Good News for Canadians

[Billy_Bishop]

According to a recent poll, the 10 Greatest Canadian Heroes of all time are:

Terry Fox
Frederick Banting
Lester B. Pearson
Sir John A. MacDonald
Louis Riel
Sir Isaac Brock
Tommy Douglas
Laura Secord
<h1> Billy Bishop</h1> and....
Nellie McClung

Ok, so I know who Billy Bisop is, who the heck are the other 9 people???

I guess Paul Cowan's travesty didn't have the desired effect!!

VBR

Al Lowe

Terry Fox - Cancer took one of his legs, then he ran across Canada, almost making it before he died. Raised a S#@$ load of money for cancer research

Frederick Banting - Invented Insulin (I think)

Lester B. Pearson - Prime Minister who decided Canada's only policy is peace. (pussy)

Sir John A. MacDonald - first Prime Minister and Wacko. Founder of "Confederation". (Read: how to screw the West multiple ways in one document)

Louis Riel - A Rebel. Got hanged. That's what happens to Rebels. Some think he had some legitimate points, you know, Metis(half white/ half indian) having "rights" or white men giving back land they took etc.etc.etc. hehe

Sir Isaac Brock - Some Brit?

Tommy Douglas - I should know this one but I skipped class that day, my guess - country singer.

Laura Secord - Delivered supplies to remote aera through snow. Wop May did the same thing, where is he on this list? Token Woman hero I always thought. J/K She was pretty brave.


Nellie Mclung??

Sir Isaac Brock was the commander of British and Canadian (but mostly British) forces at the battle of Queenston Heights in the war of 1812. A thousand American regulars were captured and the American crossing of Niagara stopped. Brock was killed in the battle. Earlier, Brock captured Detroit, rescuing the 2,000 American prisoners from his indian allies.

Laura Secord had an American regiment establish headquarters in her house and (according to the school books) ran 20 miles to warn a company of British troops. In the ensuing fight the Americans were captured with the help of indians. It's more possible that the British were actually warned by Iroquois scouts, but then we wouldn't have Laura Secord chocolate.

Nellie Mclung was a women's rights activist.

Let's see if I can't add a bit more illumination in reply to Al's question.

Terry Fox was an up-and-coming university athlete who lost a leg to a rare form of bone cancer. While he was recovering from the surgery he got the idea of running across the country to raise money for cancer research. Contrary to what some believe, he did not make it nearly all the way; in fact, he stopped a little over half-way when the cancer spread to his lungs. The run didn't end with his death, either; he actually died 10 months later. He averaged nearly 40km a day during his run, and raised something like $23 million. (Ironically, a second one-legged runner *did* eventually run all the way across Canada. Next to nobody remembers him today, while Fox, who tried and failed nobly, is the hero.)

Sir Frederick Banting was one of three men who discovered the role insulin plays in controlling blood sugar (and thereby saved the lives of thousands or even millions of diabetics). He was killed in a plane crash during WWII.

Lester B. Pearson was no pacifist "pussy" -- he served in the Canadian Army during WWI. He is best remembered for introducing the concept of peace-keeping to the United Nations during the Suez Crisis of 1956. It could be argued that Canada has a much higher international profile thanks to Pearson than to any other Canadian politician of this century.

Sir John A. MacDonald was our first prime minister, a notorious drinker and a very smart politician. Those who've read a previous post in this thread should be aware that "western" Canada in 1867 meant London, Ontario. Most of the prairies didn't join Confederation until after Sir John A.'s death. To Canadians of the 1860s, in fact, MacDonald represented "western" (as opposed to Quebec and Maritime) interests.

Louis Riel was a "metis" (mixed French and Indian) political leader who led two different rebellions against the Canadian government. He was hanged after the defeat of the second rebellion in 1885. He's considered an important figure by westerners and francophones who resent the southern-Ontario establishment which ran (and arguably still runs) the country.

Sir Isaac Brock has been pretty accurately described already. Had he lived, the War of 1812 might have turned out rather differently (and certainly much differently than many Americans currently believe it did, but that's another story).

Tommy Douglas was a western-Canadian politician who is credited with being the father of Canada's system of socialized medicine. He was one of the founders of what became the New Democratic Party, Canada's social-democratic political party (currently a very marginal force everywhere but in parts of the west of the country).

Laura Secord did in fact make the famous 30km walk legend ascribes to her. For a while historians doubted the truth of the legend, but in the 1960s (I believe) three different testimonials were uncovered by the British officer (FitzGibbon?) to whom Secord delivered her message. Curious fact: Secord was actually born in the US.

Billy Bishop: I know nothing about this guy at all. Who he?

Nellie McClung was a lawyer (eventually a judge) and feminist activist. In the 1920s she led a group of women who sued over the rule in Canada's constitution that women were not "persons" in the eyes of the law. More controversially, McClung was also a firm believer in eugenics. Largely thanks to her, it wasn't until the early 1970s that the province of Alberta stopped sterilizing the mentally ill or deficient.

Here endeth the history lesson. Aren't you sorry you asked, Al?

[Barrett]

I distinctly remember seeing a photo of Pearson in flying kit standing beside a WW I airplane--always assumed he was a Great War aviator. I believe the photo appeared in a news magazine about the time the RCMP discovered he was a Soviet agent, leading to his resignation.

[Billy_Bishop]

Me? Sorry I asked?? Never! Being the Honourary Canuck that I am, I figured I should at least learn a little more Canadian History.

VBR,

Al Lowe

Well I know Terry Fox. He lost a leg from cancer and he tried to run from coast to coast raising money for cancer research.

Laura Secord helped save Upper Canada (Ontario) from American Invasion in the War of 1812. She overheard American Intelligence and ran cross country to the Canadian lines.

Sir Issac Brock was a great General who with the help of Tecumseh saved Upper Canada from the American Invasion in 1812. He captured Fort (I forget the name but is is up by the Soo), captured Fort Detroit. He died leading a charge (outnumbered) against the American Invaders. His courage boosted our moral and the Americans were driven into the river and surrendered.

Banting discovered Insulin.

That's what I know. I also think that Collishaw should be that list too.

I forgot Louis Reil started the Red River Rebellion, MacDonald was the first Prime Minister, and Pearson was also a politician.

VBR

Naval 10

[mike_baram]

I'm shocked! Shocked, I say. Do you mean to tell me that the list doesn't include William Shatner, the thespian who singlehandedly created the method known as "overacting"?

HEY...
Where is Ann Murray and Shania Twain? Why are they missing? Hee-hee!
VBR,
Jim