List of Canadians

This is a list of well-known Canadians.

Architects

Ernest Cormier, architect and engineer
Arthur Erickson
Francis Rattenbury
Moshe Safdie
Frank Gehry

Artists

The Group of Seven - painters
The Beaver Hall Group - painters
Robert Bateman (1930-), painter
Paul-Émile Borduas, abstract painter
Alain Caron, jazz musician
Emily Carr (1871-1945), painter
Raffi Cavoukian - children's entertainer
Jack Chambers
Susan M. Cohen Watercolour artist, Thornhill, Ontario
Greg Curnoe (1936-1992)
Charles Daudelin (1920-2001), sculptor
Marcelle Ferron (1924-2001), glazier
Pierre Granche (1948-1997), sculptor
Jack Harman, (1927-2001), sculptor
Jean-Paul Mousseau, (1927-1991), muralist
Lawren Harris - group of seven, early Canadian abstraction
A.Y. Jackson - last member of Group of Seven (artists)
Karen Kain - ballerina
Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002), photographer
Cornelius Krieghoff (1815-1872), painter
Robert Markle (1936-1990, painter
Guido Molinari (1933-2004)
Miyuki Tanobe (1937-), painter
Norval Morrisseau (1931-), founded 'Woodland' school of art
Toni Onley (-2004), painter
Bill Reid (1920-1998), sculptor
Jack Reid
Jean-Paul Riopelle, (1923-2002), painter
Tom Thomson - ill fated wilderness painter
Jeff Wall - photographer

Astronauts

Roberta Bondar - first Canadian woman in space
Marc Garneau, (born 1949), first Canadian in space
Chris Hadfield, (born 1959), first Canadian to walk in space
Steven MacLean, astronaut
Julie Payette, (born 1963), astronaut
Robert Thirsk, astronaut
Bjarni Tryggvason, astronaut

Authors

Milton Acorn, (1923-1986), poet, has published 18 volumes of poetry
Gilles Archambault - novelist, essayist, critic
Margaret Atwood, (born 1939), poet, novelist, essayist
Margaret Avison, (born 1918), poet, has published 8 volumes of poetry
Pierre Berton, (born 1920), popularizer of Canadian history, TV personality, columnist
Earle Birney, (1904-1995), anti-conventional poet, also wrote novels, short stories, drama
Bill Bissett, (born 1939), poet, famous for incorporating sound and the visual into poetry
Di Brandt, (born 1952), Manitoba poet and literary critic
Morley Callaghan, (1903-1990), novelist, short story writer
Barry Callaghan, (born 1937), author/poet
Bliss Carman, (1861-1929), poet, wrote Low Tide on Grand Pre
Roch Carrier, (born 1937), author
Anne Carson, (born 1950), writer
Wayson Choy, (born 1939), writer, novelist
Leonard Cohen, (born 1934), poet/singer
Douglas Coupland, (born 1961), author
Robertson Davies, (1913-1995), author
William Henry Drummond, (1854-1907), poet, The habitant
Timothy Findley, (1930-2002), author
Louis Fréchette, (1839-1908), poet, essayist, journalist, dramatist
Mavis Gallant, (born 1922), author
William Gibson, (born 1948), author, The Neuromancer
Barbara Gowdy, The Romantic; The White Bone and short stories
Gwethalyn Graham, (1913-1965), wrote first Canadian novel to top the United states bestseller list
Arthur Hailey, (born 1920), author of 4 New York Times #1 bestsellers
G.R. Hambley, (born 1958), poet renowned for "The Passing"
Louis Hémon, (1880-1913), novelist and journalist, Maria Chapdelaine
Jack Hodgins, writer, novelist
Nancy Huston, (born 1953), author
Donald Jack, novelist, playwright
J. Robert Janes, (born 1932), writer
Guy Gavriel Kay, fantasy genre fiction
Margaret Laurence, (1926-1987), author
Stephen Leacock, (1869-1944), author/humorist
Dennis Lee, writer of children's poetry
Hugh MacLennan, (1907-1990), novelist and essayist, wrote Two Solitudes and Barometer Rising
Alistair MacLeod, (born 1936), writer, novelist
Yann Martel, (born 1963), 2002 Booker Prize Winner
John Metcalf, writer
Rohinton Mistry, (born 1952), author
W.O. Mitchell, author, Who has Seen the Wind
Lucy Maude Montgomery, (1874-1942), Anne of Green Gables
Susanna Moodie, (1803-1885), Roughing it in the Bush
Farley Mowat, (born 1921), Never Cry Wolf, My Discovery of America
Alice Munro, (born 1931), short story writer
Robert Munsch - American-born writer of children's books
Michael Ondaatje, (born 1943), author
Jean Baptiste Proulx, (1846-1904), dramatist and essayist
Nino Ricci, (born 1959), novelist; winner of the 1990 Governor General's Award for Fiction
David Adams Richards, (born 1950), writer, novelist
Mordecai Richler, (1931-2001), author
Sinclair Ross, author, As for Me and My House
Gabrielle Roy, (1909-1983), author
Robert W. Service, Author, "The Shooting of Dan McGrew", "The Cremation of Sam McGee","Songs of a Sourdough"
Carol Shields, (1935-2003), author
Elizabeth Smart, Author, "By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept"
Samuel Strickland, (1804-1867), Twenty-seven Years in Canada West
Catharine Parr Traill, (1802-1899), Life in the Backwoods of Canada
Michel Tremblay, (born 1942), author, playwright, poet
Jane Urquhart, (born 1949), novelist
George Woodcock, (1912-1995), poet, critic and anarchist author of Anarchism

