From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of
Canadians , people who are identified with
Canada through residential,
legal ,
historical , or
cultural means , grouped by their area of notability.
Architects
Hans Blumenfeld
OC (1892–1988) – architect and city planner
Joan Burt (1930–2021) – architect
Douglas Cardinal
OC
RAIC (born 1934) – architect of
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Mary Clark (born 1936) – architect and transportation planner
Ernest Cormier
OC
RAIC (1885–1980) – architect of
Supreme Court of Canada building
A. J. Diamond
OC
RAIC (born 1934) – architect of
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Margaret Synge Dryer (1921–1963) – architect
Arthur Erickson
CC
RAIC (1924–2008) – architect of
Simon Fraser University ,
Robson Square , and the
Embassy of Canada in Washington
David Ewart
ISO (1841–1921) – Chief Dominion Architect (1896 to 1914), architect of
Dominion Archives Building ,
Royal Canadian Mint ,
Victoria Memorial Museum ,
Connaught Building in Ottawa
[1]
Étienne Gaboury
RAIC OAA (1930–2022) – architect of the Embassy of Canada in
Mexico and the
Royal Canadian Mint building in Winnipeg
Frank Gehry
CC
LLD (
hc )
PhD (
hc )
DEng (
hc )
DArch (
hc )
DA (
hc )
AIA (born 1929) – architect of
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao ,
Experience Music Project ,
Walt Disney Concert Hall , and the
Art Gallery of Ontario
Dan Hanganu
OQ
DArch (
hc )
RAIC OAQ (1939–2017) – architect of
Pointe-à-Callière Museum and Montreal Archival Centre
Gregory Henriquez
FRAIC OAA
AIA (born 1963)
RAIC – architect of the
Woodward's Building ,
TELUS Garden , and redevelopment of
Honest Ed's location.
Stephen Irwin
RAIC
RIBA OAA (1939–2019) – architect of
Purdy's Wharf
Bruce Kuwabara
FRAIC OAA
AIA (born 1949)
RAIC – architect of the
Gardiner Museum , and
Kitchener City Hall
E. J. Lennox
RAIC OAA (1854–1933) – architect of
Old City Hall in Toronto, and
Casa Loma
John M. Lyle
FRIBA OAA (1872–1945)
RAIC – architect of the
New York Public Library , the
Royal Alexandra Theatre , and Toronto's
Union Station
Raymond Moriyama
CC
OOnt (1929–2023) – architect of the
Ontario Science Centre ,
Ottawa City Hall , and
Canadian War Museum
Samuel Oghale Oboh
FAIA ,
FRAIC , Architect, AAA (born 1971) – 2015 President of the
RAIC – architect of the
International Law Enforcement Academy Botswana and the
Botswana Police College ; Lead Architect of the Alberta Legislature Centre Redevelopment Master Plan
John Ostell (1813–1892) – architect of the
McGill University Arts Building, and the Montreal Custom House
Francis Rattenbury
RAIC
AIBC (1867–1935) – architect of the
British Columbia Parliament Buildings , and the
Empress Hotel
Moshe Safdie
CC
LLD (
hc )
FRAIC
FAIA (born 1938) – architect of
Habitat 67 , the
National Gallery of Canada , and
Vancouver Library Square
Fariborz Sahba (born 1948) Master's degree from Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran – architect of
Lotus Temple , and
Terraces (Baháʼí)
Henry Sears
FRAIC (1929–2003) – Massey medal-winning architect, urban and gallery planner
Brigitte Shim (born 1958) –
Order of Canada for architecture, and
Integral House
Bing Thom
CM
FRAIC
AIBC (1940–2016) – architect of
Central City Centre
Ronald Thom
FRAIC
AIBC (1923–1986) – architect of
Massey College , the Shaw Theatre, and
Trent University
Artists
Actors
Animators
Ryan Larkin (1943–2007) – nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film,
Walking , 1969
Broadcasters
Comedians
Musicians
Photographers
Visual arts
Cartoonists
Astronauts
Roberta Bondar
Athletes
Businesspeople and entrepreneurs
Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook , Baron Beaverbrook
PC (1879–1964) – publishing baron, entrepreneur
Francesco Aquilini (born 1969) – Chairman of the Aquilini Investment Group and owner of the
Vancouver Canucks
David Asper (born 1958) – chairman, Canwest Global Communications
Izzy Asper
OC
QC
OM (1932–2003) – chairman, Canwest Global Communications
Jeannine Bailliu – economist, policy advisor at the Bank of Canada
Conrad Black – Lord Black of Crossharbour
KCSG
LLD (
hc ) (born 1944) – entrepreneur, publisher
Willard Boyle (1924–2011) – invented
charge-coupled device
Edgar Bronfman, Sr. (1929–2013) – head of
Seagram 's and long-time president of the
World Jewish Congress
Samuel Bronfman
CC (1889–1971) – founder of
Seagram 's
Robert Campeau (1923–2017) – real-estate mogul
Jack Kent Cooke (1912–1997) – owner of the
Los Angeles Lakers ,
Los Angeles Kings ,
Washington Redskins and the
Chrysler Building
James Alexander Cowan (1901–1978) – public relations consultant and founder of
Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Samuel Cunard
Bt (1787–1865) – founder of
Cunard Line
William Davidson (1740–1790) – lumberman, shipbuilder, merchant
Christine M. Day (born 1962) – former CEO of the Canadian clothing company Lululemon Athletica
Michael DeGroote
OC (born 1932) – businessman and philanthropist
Paul Desmarais
PC
CC (1927–2013) – Chairman, Power Corporation of Canada
Timothy Eaton
Craig Dobbin
OC (1935–2006) – founder, chairman and CEO of
CHC Helicopter Corporation
Denzil Doyle (born 1932/1933) – founding President of
Digital Equipment Corporation 's Canadian subsidiary
James Hamet Dunn
Bt (1874–1956) – financier, steel magnate
Timothy Eaton (1834–1907) – founder of
Eaton's
department stores
