticized for that act as well.

Some critics[attribution needed] have complained that the large number of entertainers on the list, like Jim Carrey and Avril Lavigne, reflects Canadians confusing popularity with greatness. In particular, Don Cherry's inclusion in the top 10 upset many Canadians, especially considering it forced out figures they believe are more worthy like Louis Riel and Jean Vanier. (Don Cherry supported Sir John A. Macdonald as the Greatest Canadian.)

A few members of the list were not "Canadians" in the sense we think of the term today, but rather figures who were associated with some period of early Canadian history, before Canada was a nation. These include the American Indian leader Tecumseh, who never resided in Canada, and Laura Secord and Sir Isaac Brock, who were both British figures associated with the 1812 War (before Canadian Confederation).

Nine of the top 50 could be considered French Canadians, ignoring the percentage of Francophones included as the Unknown Soldier. Tecumseh, Suzuki, Donovan Bailey, Chief Dan George, and Louis Riel were the only non-Caucasians on the list.

Many of the top 50 Greatest Canadians' careers have actually been spent with the CBC. David Suzuki and Don Cherry are current on-air personalities, Rick Mercer currently hosts a comedy series, Ernie Coombs was Mr. Dressup for decades on the network, while comedians like John Candy (guest on King of Kensington, lead on Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins and a regular on SCTV) Michael J. Fox (guest on The Magic Lie, star of Leo and Me), and Mike Myers (guest on King of Kensington) all made their first credited TV appearances on the CBC.

Alexander Graham Bell was also on the 100 Great Britons and would be on the subsequent 100 Greatest American lists, and is one of the few nominees to appear on more than one Greatest shortlist.

10 Worst Canadians

As a response to the Greatest Canadian, The Beaver ran a poll to find Canadians' opinions on the "worst Canadian", and as a way to get Canadians talking about Canada's history [1]. The top ten were [2]:

  1. Pierre Trudeau, prime minister
  2. Chris Hannah, musician
  3. Henry Morgentaler, abortionist
  4. Brian Mulroney, prime minister
  5. Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, serial killers
  6. Stephen Harper, prime minister
  7. Céline Dion, musician
  8. Jean Chrétien, prime minister
  9. Clifford Olson, serial killer
  10. Conrad Black, media baron

It is interesting to note that Trudeau also ranked 3rd in the CBC's Greatest Canadian listing, which underlines his controversial profile[3]. The Beaver's poll has received harsh criticism. For example, Vancouver's Only Magazine stated that "Publishing such a poll in a history magazine officially makes The Beaver about as trustworthy as Wikipedia."[4]

Other editions

Other countries have produced similar shows, see also: Greatest Britons spin-offs

References

  1. ^ The Problems of the Subnormal Family; by Douglas, T.C. (Thomas Clement); McMaster University, Dept. of Sociology; Mills Library THESIS HV 675487
  2. ^ http://www.telefe.com.ar
  3. ^ http://www.antena3.com/elmasimportante/index.htm

External links


Countries' Greatest People TV series

(in order of airing)

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