See also List of Canadian writers for a much more extensive list

Business personalities

Max Aitken, (1879-1964), "Lord Beaverbrook" - publishing baron, entrepreneur
Elizabeth Arden (1878-1966), beautician, and cosmetics entrepreneur
Izzy Asper, (1932-2003)
Conrad Black, (born 1944), "Lord Black of Crossharbour", entrepreneur, publisher (born Canadian but gave up his citizenship)
Roy Thomson, (1894-1976), "Lord Thomson of Fleet", entrepreneur, publisher
Samuel Bronfman - founded the distillery empire that later took the name of Seagram
Robert Campeau - bankrupted Bloomingdale's Department Store, NYC
Jack Kent Cooke - owner of the Washington Redskins
Samuel Cunard, (1787-1865), Cunard Steamship Lines
Paul Desmarais - Chairman: Power Corporation of Canada
Timothy Eaton, (1834-1907), founder of Eaton's (T. Eaton Company of Canada) department stores
Bernie Ebbers - CEO (former) of WorldCom - largest bankruptcy in world history
Alfred Fuller, (1885-1973), Fuller Brush Company
Milton and Nelson Good - first Canadian Automobile
Tim Horton (1930-1974) - NHL player and founder of Tim Hortons doughnut shops (now owned by Wendy's)
K.C. Irving - Industrialist
Ron Joyce, original partner with Horton in Tim Hortons, and primary builder of the chain
Izaak Walton Killam, (1885-1955)
Victor Li, Deputy chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, son of Li Ka Shing
Louis B. Mayer, (1885-1957), co-founder: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios
Harrison McCain - New Brunswick potato magnate
Sam McLaughlin - Buick Automobile Manufacturer
John Molson, (1763-1836), founder of Molson Breweries
Jimmy Pattison -West Coast billionaire
Paul Reichmann - sunk by Canary Wharf
John Roth - CEO (former) Nortel Networks - "the most successful businessman in modern Canadian history"....Time Europe 12/25/00
John F. Stairs, (1848-1904), entrepreneur, statesman
Belinda Stronach - entrepreneur, stated as second most powerful businesswoman in the world, candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada
E. P. Taylor - entrepreneur, thoroughbred horse breeder
Nat Taylor - movie theatre mogul, originator of the multi auditorium movie theatre or cineplex
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne - Railway executive who directly oversaw construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Jack Warner, (1892-1978), founder of Warner Bros. Studios