Bernie Ebbers (1941–2020) – former CEO of
WorldCom
Alfred Fuller (1885–1973) – Fuller Brush Company
Arcadi Gaydamak (born 1952) – owner of
Beitar Jerusalem
Percy Girouard
KSMG (1867–1932) – railway builder, governor
Angèle Grenier –
maple syrup producer known for her legal battles with the
Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers
Charles Guillimin (1676–1739) – shipbuilder, merchant and moneylender
Zabeen Hirji (born 1960) – Chief Human Resources Officer,
Royal Bank of Canada
Janet Holder – business executive, head of
Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines
Robin Ingle – CEO and Chairman of the Ingle Group of Companies
K. C. Irving
OC
ONB (1899–1992) – industrialist
Suresh Joachim (born 1968) – co-founder of WBBAS, No Poverty No Disease No War, World Peace Marathon and Suresh Joachim International Group Of Companies
F. Ross Johnson (1931–2016) – former CEO of
RJR Nabisco
Ron Joyce
CM (1930–2019) – original partner with Horton in
Tim Hortons , primary builder of the chain
Moez Kassam (born 1980) – hedge fund manager, founder of Anson Group
Izaak Walton Killam (1885–1955) – major financier
James L. Kraft (1874–1953) – entrepreneur and inventor, founder of L. Kraft & Bros. Company, which later became
Kraft Foods Inc
Guy Laliberté
OC
CQ (born 1959) – founder and owner of the
Cirque du Soleil
Bernard Lamarre (1931–2016) – Chairman & C.E.O., Lavalin Group, 1972–1991; senior advisor, SNC-Lavalin Inc., 1991–2016
Cindy Lee – founder of
T & T Supermarket
[2]
Michael Lee-Chin
LLD (
hc ) (born 1951) – CEO of AIC Diversified Canada Split Corp. and the National Commercial Bank of Jamaica
Li Ka-shing (born 1928) – Chairman of the Board of
Cheung Kong Holdings and
Hutchison Whampoa
Victor Li (born 1964) – deputy chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited
William Secondo Lombardo (1930–2009) – owner of Lombardo Construction and CEO of Peerless-Cascade Plastics
Pete Luckett (born 1953) – owner of Pete's Frootique and host of The Food Hunter
William Christopher Macdonald (1831–1917) – tobacco manufacturer, education philanthropist
Terry Matthews
OC
FREng (born 1943) – entrepreneur, chairman of
Mitel and
Wesley Clover
Louis B. Mayer (1885–1957) – co-founder of
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios
Harrison McCain
CC
ONB (1927–2004) – New Brunswick potato magnate
Colonel
Samuel McLaughlin
CC
CD
ED (1871–1972) – Buick automobile manufacturer
Simon McTavish (1750–1804) – fur trader
Hartland Molson
OC
GOQ
OBE (1907–2002) –
Senator , President of
Molson Breweries
John Molson (1763–1836) – founder of Molson Breweries
Peter Munk
OC (1927–2018) – founder of
Barrick Gold
Jim Pattison
CM
OBC (born 1928) – chairman, president, CEO, and owner of the
Jim Pattison Group
Pierre Péladeau
CM
OQ (1925–1997) – founder of
Quebecor Inc.
Pierre Karl Péladeau (born 1961) – President, CEO of
Quebecor Inc. ,
Québecor Média Inc. and
Sun Media Corporation
Marie Penny (died 1970) – owner and operator of one of the largest 20th-century frozen fish companies in
Newfoundland
John Draper Perrin (1890–1967) – entrepreneur, financier, mining executive
Richard Porritt
OC (1901–1985) – mining industry executive
Jean Pouliot (1923–2004) – founder of CFCF et Télévision Quatre Saisons
John Redpath (1796–1869) – canal builder, sugar refinery founder
Paul Reichmann (1930–2013) – developer of
Canary Wharf
Edward Samuel Rogers
OC (1933–2008) – president and CEO of
Rogers Communications
John Roth (born 1942) – former CEO of
Nortel Networks
Lino Saputo (born 1937) – founder of
Saputo
Isadore Sharp
OC (born 1931) – founder of the
Four Seasons Hotel chain
E. D. Smith (1858–1943) – founder of E. D. Smith & Sons Ltd
Levy Solomons (1730–1792) – merchant and fur trader
John F. Stairs (1848–1904) – entrepreneur, statesman
Frank Stronach
CM (born 1932) – entrepreneur, founder of
Magna International
E. P. Taylor (1901–1989) – entrepreneur, thoroughbred horse breeder
Nat Taylor (1906–2004) – originator of
Cineplex Entertainment
Kenneth Thomson , Baron Thomson of Fleet (1923–2006)
Roy Thomson , Baron Thomson of Fleet
GBE (1894–1976) – entrepreneur, publisher
William Cornelius Van Horne
KCMG (1843–1915) – constructed the
Canadian Pacific Railway
Jack L. Warner (1892–1978) – founder of
Warner Bros. Studios
Galen Weston
OC
OOnt (1940–2021) – owner of
Loblaws ,
Holt Renfrew , and
Selfridges
Chip Wilson (born 1956) – founder of
Lululemon Athletica
Walter Wolf (born 1939) – oil drilling equipment supplier and Formula 1 team owner
Bob Young (born 1953/1954) – self-publishing website, owner of CFL
Hamilton Tiger Cats
Criminals and suspects
Wrongfully convicted or lynched
Directors
Educators
J. Willis Ambrose (1911–1974) – Professor at the
Queen's University at Kingston
Richard Lee Armstrong
FRSC (1937–1991) –
University of British Columbia professor, geochemist
Martha Black – art historian, curator and author
Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620–1700) – founder of the
Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal
Stephen E. Calvert
FRSC (born 1935) –
University of British Columbia emeritus professor, geologist, oceanographer
Petr Cerny (1934–2018)
ScD (
hc )
FRSC –
University of Manitoba professor, mineralogist and crystallographer
Henry C. Gunning
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (1901–1991) – University of British Columbia professor, geologist
