The greatest Canadians (CBC poll)
The top 3 according to 67 votes from people: Terry Fox · Lester B. Pearson · Tommy Douglas. (Updated May 24, 2025.)
The result of CBC's The Greatest Canadian (2004), voted by viewers. Tommy Douglas, father of Canadian medicare, won ahead of Terry Fox.
Top 10
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1
Terry Fox
1958-1981. Ran the Marathon of Hope across Canada on one leg to raise money for cancer research.
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2
Lester B. Pearson
1897-1972. Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner for creating UN peacekeeping.
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3
Tommy Douglas
1904-1986. Premier of Saskatchewan and father of Canadian medicare.
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4
John A. Macdonald
1815-1891. First Prime Minister of Canada.
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5
Neil Young
Born 1945. Singer-songwriter; 14th.
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6
Pierre Trudeau
1919-2000. Prime Minister who brought home the constitution and the Charter of Rights.
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7
Louis Riel
1844-1885. Métis leader and founder of Manitoba; 11th.
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8
Frederick Banting
1891-1941. Co-discoverer of insulin, Nobel Prize 1923.
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9
David Suzuki
Born 1936. Environmentalist and broadcaster.
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10
Alexander Graham Bell
1847-1922. Inventor of the telephone.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 10… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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11
Don Cherry
Born 1934. Ice hockey commentator.
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12
Bobby Orr
Born 1948. Hockey defenceman; 19th.
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13
Wayne Gretzky
Born 1961. "The Great One", holder of dozens of NHL records.
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14
Jean Vanier
1928-2019. Humanitarian and founder of L'Arche; 12th.
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15
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Author of Anne of Green Gables (1908), one of the best-selling Canadian books of all time.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (4)
Terry Fox and the Marathon of Hope, still makes me tear up.
Tommy Douglas, father of medicare, deserved #1 in the CBC poll.
Don Cherry at #7 is very 2004 Canada 😂
Missing Lucy Maud Montgomery!