Cartoonists

Aislin, cartoonist with the Montreal Gazette newspaper
Chester Brown - comic book creator, Yummy Fur, Underwater and Louis Riel
John Byrne - cartoonist/writer best known for his work on superhero characters like The Fantastic Four and Superman.
Jennifer Cuthbert - The Adventures of Lollipop
Lynn Johnston - writer/cartoonist, For Better or For Worse
Joe Matt - comic book creator, Peep Show
Todd McFarlane, (born 1961), cartoonist/writer, Spawn, Spider-Man
Seth - comic book creator, Palookaville
Dave Sim - - comic book creator, Cerebus
Joe Shuster, (1914-1992), creator of Superman
Ben Wicks, illustrator and comic strip cartoonist, as well as humanitarian

Criminals

Paul Bernardo (born 1964), murderer
Edwin Alonzo Boyd, bank robber
Marc Carbonneau, terrorist
Jacques Cossette-Trudel, terrorist
Louise Cossette-Trudel, terrorist
Karla Homolka, murderer (Mrs. Paul Bernardo)
Jacques Lanctôt, FLQ Terrorist
Yves Langlois, FLQ Terrorist
Bernard Lortie, FLQ Terrorist
Clifford Olson, serial child killer
Paul Rose, terrorist
Jacques Rose, terrorist
Francis Simard, terrorist
Colin Thatcher, murderer

Alleged criminals

Robert Pickton -- charged with largest number of serial killings in Canadian history, and still counting
Nicholas Ribic -- charged with having taken UN hostages during the war in the Balkans

Wrongfully convicted

David Milgaard - served 23 years for a murder he did not commit
Donald Marshall Jr. - wrongfully convicted of murder; subject of a Supreme Court of Canada case regarding First Nations rights to natural resources
Guy Paul Morin - was not only tried twice for the same crime but spent 10 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

Educators

Sue Johanson, sex educator

Explorers

George Mercer Dawson, (1849-1901), explored and surveyed Canadian Rockies, Canada/US boundary
Louis Joliet, (1645-1700), explorer
Alexander Mackenzie, first to reach the Pacific north of Mexico via an overland route
John Rae, (1813-1893), travelled widely through the Canadian Arctic
Charles de Salaberry, (1778-1829), soldier
William Grant Stairs, (1863-1892), Victorian era explorer, discovered one source of the Nile River, first non-African to ever climb Mt.Ruwenzori
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de la Vérendrye, (1685-1749), explored Lake Superior and Lake Winnipeg

Humanitarians

Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney) - Fur Trapper and Conservationist who posed as a Native American
Norman Bethune, (1890-1939), surgeon,inventor, socialist, battlefield doctor in Spain and China
Steve Fonyo, Retraced and completed Terry Fox's cross country cancer research fundraising marathon.
Terry Fox, (1958-1981), attempted one-legged cross country run for cancer research, Canadian Hero
Rick Hansen, Parapelegic athlete who completed an around the world marathon for spinal cord injury research.
Jean Vanier Founder of L'arche.

Inventors

Alexander Graham Bell, (1847-1922), Invented the telephone in Canada, developed it in US. (Canadian/American/Scot)
Joseph-Armand Bombardier - invented the snowmobile
J. Brown - invented the washing machine
Thomas Carroll - first self-propelled combine harvester
Mathew Evans - co-inventor of the first electric light bulb
Charles Fenerty - pulp to paper process
Reginald Fessenden, (1866-1932), inventor the Radiotelephone and sonar - produced 1st radio broadcast
Sir Sandford Fleming, (1827-1915), inventor of the system of standard time zones in use today
James Gosling, (born 1956), invented Java computer language
Larry Hanson - co-inventor of green plastic garbage bag
Sam Jacks - inventor of ringette
Rasmus Lerdorf - invented PHP computer language used on Internet
Elijah McCoy, (born 1844), Black inventor, automatic machinery lubricator, lawn sprinkler, the "real McCoy"
Samuel McKeen - invented the Odometer
P.L. Robertson invented the Robertson screw
Gideon Sundback - invented the zipper
Harry Wasyluk - co-inventor of green plastic garbage bag
Henry Woodward - co-inventor of the first electric light bulb