Aleksis Dreimanis (1914–2011) –
University of Western Ontario emeritus professor, quaternary geologist
James E. Gill (1901–1980) –
McGill University professor, geologist
James Edwin Hawley (1897–1965) – Professor at Queen's, geologist (
Hawleyite )
Frank Hawthorne
OC
FRSC (born 1946) –
University of Manitoba professor, mineralogist and crystallographer
Adelaide Hoodless (1858–1910) – education and women's activist
Michael Ignatieff (born 1947) –
University of Toronto ,
Harvard University ,
University of Oxford and
University of Cambridge professor, political science
Sue Johanson
CM (born 1930) –
sex educator
Michael John Keen (1935–1991) –
Dalhousie University professor, marine geoscientist
Sean Kelly (born 1940) –
Pratt Institute , NYC, Humanities & Media Studies, writer
J. Ross Mackay
OC
FRSC (1915–2014) –
University of British Columbia professor, geologist
Eric W. Mountjoy
FRSC (1931–2010) – McGill University professor, geologist
Gerard V. Middleton
FRSC (1931–2021) –
McMaster University professor, geologist
Anthony J. Naldrett
FRSC (1933–2020) –
University of Toronto emeritus professor, geologist
Santa J. Ono
FCAHS (born c. 1962) –
University of British Columbia 15th President & Vice-Chancellor, professor, medical scientist
William Richard Peltier
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (born c. 1942) – University of Toronto professor, physicist
Jordan Peterson (born 1962) – Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto.
Paula Rochon – Chair in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Toronto in 2022.
Egerton Ryerson (1803–1882) –
public education advocate
Dora Sakayan (born 1931) – full professor, Department of German Studies, McGill University; Armenology, Contrastive Linguistics, Language Acquisition, Translation, Genocide Studies
Colin Simpson (born c. 1965) –
George Brown College , best-selling author
Charles R. Stelck
OC
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (1917–2016) –
University of Alberta professor, petroleum geologist, paleontologist, stratigrapher
David Strangway
OC
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (1934–2016) – geophysicist and university administrator
Thomas Symons
CC
OOnt (1929–2021) – Founding President of Trent University, Professor of Canadian Studies
Claude Vivier (1948–1983) –
organ pedagogue and professor at
Collège Montmorency
Roger G. Walker
FRSC – McMaster University emeritus professor
William Winegard
PC
OC (1924–2019) – educator, engineer, scientist and former Member of Parliament
Environmentalists
See
Canadian environmentalists .
Fashion
Humanitarians
Louise Arbour (born 1947) – former
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , former justice of the
Supreme Court of Canada , former Chief Prosecutor of the
International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and
Rwanda
J. Esmonde Barry (1923–2007) – healthcare activist and political commentator in
New Brunswick
Norman Bethune (1890–1939) – physician and medical innovator
Richard Maurice Bucke
FRSC (1837–1902) – psychiatrist, philosopher, early author on human development and human potentials
Steve Fonyo
OC Rescinded 2010 (born 1966) – retraced and completed Terry Fox's cross country cancer research fundraising marathon
Terry Fox
CC
OD (1958–1981) – attempted one-legged cross country run for cancer research
Marc Kielburger (born 1977) – author, social entrepreneur, columnist, humanitarian and activist for children's rights. co-founder, with his brother
Craig , of the
We Movement
Grey Owl (1888–1938) (real name Archibald Stanfield Belaney) –
conservationist who falsely presented himself as an
Aboriginal person and worked to save the
beavers of
Saskatchewan and
Manitoba
Rick Hansen
CC
OBC
LLD (
hc )
DLitt (
hc ) (born 1957) – paraplegic athlete who completed an around-the-world marathon for spinal cord injury research
Stephen Lewis
CC (born 1937) –
AIDS activist,
United Nations special envoy for
HIV/AIDS in
Africa
Harold A. Rogers
OC
OBE (1899–1994) – founder of Kin Canada
Jean Vanier
CC
GOQ (1928–2019) – activist for the mentally disabled, founder of
L'Arche
Inventors
Scott Abbott – co-inventor of
Trivial Pursuit
Thomas Ahearn
PC (1855–1938) – invented the
electric cooking range and the electric car heater
Anthony R. Barringer (1925–2009) – holds 70 patents for
mineral exploration technology
Earl W. Bascom (1906–1995) – co-invented rodeo's side-delivery chute, invented reverse-opening side-delivery chute, hornless bronc saddle, one-hand bareback rigging and high-cut chaps
Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922) – born in Scotland, invented the telephone in Canada and developed it in the United States
Joseph-Armand Bombardier (1907–1964) – invented the
snowmobile
Gerald Bull (1928–1990) – invented the
G5 howitzer and the
Iraqi supergun
Herbert Henry Dow (1866–1930) – invented a method of bromine extraction known as the
Dow process
Mathew Evans – co-inventor of the first electric
light bulb
Charles Fenerty (c. 1821–1892) – inventor of the
wood pulp process for making
paper
Reginald Fessenden (1866–1932) –
radio inventor who made the first radio-transmitted audio transmission and the first two-way transatlantic radio transmission; also invented
sonar and patented the first
television system
Sir
Sandford Fleming
KCMG
DSc (
hc )
FRSC (1827–1915) – inventor of the system of
