-
Period: to
John A. Macdonald
(1815–1891) statesman
Though born in Scotland, Macdonald's family immigrated to Canada when he was a young child. Macdonald was educated as a lawyer and soon became involved in politics. After being elected to the Legislative Assembly, he went on to become leader of the Conservative Party and joint premier in 1856. It was largely his diplomatic skills that made the Confederation of 1867 possible; thus, Macdonald is seen as a founding father of Canada. -
Period: to
Nellie McClung (Nellie Letitia Mooney)
(1873–1951) writer, political activist
McClung began her career as a teacher and later became a successful novelist, whose books celebrated the prairie experience. But when she and her husband moved to Winnipeg, she became deeply involved in campaigning for women's right to vote (suffrage) and alcohol abstinence (temperance). Her efforts helped Canadian women gain the right to vote in 1916. -
Period: to
Elizabeth Arden (Florence Nightingale Graham)
(1878–1966) cosmetics entrepreneur
Arden was born Florence Nightingale Graham and, following the career of her namesake, studied nursing. But in 1908, she moved to New York City and opened a salon. She took on the name Elizabeth Arden, which was also the name of her new company. Arden became involved in producing cosmetics on a large scale, bringing a scientific approach to production. -
Period: to
Fredrick Grant Banting
(1891–1941) scientist
After becoming a doctor, Banting joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps and served in World War I. Upon returning home, he became greatly interested in diabetes and began researching the disease in the laboratories of J. J. R. Macleod. In 1922, Banting and his assistant, Charles Best, isolated the pancreas hormone, which came to be known as insulin. This discovery enabled millions suffering from diabetes to lead normal lives. -
Period: to
Tommy Douglas
(1904–1986) minister, politician
Douglas went to school to study religion, and he started his career as a Baptist minister. However, when many community members came to him for help during the Great Depression, he became involved in social causes and, ultimately, politics. He eventually was elected premier of Saskatchewan in the first socialist government elected in Canada. -
Period: to
Pierre Trudeau (Philipee Pierre Ives Elliott Trudeau)
(1919–2000) prime minister
Born in Québec, Trudeau spoke mostly French at home, though he learned English as a child. In 1968, he became prime minister for the first time. He was reelected in 1972. Trudeau helped Canada form its unique identity by fighting to establish both French and English as national languages, achieving parliamentary independence from Britain, helping create a new constitution, and improving international relations. He was also instrumental in keeping Québec from seceding. -
Period: to
Margaret Atwood
(1939–) writer, critic
Atwood is considered a pioneer of women's literature in Canada. Her works, which include volumes of poetry, short stories, and novels, focus on feminist issues and interpersonal relationships. Her novels The Edible Woman (1969), The Handmaid's Tale (1985), and The Blind Assassin (2000) all deal with these issues in styles ranging from historical fiction to science fiction. Atwood is also a noted poet, essayist, and literary critic. -
Period: to
Wayne Gretzky
(1961–) hockey player
Gretzky began playing professionally at age 16 and signed with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers at age 18. He went on to break more than 60 records, including most goals in a season (92), and most points in a season (215). He was voted Most Valuable Player nine times and was also noted for his sportsmanship. In 1988, he transferred to the Los Angeles Kings. He became hockey's highest-paid player in 1993 when he signed a $25.5 million contract. -
Period: to
Michael J. Fox
(1961–) actor
Fox grew up in Canada and had early successes on television there. At age 18, he moved to Los Angeles and started auditioning for bigger roles. His breakthrough part was as Alex Keaton on the series Family Ties. He went on to star in a number of movies, including the Back to the Future series. He later returned to television with the show Spin City. However, he went into early retirement in 2000, after announcing that he had been suffering from Parkinson's disease since 1991. -
Period: to
Céline Dion
(1968–) singer
Dion comes from a musical family. By the time she was five years old, Dion was already performing for small audiences. By age 12, she had signed a major record deal. She had recorded nine French-language albums by the time she was 18. In the next five years, she went on to cut several English-language albums, selling more than 175 million copies worldwide. She married her longtime manager and, in 2000, took time off to have a baby.