Military figures

Gustave Biéler (1904-1944), SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
Billy Bishop WW1 and WW2 Flying Ace
Sir Isaac Brock, (1769-1812) War of 1812 general who successfully defended Canada in the early phase of the war
Arthur Currie The nation's greatest general responsible for the WW1 victory at Vimy Ridge
Peter Dmytruk (1920-1943), WW II Flight Sergeant and member of the French Resistance
John Kenneth Macalister (1914-1944), SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
John McCrae (1872-1918), soldier, poet, author of In Flanders' Fields
Andrew McNaughton, Minister of Defense during World War II
Henry Norwest (1884-1918), one of the most famous snipers of World War I
Francis Pegahmagabow (1891-1952), the most highly decorated aboriginal Canadian soldier of World War I
Frank Pickersgill (1915-1944), SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
George Lawrence Price (1898-1918), last soldier killed in World War I.
Tommy Prince (1915-1977), one of Canada's most decorated soldiers, a member of the joint US/Canada special commando unit known as the Devil's Brigade
James Ralston, Minister of Defense during World War II
Roméo Sabourin (1923-1944), SOE agent, executed by the Nazis
Sam Steele (1851-1919), A member of the North West Mounted Police

Stage, Motion pictures, radio and television

See also: List of Canadian entertainers, Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood
Pamela Anderson (born 1967), model, actress
Dan Aykroyd (born 1952), actor/comedian
Robert Beatty (1909 - 1992), actor
Geneviève Bujold (born 1942), actress
James Cameron (1954-), director
Neve Campbell (born 1973), actress (Scream series, Party of Five)
John Candy (1950-1994), actor/comedian
Jim Carrey (born 1962), actor/comedian
Leslie Cheung (1956-2003), Hong Kong-based actor/singer
Sidney M. Cohen (born 1947), TV Director and program creator
David Cronenberg (born 1943), director
Elisha Cuthbert (born 1982), actress (Popular Mechanics for Kids, Old School)
Richard Day, art director, winner of seven Academy Awards
Nicole DeBoer (born 1970), actress (Cube)
Yvonne De Carlo, actress
James Doohan (born 1920), actor ("Scotty" on Star Trek)
Marie Dressler, actress, Academy Award winner
Douglass Dumbrille (1889-1974), prominent character actor
Atom Egoyan - director (The Sweet Hereafter)
Joe Flaherty (born 1941), actor/comedian
Michael J. Fox (born 1961), actor/comedian (Back to the Future trilogy, Spin City, Family Ties, Stuart Little (voice))
Tom Green (born 1971), actor/comedian
Lorne Greene (1915-1987), actor ('Pa Cartwright on Bonanza), TV news anchor
Peter Gzowski (1934-2002), radio personality
Foster Hewitt (1902-1985), broadcaster
May Irwin (1862-1938), vaudeville singer, actress
Peter Jennings (born 1938), News anchor
Norman Jewison (born 1926), director, received The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
Margot Kidder, Lois Lane in Superman
Eugene Levy - actor/comedian
Norm MacDonald - actor/comedian
Peter Mansbridge (born 1948), News anchor
Louis B. Mayer, co-founder MGM
Eric McCormack - actor Will & Grace
Rick Mercer - actor/comedian, This Hour Has 22 Minutes
Lorne Michaels (born 1944), originator of Saturday Night Live
Rick Moranis, actor (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids)
Colin Mochrie (born 1957), comedian
Mike Myers (born 1963), actor (Austin Powers series, Saturday Night Live)
Leslie Nielsen (born 1926), actor
Mary Pickford (1892-1979), actress and producer, cofounder of United Artists
Christopher Plummer (born 1927), actor
Keanu Reeves (born 1964), actor
Lloyd Robertson (born 1934), News anchor
Mack Sennett (1880-1960) film producer
William Shatner (born 1931), actor (Captain Kirk on Star Trek)
Norma Shearer actress, Academy Award winner
Martin Short - actor/comedian, Saturday Night Live
Donald Sutherland (born 1934), actor
Kiefer Sutherland (born 1966), actor (24), son of Donald
Alex Trebek (born 1940), game show host (Jeopardy!)
Nia Vardalos (born 1962), actress, producer, screenwriter (My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
Jack Warner, cofounder of Warner Brothers
Estella Warren, supermodel, actress
Austin Willis, (1914-2004), actor
Moses Znaimer (born 1942), television mogul Citytv, Bravo, MuchMusic