Standard Time zones
Wilbur R. Franks
OBE (1901–1986) – invented the anti-black-out-suit (the
G-suit )
Abraham Pineo Gesner (1797–1864) – inventor of kerosene; known as the "father of the petroleum industry"
James Gosling
OC (born 1955) – invented Java computer language
Chris Haney (1950–2010) – co-inventor of
Trivial Pursuit
Sam Jacks (1915–1975) – inventor of
ringette
George Klein
OC
MBE
LLD (
hc ) (1904–1992) – developed: electric wheelchairs, microsurgical staple gun, the ZEEP nuclear reactor, and the
Canadarm
James L Kraft (1874–1953) – entrepreneur and inventor, founder of L. Kraft & Bros. Company, which later became
Kraft Foods Inc ; patented processed cheese (AKA American cheese)
Thomas Edvard Krogh
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (1936–2008) – developed technique of
radiometric
uranium -
lead dating to further the precision of
geochronology
Hugh Le Caine (1914–1977) – invented the
music synthesizer in 1945
Cluny MacPherson (1879–1966) – invented the first general-issue
gas mask used by the British Army in
World War I
Wilson Markle (born 1938) – invented
film colorization process in 1983
Elijah McCoy (1844–1929) – developed automatic machinery lubricator, lawn sprinkler, the "Real McCoy"
James Naismith (1861–1939) – invented
basketball
P. L. Robertson (1879–1951) – invented the Robertson screw
Henry Ruttan (1792–1871) – invented air-conditioned railway coach
Thomas F. Ryan (1872–1971) – invented
five-pin bowling
Arthur Sicard (1876–1946) – invented the
snowblower in 1925
Simon Sunatori (born 1959) – engineer, inventor and entrepreneur; created the MagneScribe and the Magic Spicer
Lewis Urry (1927–2004) – invented the long-lasting
alkaline battery
Harry Wasylyk (1925–2013) – invented the disposable green polyethylene garbage bag in 1950
Thomas Willson (1860–1915) – invented
arc lamps and process for creating
calcium carbide
Henry Woodward – co-inventor of the first electric
light bulb
Law
Media
Samantha Bee (born 1969) – host of
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Stephen Brunt (born 1959) – lead sports columnist for
The Globe and Mail since 1989
Stevie Cameron (born 1943) – journalist, author
Richard Gizbert (born 1960) – cable network journalist of
Al Jazeera English
Gordon Donaldson (1926–2001) – amateur historian, journalist
Barbara Frum
OC
LLD (
hc ) (1937–1992) –
CBC radio and television journalist
Jian Ghomeshi (born 1967) – former musician and radio broadcaster
Ken Hechtman (born 1967) – maverick journalist jailed by
Afghanistan 's
Taliban government as a suspected United States spy in 2001
Kenny Hotz (born 1967) – only registered Canadian journalist to cover the
Gulf War
Mark Irwin CSC/ASC (born 1950) – Hollywood Director of Photography
Peter Jennings
CM (1938–2005) –
ABC news anchor
Jason Jones (born 1967) – senior correspondent for
The Daily Show
Pat Kiernan (born 1968) – morning anchor of
NY1 since 1997
Michael Kesterton (1946–2018) –
The Globe and Mail columnist
Lisa LaFlamme (born 1964) – journalist, occasional chief anchor, and senior editor for
CTV National News
L. Ian MacDonald (born 1947) - author, columnist, broadcaster, and diplomat
Neil Macdonald (born 1957) – CBC reporter
Robert MacNeil (born 1931) – journalist, author, longtime co-anchor of
The MacNeil/Lehrer Report on
PBS
Peter Mansbridge
OC
LLD (
hc ) (born 1948) – news anchor of CBC's
The National
Rick Mercer
OC (born 1969) – comedian, TV personality, political satirist and author
Mosha Michael (c. 1948–2009) – Canada's first
Inuk filmmaker
Cory Morgan (born 1971) - blogger,
Alberta independence politician and activist, and columnist
Margaret Lally "Ma" Murray (1888–1982) – editor and co-publisher of the
Bridge River-Lillooet News
Peter C. Newman
CC
CD
LLD (
hc ) (born 1929) – eminent journalist and writer
Sydney Newman
OC (1917–1997) – supervisor of drama at the
CBC , head of drama at the
BBC , creator of the
Doctor Who television series, chairman of the
NFB
David Oancia (1929–1995) – journalist
[3]
Steve Paikin (born 1960) – journalist, film producer and author, best known for hosting
TVOntario 's
Studio 2
Pete Parker (1895–1991) – made the first ever broadcast of a professional hockey game
Sandie Rinaldo (born 1950) – journalist and occasional news anchor for
CTV National News
John Roberts (born 1956) –
Fox News Channel reporter, previously a
CNN reporter and host of
The New Music on
MuchMusic
Lloyd Robertson
OC
LLD (
hc ) (born 1934) – senior editor and former longtime anchor for
CTV National News
Morley Safer (1931–2016) – investigative journalist for
CBS News and
60 Minutes
Linus Sebastian (born 1986) – owner and founder of Linus Media Group
Shane Smith (born 1969) – founder of
Vice
George Stroumboulopoulos (born 1972) – television journalist
Scott Taylor (born 1960) – publisher,
Esprit de Corps Magazine
Peter Trueman
OC (1934–2021) – original newsman on
Global TV
Robyn Urback (born 1988) – journalist and political commentator
Jan Wong (born 1952) – journalist
Medical
Evan Adams (born 1966) – First Nations medical doctor, medical advisor, Deputy Provincial Health Advisor (BC), and actor
Maria Louisa Angwin (1849–1898) – first woman licensed to practice medicine in Nova Scotia
Elizabeth Bagshaw
CM (1881–1982) – physician and birth control activist
Frederick Banting
KBE
MC
LLD (
hc )
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (1891–1941) –