Musicians

Bryan Adams, (born 1959), singer
Paul Anka, (born 1941), singer
Talena Atfield, bassist and vocalist of Kittie
Randy Bachman, (born 1943), singer
The Band (excepting Levon Helm)
Lenny Breau, (1941-1984), guitarist
Len Cariou, (born 1939), actor/singer
Wilf Carter, (1904-1996), singer
Leslie Cheung, (1946-2003), Hong Kong-based actor/singer
Bruce Cockburn, (born 1945), singer
Leonard Cohen, (born 1934), singer, songwriter
Stomping Tom Conners, Canadian country/folk singer/songwriter
Andy Creeggan, the Barenaked Ladies
Céline Dion, (born 1968), singer
Georges Dor, chansonnier, composer and singer of "La Manic", novelist, playwright
Percy Faith, (1908-1976), band leader
Maynard Ferguson, (born 1928), band leader, trumpet
Nelly Furtado, pop singer
Glenn Gould, (1932-1982), pianist, composer
Paul Horn, flute player
Tommy Hunter (born 1937), country singer
Colin James,(b. 1964), singer/songwriter
Pauline Julien (1928-1998), singer/songwriter
Chantal Kreviazuk, singer
k.d. lang, (born 1961), singer
La Bolduc, (born 1897-1941), singer
Avril Lavigne, (born 1984), singer/songwriter
Geddy Lee, (born 1953), singer, bassist, keyboardist Rush
Gordon Lightfoot, (born 1938), singer/songwriter
Guy Lombardo, (1902-1977), his band's instrumental version of Auld Lang Syne brought in the new year across North America for more than a generation.
Loreena McKennitt (born 1957), singer
Sarah McLachlan, (born 1968), singer/songwriter
Joni Mitchell, (born 1943), singer/songwriter
Alanis Morissette, (born 1974), singer/songwriter
Anne Murray, (born 1945), singer/songwriter
Geoffrey O'Hara, (1882-1967), songwriter
Walter Ostanek - Polka, three-time Grammy Award winner
Oscar Peterson - (1925- ) jazz pianist
Stan Rogers, (died 1983), folk musician
Paul Shaffer, (born 1949), Musical director "Letterman" show
Jane Siberry, (born 1955), singer entrepreneur
Sarah Slean, singer, songwriter, pianist
Hank Snow, (1914-1999), country & western singer
Lara St. John (born 1971), violinist
Salli Terri, (1922-1996), mezzo soprano
Devin Townsend, (born 1972), singer/songwriter/producer
Shania Twain, (born 1965), singer
Gilles Vigneault - his song Mon pays has been a significant rallying song among the Québécois.
Hawksley Workman, singer/songwriter/producer/performer
Neil Young, (1945-), singer/songwriter

See also: List of Canadian musicians

Political leaders

Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott, (1821-1893) 3rd Prime Minister of Canada
William Aberhart, (1878-1943), premier of Alberta 1935-09-03 to 1943-05-23
John Aird, (1923-1995), Lieutennant Governor of Ontario
Lincoln Alexander, (1922- ), Lieutennant Governor of Ontario
Lloyd Axworthy, (1939- ), Former Cabinet Minister
Reuben Baetz, (1923-1996), Executive Director of Canadian Council on Social Development
Robert Baldwin, (1804-1858), Co-premier of Upper Canada
Maude Barlow, activist, Chairperson of the Council of Canadians
James Bartleman, (1939- ), Lieutennat Governor of Ontario
Henry Beatty, (1950- ), former cabinet minister, president of CBC
Monique Begin, (1936- ), former cabinet minister
Richard Bedford Bennett, (1870-1947), former Prime Minister
W.A.C. Bennett, (1900-1979), former Premier of British Columbia
William Richards Bennett,(1932- ), former Premier of British Columbia
Thomas Berger, (1933- ), Jurist
Big Bear, (1825-1888) Cree Leader
Patrick Binns, (1948- ), Premier of Prince Edward Island
Allan Blakeney, (1925- ), former Premier of Saskatchewan
Ethel Blondin-Andrew (1951- ), Member of Parliament
Sir Robert Borden, (1854-1937), former Prime Minister of Canada
Lucien Bouchard, (1938- ), former Premier of Quebec
Henri Bourassa, (1868-1952), Quebec politician
Robert Bourassa, (1933-1996), former Premier of Quebec
Pierre Bourgault, (1934-2003), President of Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
James Bourque, (1935-1996), former member of the Privy Council
Sir Mackenzie Bowell, (1823-1917), former Prime Minister of Canada
John Bracken, (1883-1969), former Premier of Manitoba
Joseph Brant, (1742-1807), Mohawk leader
Molly Brant, (1736-1796), leader of Six Nations women's federation
Ed Broadbent, (1936- ), former NDP leader
George Brown, (1818-1880), played major role in confederation
Rosemary Brown, (1930-2003), Canadian politician
John E. Brownlee, (1884-1961), premier of Alberta 1925-11-23 to 1934-07-10
John Buchanan, (1931- ), former premier of Nova Scotia
Tim Buck, (1891-1973), former leader of the Canadian Communist Party
Gordon Campbell, premier of British Columbia 2001-06-05 to ...
Kim Campbell, prime minister of Canada in 1993
Sir George-Étienne Cartier, (1814-1873), French-Canadian statesman
Jean Charest, (born 1958) elected premier of Quebec in 2003.
Brock Chisholm, (1896 - 1971), first Director-General of the WHO
Jean Chrétien (born 1934), prime minister of Canada 1993-2003
Glen Clark, (born 1957), premier of British Columbia 1996-02-22 to 1999-08-25
David Collenette, Canadian politician
Amor De Cosmos, (1825-1897), premier of British Columbia 1872-12-23 to 1874-02-11
Ujjal Dosanjh, (2000-2001), premier of British Columbia 2000-02-24 to 2001-06-05
Tommy Douglas (1904-1986) premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961.
Maurice Duplessis, (1890-1959), premier of Quebec
Lord Durham, (1792-1840), (John George Lambton)
Andrew Charles Elliott, premier of British Columbia 1876-02-01 to 1878-06-25
Donald Getty, premier of Alberta 1985-11-01 to 1992-12-13
Herbert Greenfield, (1869-1949), premier of Alberta 1921-08-13 to 1925-11-23
Michael Harcourt, (born 1943), premier of British Columbia 1991-11-05 to 1996-02-22
C. D. Howe
Joseph Howe
Rita Johnston, (born 1935), premier of British Columbia 1991-04-02 to 1991-11-05
William Lyon Mackenzie King, (1874-1950), Canadian prime minister
Ralph Klein, (born 1942), premier of Alberta 1992-12-14 to ...
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, (1807-1864)
Wilfrid Laurier, (1896-1911), Canadian prime minister
René Lévesque, (1922-1987), premier of Quebec
Peter Lougheed, (born 1928), premier of Alberta 1971-09-10 to 1985-11-01
William Lyon Mackenzie
Ernest Manning, (1908-1996), premier of Alberta 1943-05-31 to 1968-12-12
Thomas D'Arcy McGee, (1825-1868), promoter of a federal union for the Canadian provinces
Agnes Macphail - Canada's first female Member of Parliament and subsequently a leader in penal reform for Canada
Beverley McLachlin - Current Chief Justice of Canada
Brian Mulroney (born 1939), prime minister 1984-1993
Piapot, (c.1816 – 1908) Cree Chief
Louis-Joseph Papineau, (1786-1871)
Richard G. Reid, (1879-1980), premier of Alberta 1934-07-10 to 1935-09-03
Louis Riel, (1844-1885), controversial Canadian figure (hanged for treason)
Alexander C. Rutherford, (1857-1941), premier of Alberta 1905-09-02 to 1910-05-26
Louis Stephen St. Laurent, (1882-1973), prime minister
Jeanne Sauvé, (1922-1993), governor general
Arthur L. Sifton, (1858-1921), premier of Alberta 1910-05-26 to 1917-10-30
Charles Stewart (1868-1946), premier of Alberta (1868-1946), 1917-10-30 to 1921-08-13
Harry E. Strom, (1914-1984), premier of Alberta 1968-12-12 to 1971-09-10
Tecumseh (1768-1813) Shawnee leader who played a key role in the defence of Canada in the War of 1812
W. Ross Thatcher, (1917–1971), premier of Saskatchewan 1964-May 2 to 1971-June 30
John Sparrow David Thompson, (1845-1894), prime minister
Pierre Elliott Trudeau, (1919-2000), prime minister of Canada 1968-1979; 1980-1984.
John Napier Turner (born 1929), prime minister of Canada in 1984
William N. Vander Zalm, (born 1934), premier of British Columbia 1986-08-06 to 1991-04-02
The Valiant Five, 1920s women's rights activists