Nobel laureate , co-discoverer of
insulin
John Cameron Bell (born 1953) – pioneer of
oncolytic virus therapies for cancer
Norman Bethune (1890–1939) – surgeon, inventor, socialist, battlefield doctor in Spain and China
Wilfred Bigelow
OC
LLD (
hc )
FRSC (1913–2005) – inventor of the first artificial pacemaker
Yvette Bonny (born 1938) – pediatrician
Basil Boulton (1938–2008) – pediatrician and child health advocate
John Callaghan
OC
AOE (1923–2004) – pioneer of open-heart surgery
John Dick
FRSC (born 1954) – credited with discovery of
cancer stem cell
Tommy Douglas
PC
CC
SOM
LLD (
hc ) (1904–1986) – introduced
publicly funded health care in Canada; commonly known as the "
father of Medicare "
Carl Goresky
OC (1932–1996) – physician and scientist
David H. Hubel (1926–2013) – Nobel Prize winner in medicine for mapping the visual cortex
Harold E. Johns
OC (1915–1998) – medical physicist, noted for his extensive contributions to the use of ionizing radiation to treat cancer
Doreen Kimura (1933–2013) – behavioural psychologist, world expert on sex differences in the brain
William Harding le Riche (1916–2010) – epidemiologist
Jeanne Mance (1606–1673) – established the first hospital in
North America – the
Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal – in 1644
Ernest McCulloch
CM
OOnt
FRSC
FRS (1926–2011) – cellular biologist credited with the discovery of
stem cell with
James Till
Frances Gertrude McGill (1882–1959) – pioneering
forensic pathologist and criminologist
Henry Morgentaler
CM
LLD (
hc ) (1923–2013) –
abortion care provider who helped legalize abortion in Canada and strengthen the power of
jury nullification
William Osler
Bt (1849–1919) – physician, called the "father of modern medicine"; wrote Principles and Practice of Medicine
Daniel David Palmer (1845–1913) – founded the chiropractic profession
Edgar Randolph Parker (1871–1951) (known as "Painless" Parker) – flamboyant dentist
Wilder Penfield
OM
CC
CMG
FRS (1891–1976) – neurosurgeon, discovered electrical stimulation of the brain
Jack Pickup (1919–1996) – general practitioner and surgeon, also known as the "Flying Doctor of British Columbia"
David Sackett
CC
FRSC (1934–2015) – founded the first department of
clinical epidemiology in Canada at
McMaster University
Mary Elizabeth MacCallum Scott (1865–1941) – physician and missionary in Ceylon
Sydney Segal
CM
OBC (1920–1997) – pediatrician and neonatologist particularly known for his work with
sudden infant death syndrome
James Till
OC
OOnt
FRSC
FRS (born 1931) – biophysicist, credited for the discovery of
stem cell with
Ernest McCulloch
A. Ross Tilley (1904–1988) MD FRCS(C)
OBE
OC – plastic surgeon
Irene Ayako Uchida
OC (1917–2013) – cytogenticist,
Down Syndrome researcher
Military figures
Billy Bishop
John McCrae
General
Maurice Baril
OMM
CD (born 1943) – military advisor to the
United Nations Secretary-General , head of the Military Division of the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the
United Nations , and
Chief of the Defence Staff
Gustave Biéler
DSO
MBE (1904–1944) –
Special Operations Executive agent, executed by the Nazis
Louis-Nicolas-Emmanuel de Bigault d'Aubreville – head of the nightwatch in Montreal
Air Commodore
Leonard Birchall
CM
OBE
DFC
OOnt
CD DMSc (
hc )
LLD (
hc ) (1915–2004) – war hero
Air Marshall
Billy Bishop
VC
CB
DSO*
MC
DFC
ED (1894–1956) (commonly known as Billy Bishop) –World War I flying ace
Brigadier-General
Jean Boyle
CMM
CD (born 1947) – fighter pilot, and businessman
Major General Sir
Isaac Brock
KB (1769–1812) –
War of 1812 general
Captain
Roy Brown
DSC*
RNAS (1893–1944) –
World War I
fighter pilot officially credited with shooting down the
Red Baron
Colonel
Lawrence Moore Cosgrave
DSO* (1890–1971) – Canadian signatory to the
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
General
Harry Crerar
CH
CB
DSO
CD
PC (1888–1965) – "leading field commander" in
World War II
Lieutenant-General Sir
Arthur Currie
KCB
GCMG (1875–1933) – first Canadian commander of the
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Lieutenant-General
Roméo Dallaire
OC
CMM
GOQ
MSC
CD
LLD (
hc )
ScDHum (
hc )
DHL (
hc ) (born 1946) – UN peacekeeping General, attempted to prevent the
Rwandan genocide
Guy D'Artois
DSO
GM (1917–1999) – SOE agent, recipient of the Croix de Guerre
General
John de Chastelain
CH
OC
CMM
CD
LLD (
hc )
ScDMil (
hc )
FLMH (born 1937) – head of the
Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
Peter Dmytruk (1920–1943) – WWII Flight Sergeant and member of the
French Resistance
Brigadier-General
Dury, Charles
PC
OC
QC
CBE
DSO (1912–1991) – soldier, businessman, and politician
John Weir Foote
VC
CD (1904–1988) – military chaplain, Ontario cabinet minister, and recipient of the
Victoria Cross
Captain
Nichola Goddard
MSM (1980–2006) – first female Canadian soldier killed in combat
William Hall
VC (1827–1904) – first Nova Scotian recipient of the Victoria Cross
John Kenneth Macalister (1914–1944) –
SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
Vice-Admiral
Bruce MacLean CMM, CD – Chief of the Maritime Staff from 2004 to 2006
Captain
Simon Mailloux (born 1983) – first Canadian soldier with an amputation to deploy on a combat mission; recipient of the
Sacrifice Medal
Lieutenant Colonel
John McCrae (1872–1918) – soldier, poet, author of
In Flanders' Fields
Alan Arnett McLeod