Religious personalities

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys - first Canadian saint
St. Marie-Marguerite d'Youville - founder of the Grey Nuns
St. Jean de Brébeuf - martyr
St. Isaacs Jogues - martyr
St. Charles Garnier - martyr
St. Anthony Danile - martyr
St. Gabriel Lallemant - martyr
St. Noel Chabanel - martyr
St. John de Lalande - martyr
St. Rene Goupil - martyr
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Blessed Frère André
Paul-Émile Cardinal Léger
Abbé Lionel Groulx

Scholars

Louise Arbour, (born 1947), jurist, controversialist
Northrop Frye, (1912-1991), influential critic, Shakespeare and Blake scholar
John Kenneth Galbraith, (born 1908), economist
Marshall McLuhan, (1911-1980), communications theorist, "The medium is the message"
John Peters Humphrey, (1905-1995), legal scholar, principal drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
John Ralston Saul, businessman, essayist, diplomat
F. R. Scott, (1899-1985), law professor, philosopher, poet
Charles Taylor, philosopher

Scientists

Sid Altman - Molecular Biology
Frederick Banting, (1891-1941), medical scientist, co-discovered insulin
Charles Best, (1899-1978), medical scientist, co-discovered insulin
Wilfred Bigelow - first artificial pacemaker
Bertram Brockhouse - designed the Triple-Axis Neutron Spectroscope
Sir William Dawson, (1820-1899), first Canadian-born scientist of worldwide reputation
William Francis Giauque - 1949 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry
James Gosling - Programmer, inventor of Java
Gerhard Herzberg - 1971 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry for Molecular Spectroscopy
David Hubel - 1981 Nobel Prize winner in Medicine for mapping the visual cortex
Doreen Kimura - Behavioural Psychologist: World expert on sex differences in the brain
Julia Levy - Microbiologist: co-discovered photodynamic anti-cancer drugs
William Logan, (1798-1875), founded the Geological Survey of Canada, knighted by Queen Victoria, awarded the French Legion of Honor.
Rudolph Marcus - 1992 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for electron transfer reactions (e.g. rust)
Maud Menten - (1879-1960), medical scientist, made groundbreaking work in enzyme kinetics
Henry Morgentaler - abortionist
Sir William Osler - Physician, "most influential physician in history"
Wilder Penfield - Neurosurgeon, discovered electrical stimulation of the brain
John Polanyi - 1986 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Chemi-luminescence
Hubert Reeves - Astrophysicist and science popularizer
Charles Edward Saunders - Marquis Wheat
Arthur Schawlow - 1981 Nobel Prize winner in Physics (for lasers)
Myron Scholes - 1997 Nobel Prize winner in Economics
Hans Selye - (1907-1982) - pioneering stress researcher
Michael Smith (1932-2000), 1993 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry for site-based mutagenesis
David Suzuki, (born 1936), geneticist and science popularizer
Henry Taube - 1983 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for electron transfer reactions
Richard Taylor - 1990 Nobel Prize in Physics for verifying the Quark Theory
Irene Ayako Uchida - Cytogenticist: World-famous Down syndrome researcher
William Vickrey - 1996 Nobel Prize winner in economics
Tuzo Wilson - Geophysicist. plate tectonics