VC (1899–1918) – fighter pilot, youngest Canadian-born winner of the
Victoria Cross
General
Andrew McNaughton
CH
CB
CMG
DSO
CD
PC (1887–1966) – Co-Minister of Defence during World War II
Lieutenant Colonel
Theodore Meighen (1905–1979) – lawyer and philanthropist
Lieutenant Colonel
Charles Merritt
VC (1908–2000) – recipient of the Victoria Cross
Major General
Sydney Chilton Mewburn
PC (1863–1956) – lawyer and politician, Minister of Militia and Defence
Minnie "Jerri" Mumford (1909–2002) – serving member of the Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC) during World War II
Rear Admiral
Leonard W. Murray (1896–1971) – Commander-in-Chief of the
Canadian Northwest Atlantic during
World War II
Henry Norwest
MM & Bar (1884–1918) – sniper in
World War I
Lieutenant-Colonel
George Pearkes
VC
PC
CC
CB
DSO
MC
CD (1888–1984) – recipient of the Victoria Cross, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Francis Pegahmagabow
MM** (1891–1952) – the most highly decorated aboriginal Canadian soldier of
World War I
Frank Pickersgill (1915–1944) –
SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
Rear Admiral
Desmond Piers
CM
DSC
CD
ScDMil (
hc ) (1913–2005) – war hero
George Lawrence Price (1898–1918) – last soldier killed in
World War I
Tommy Prince
MM (1915–1977) – one of
Canada 's most decorated soldiers, member of the
Devil's Brigade
James Ralston
PC (1881–1948) – Co-Minister of Defence during
World War II
Thomas Ricketts
VC (1901–1967) – recipient of the
Victoria Cross (Newfoundlander at the time of his award)
Harold A. Rogers
OC
OBE (1889–1994) – founder of Kin Canada
Roméo Sabourin (1923–1944) –
SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
General
Guy Simonds
CC
CB
CBE
DSO
CD (1903–1974) – commander of the
II Canadian Corps
Ernest Smith (1914–2005) –
VC ,
CM ,
OBC ,
CD , Seaforth Highlander Private/ Sergeant, the last living Canadian recipient of the
Victoria Cross , awarded for gallantry in actions at the River Savio, Northern Italy 1944
Sam Steele
CB
KCMG
MVO (1851–1919) – member of the
North-West Mounted Police , commander of Yukon detachment
William Stephenson
CC
MC
DFC (1897–1989) (codename: Intrepid ) – senior representative of British intelligence for the Western Hemisphere in
World War II
Lieutenant-General
Kenneth Stuart
CB
DSO
MC (1891–1945) – Chief of the General Staff 1941–1943, educator
Tecumseh (1768–1813) – Leader of First Nations British Allies, War of 1812, died defeating American invasion
Rear Admiral
Robert Timbrell
CMM
DSC
CD (1920–2006) – first Canadian to be decorated with the
Distinguished Service Cross
General
Christopher Vokes
CB
CBE
DSO
CD (1904–1985) – General Officer commanding the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Europe
Brigadier Sir
Edward Oliver Wheeler (1890–1962) – Corps of Royal Engineers surveyor
General
Ramsey Muir Withers
CMM
CD
LLD (
hc ) (1930–2014) – Chief of the Defense Staff
Sir
James Lucas Yeo (1782–1818) – commander of Royal Navy forces in Canada during the War of 1812
Monarchs and Canadian Royal Family
Main articles:
Magicians
Shawn Farquhar (born 1962) – magician, winner of the Grand Prix Close Up at the 2009
FISM World Championship of Magic
Doug Henning (1947–2000) – credited with reviving the magic show in North America
Leon Mandrake (1911–1993) – Mandrake the Great; and his sons Lon and Ron, born in 1948 and 1949, respectively
James Randi (1928–2020) – magician, writer, skeptical investigator of paranormal and pseudo-scientific claims, founder of the
James Randi Educational Foundation
Dai Vernon (1894–1992) – magician, known as "the man who fooled Houdini"
Musicians
Politicians
Jean Chrétien
Provincial premiers
Main articles :
Territorial premiers
Main articles :
Indigenous leaders
Aatsista-Mahkan , taken by Edward Curtis
Louis Riel , leader of the
Red River Rebellion and
North-West Rebellion
Producers
Religious figures
Martyrs
Alexis André (1832–1893) – Catholic missionary priest, spiritual advisor to
Louis Riel
Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic (1930–2011) –
Archbishop Emeritus of Toronto
André Besette (1845–1937) –
Holy Cross Brother known as the "Miracle Man of Montreal"
Linda Bond (born 1946) –
General of
The Salvation Army , 2011–2013
Arnold Brown (1913–2002) –
General of
The Salvation Army , 1977–81
Hugh B. Brown (1883–1975) –
Latter-day Saint
apostle
Ranj Dhaliwal (born 1976) –
Sikh , writer, activist and co-founder of the Sikh Youth orthodox political party in Surrey, British Columbia
Lionel Groulx (1878–1967) – Roman Catholic priest, historian, nationalist, and traditionalist
Albert Lacombe (1827–1916) – Roman Catholic missionary
John G. Lake (1870–1935) – leader of the Pentecostal Movement, born in St. Marys, Ontario
Cardinal
Paul-Émile Léger (1904–1991) – Catholic clergyman and humanitarian
Merlin Lybbert (1926–2001) –
general authority of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
David Mainse (1936–2017) – broadcaster, founder of 100 Huntley Street and
CITS-TV
Aimee Semple McPherson (1890–1944) – founder of the
Foursquare Church
William D. Morrow – General Superintendent of the
Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
Bishop
Michael Power (1804–1847) – Roman Catholic Bishop of Toronto
Alexandre-Antonin Taché (1823–1894) –
Roman Catholic priest,
missionary of the
Oblate order
Nathan Eldon Tanner (1898–1982) – Latter-day Saint apostle
John Taylor (1808–1887) –
president of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680) – "The Lily of the Mohawks", first Native American canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church
Rúhíyyih Khanum (1910–2000) – wife of
Shoghi Effendi , the head of the
Baháʼí Faith until 1957; she was appointed as a
Hand of the Cause ; in 2004,
CBC viewers voted her number 44 on the list of "greatest
Canadians " on the television show
The Greatest Canadian
[4]
Bramwell Tillsley (1931–2019) –
General of
The Salvation Army , 1993–94
Clarence Wiseman (1907–1985) –
General of
The Salvation Army , 1974–77
Religious cult figures
Scholars
Louise Arbour (born 1947) – jurist
Marc van Audenrode (born 1961) – economist
Pratima Bansal – economist
Timothy Brook (born 1951) – professor, historian and writer
Joseph-Alphonse-Paul Cadotte (1897–1979) – professor, author
Jack Chambers (born 1938) – linguist
Thomas H. Clark (1893–1996) –
McGill geology professor, namesake of
Thomasclarkite
Gerald Cohen (1941–2009) –
Oxford Philosopher
Northrop Frye (1912–1991) – influential critic, Shakespeare and Blake scholar
John Kenneth Galbraith (1908–2006) – economist
George Grant (1918–1988) – philosopher
John Peters Humphrey (1905–1995) – legal scholar, principal drafter of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Harold Innis (1894–1952) – political economist; author of seminal works on Canadian economic history, media and communications
Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980) – communications theorist, coined phrases "the medium is the message" and "global village"
Steven Pinker (born 1954) – psychologist, cognitive scientist, writer of popular science
John Ralston Saul (born 1947) – businessman, essayist, diplomat
F. R. Scott (1899–1985) – law professor, philosopher, poet
Guy Sylvestre (1918–2010) – literary critic
David Sztybel (born 1967) – philosopher
Charles Taylor (born 1931) – philosopher
William R. White (born 1943) - economist
Scientists
Robert Campbell Aitken (born 1963) – electrical engineer
Judie Alimonti (1960–2017) – immunologist
Sidney Altman (1939–2022) – molecular biologist, winner of
Nobel Prize in chemistry
Brenda Andrews (born 1957) – academic, researcher and biologist specializing in systems biology and molecular genetics.
Albert Bandura (1925–2021) – psychologist
Neil Banerjee – earth scientist
Karen Bailey – plant pathologist
Karen Beauchemin (born 1956) – livestock ruminant nutrition
Robert Bell
FRSC (1841–1917) – geologist
Walter A. Bell (1889–1969) – geologist, paleontologist
Manjul Bhargava (born 1974) – mathematician and
Fields medallist
Selwyn G. Blaylock
ScD (
hc ) (1879–1945) – chemist and mining executive
Stewart Blusson
OC (born 1939) – geologist, diamond prospector, multimillionaire and philanthropist
Adolfo J. de Bold (born 1942) – biomedical scientist, discoverer of hormone secreted by heart muscle cells
Willard Boyle (1924–2011) – inventor of the charge coupled device, winner of nobel prize in physics
Bertram Brockhouse
CC
FRSC (1918–2003) – designer of the Triple-Axis Neutron Spectrometer, winner of Nobel Prize for Physics
Georges Brossard
CM
CQ
ScD (
hc ) (1940–2019) – entomologist, television personality and founder of the Montreal Insectarium
Moira Brown – North Atlantic Right Whale researcher and conservationist
Vernon Burrows (born 1930) – oat breeder
John J. Clague
FRSC (born 1946) – authority in quaternary and environmental earth sciences
Kate Crooks (1833–1871) – botanist
Claire Cupples – microbiologist
Philip J. Currie (born 1949) – palaeontologist
John William Dawson
CMG
FRS
FRSC (1820–1899) – first Canadian-born scientist of worldwide reputation
Duncan R. Derry
LLD (
hc ) (1906–1987) –
economic geologist
Raymond Desjardins – agrometeorologist
Donald B. Dingwell – earth scientist
Martine Dorais – plant physiologist, organic horticulture
Robert John Wilson Douglas
FRSC (1920–1979) – petroleum geologist
Eugenia Duodu – chemist
Lorne Elias – chemist, inventor of the explosives vapour detector EVD-1
John Charles Fields
FRS
FRSC (1863–1932) – mathematician and founder of the
Fields Medal
J. Keith Fraser (born 1922) – geographer
Hu Gabrielse (born 1926) – geologist with the
Geological Survey of Canada
William Giauque (1895–1982) – Nobel Prize winner in chemistry
Anne-Claude Gingras – molecular geneticist
Cynthia Grant – soil fertility and crop nutrition specialist
Donald O. Hebb
FRS (1904–1985) – neuroscientist, published his theory of
Hebbian learning
Gerhard Herzberg
PC
CC
ScD (
hc )
LLD (
hc )
FRSC
FRS (1904–1999) –
Nobel Prize winner in chemistry for molecular spectroscopy
James Hillier
OC (1915–2007) – inventor of the electron microscope
Vanessa M. Hirsch – veterinary pathologist and virologist
Paul F. Hoffman
OC
FRSC (born 1941) – geologist noted for research into
Snowball Earth events
Edward A. Irving
CM
ScD (
hc )
FRSC
FRS (1927–2014) – provided the first physical evidence of
continental drift
Charles Legge (1829–1881) – civil engineer
Victor Ling
CC (born 1944) – medicine, drug resistance in cancer
Sir
William Edmond Logan
FRS (1798–1875) – founded the Geological Survey of Canada
Mary MacArthur – botanist, cytologist, horticulturalist
John Macoun (1831–1920) – botanist
Tak Wah Mak (born 1946) – immunologist who discovered the T-cell receptor
Claude Hillaire-Marcel
FRSC (born 1943) – world leader in
quaternary research
Rudolph A. Marcus (born 1923) – Nobel Prize in chemistry recipient for electron transfer reactions
Jerrold E. Marsden (1942–2010) – applied mathematician, founder of the Fields Institute
Ernest McCulloch
CC
FRSC
FRS (1926–2011) – cellular biologist who, with James Till, demonstrated the existence of stem cells
Maud Menten (1879–1960) – medical scientist, made groundbreaking work in
enzyme
kinetics
Robert Mundell (1932–2021) – economist and Nobel laureate
John Charles Polanyi
PC
CC
FRSC
FRS (born 1929) – Nobel Prize in chemistry recipient for infrared
chemiluminescence
Isabella Preston (1881–1965) – ornamental horticulturalist
Raymond A. Price
OC
ScD (
hc )
FRSC (born 1933) – geologist
Hubert Reeves
CC
OQ (born 1932) –
astrophysicist and science popularizer
Soon Jai Park (1937–2018) – dry bean breeder
Elizabeth Pattey – agricultural micrometeorologist
Henry de Puyjalon (1841–1905) –
biologist and
ecologist
Carmelle Robert (born 1962) – astrophysicist
Laurie Rousseau-Nepton – astrophysicist, first
indigenous woman in
Quebec to obtain a PhD in
astrophysics
Donald F. Sangster
LLD (
hc )
ScD (
hc )
FRSC – geologist
Charles E. Saunders (1867–1937) – agronomist
Arthur Schawlow (1921–1999) – Nobel Prize winner in physics (for lasers)
David Schindler
OC (1940–2021) –
limnologist
Myron Scholes (born 1941) – Nobel Prize winner in economics
Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein – animal ethologist
Hans Selye
CC (1907–1982) – pioneering stress researcher
Michael Smith
CC
OBE (1932–2000) – Nobel Prize winner in chemistry for site-based mutagenesis
Ralph M. Steinman (1943–2011) – Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity
Peter A Stewart (1921–1993) – physiologist, quantitative acid-base physiology
Donna Strickland (born 1959) – Nobel Prize winner in Physics, optical physicist and pioneer in the field of pulsed lasers
Richard Summerbell (born 1956) – mycologist
David Suzuki
CC
OBC
LLD (
hc )
ScD (
hc )
ScDEnv (
hc )
ScDComm (
hc )
DHL (
hc ) (born 1936) – geneticist and science popularizer
Felicitas Svejda (1920–2016) – horticulturalist
Henry Taube
FRSC (1915–2005) – Nobel Prize in chemistry for electron transfer reactions
Richard Taylor
CC
FRSC
FRS (1929–2018) – Nobel Prize in physics recipient for verifying the
quark theory
James Till
CC
FRS (born 1931) – biophysicist who, with Ernest McCulloch, demonstrated the existence of stem cells
Joseph Tyrrell (1858–1957) – geologist, cartographer, discoverer of
dinosaur bones in
Alberta
William Vickrey (1914–1996) – Nobel Prize winner in economics
Harold Williams
FRSC (1934–2010) – geologist, expert on the
Appalachian Mountains
John Tuzo Wilson
CC
OBE
ScD (
hc )
FRSC
FRS
FRSE (1908–1993) – geophysicist, expert in plate tectonics
Singers
Viceroys
Writers
Other personalities
Daniel Negreanu
Sunny Leone
Alexandre Trudeau (born 1973) – author, filmmaker and journalist
Janis Babson (1950–1961) – organ donor, subject of two books
Antonio Barichievich (1925–2003) (known as The Great Antonio) – strongman, showman, and eccentric
Grant Bristow (born 1958) –
CSIS undercover agent who started the Heritage Front, planted as political operative within
Reform Party
René Lepage de Sainte-Claire (1656–1718) – lord-founder of
Rimouski, Quebec
Donnelly family (known as the Black Donnellys) – participants and/or victims of a vicious community
feud
Josiah Henson (1789–1883) – former slave, believed to be the inspiration for
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Trevor James (born 1988) –
YouTuber
Harold Kandel (1906–1995) – legendary theatregoer from
Toronto ,
Ontario known for speaking out during theatre events, now commemorated through the Harold Awards
Marc Karam (born 1980) – professional poker player
Anna Ruth Lang
CV – recipient of the
Cross of Valour
Sunny Leone (born 1981) – Canadian and
Indian
pornographic actress ;
Bollywood actress
Bat Masterson (1853–1921) – gunfighter, fight promoter, sports journalist
Charles Vance Millar (1853–1926) – lawyer, financier, and posthumous
practical joker
Sorel Mizzi (born 1986) – professional poker player
John Wilson Murray (1840–1906) – Canada's first major
detective
Daniel Negreanu (born 1974) – professional poker player
Minnie Patterson (died 1911) –
heroine noted for her daring rescue of men from the
barkentine (barque)
Coloma during a severe storm in 1906.
Sue Rodriguez (1950–1994) –
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) sufferer and
right to die advocate
Alexander Milton Ross (1832–1897) (known as The Birdman) – pre-
American Civil War
abolitionist and participant in the
Underground Railroad
Craig Russell (1948–1990) –
female impersonator and actor
Laura Secord (1775–1868) – heroine of the
War of 1812 , warned the British of a surprise American attack at
Battle of Beaver Dams
Chris Sky (born 1983) – conspiracy theorist
Joshua Slocum (1844–1909) – first man to sail around the world solo
Margaret Trudeau (born 1948) – widow; former wife of
Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Fictional Characters
Other
National
Groupings and articles of relevance
Lists by city
List of people from Canada by city
Lists by province/territory
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Canadians .
Wikiquote has quotations related to
Canadians .
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