For a more detailed list of renowned Canadian scientists, including Nobel Prize winners, see the outside link:

http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientists.php

Sports personalities

Donovan Bailey, (born 1967), sprinter
Jean Béliveau, (born 1931), ice hockey player
Marilyn Bell, first person to swim Lake Ontario
Big Ben, (1976-1999), world champion show-jumping horse
Tommy Burns, (1881-1955), World Heavyweight boxing Champion
Myriam Bédard, (born 1969), Olympic Gold Medal
Don Cherry, ice hockey coach and commentator
Victor Davis (1964-1989), Olympic swimming champion
George Dixon (1870-1909), first black World boxing champion; first Canadian-born World boxing champion
Catriona LeMay Doan, (born 1970), two-time Olympic gold medalist in speed skating
Yvon Durelle, (born 1929), boxing champion
Stewart Elliott, (born 1965), jockey
Eric Gagne, (born 1976), baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers closer, 2003 National League Cy Young Award
Marc Gagnon, (born 1975), Olympic Gold medalist
Nancy Greene, (born 1943), Olympic Gold Medal in Downhill Skiing
Wayne Gretzky, (born 1961), ice hockey legend
Ned Hanlan, world champion sculler
Sandy Hawley, (born 1949), Hall of Fame jockey
John Hayes, (1917-1998), harness racing driver
Ann Heggtveit, (born 1939), world and 1960 Winter Olympics ski champion
Paul Henderson, ice hockey player, scored winning goal in 1972 Canada/Russia match
Matthew Hilton, world champion boxer
Clara Hughes, (born 1972), speed skating and cycling medalist in both summer and winter Olympics
Bobby Hull, (born 1939), The "Golden Jet" first player in the NHL to score more than 50 goals in a season.
Russ Jackson, Canadian footballer
Ferguson Jenkins, (born 1943), baseball pitcher, MLB Hall of Fame member
Gordie Howe, (born 1928), ice hockey legend
Ben Johnson, (born 1961), sprinter, disqualified from Olympic gold medal for doping
Colleen Jones, (born 1959), world's most successful female Curler
Joe Krol, Canadian footballer
Joseph Lannin, owner of the Boston Red Sox who signed Babe Ruth
Lucien Laurin, (1912-2000), Hall of Fame trainer of Secretariat
Mario Lemieux, (born 1965), ice hockey player
Ian Millar, World Champion equestrian rider
Greg Moore, (1975-1999)
Bronko Nagurski, (1908-1990), player with Chicago Bears, member of U.S. Pro Football Hall of Fame
James Naismith, (1861-1939), YMCA instructor who invented the game of Basketball
Steve Nash, (born 1974), NBA star with Dallas Mavericks
Northern Dancer, thoroughbred racing champion
Willie O'Ree, (born 1935), first black ice hockey player in the NHL
Bobby Orr, (born 1948), ice hockey player, considered by many to be the best ever, revolutionized the role of a defenceman
Paris Crew, world rowing champions in 1867
Scott Patterson, (born ~1970), curler, killed in a vehicle accident at age 34
Jacques Plante, (1929-1986), pioneer ice hockey goaltender
Terry Puhl, baseball player
Maurice Richard, (1921-2000), ice hockey player, "The Rocket," first to score 50 goals in a season
Patrick Roy, (born 1965), legendary ice hockey goalie
Sandra Schmirler, (1963-2000), curler
Barbara Ann Scott, figure skater, Olympic Gold Medal
Matt Stairs, (born 1968), professional baseball player
Paul Tracy, (born 1968), CART racing Champion
Ron Turcotte, (born 1941), jockey of Secretariat
Mike Vanderjagt, (born 1970), placekicker for Indianapolis Colts
Gilles Villeneuve, (1950-1982), race car driver
Jacques Villeneuve, (born 1971), race car driver, son of Gilles
Larry Walker, (born 1966), baseball star for the Colorado Rockies
Mike Weir, (born 1970), golfer, Masters tournament winner
Lucille Wheeler, (born 1935), alpine ski champion
Percy Williams, (1908-1982), sprinter
Steve Yzerman, (born 1965), ice hockey player

Other personalities

Frédéric Jeanbart, one of the main promoters and thinkers of the IT/Web expansion in Quebec
Scott Abbott - co-inventor of Trivial Pursuit
Marie-Joseph Angélique, executed for setting the city of Montreal on fire
The Great Antonio - strongman, showman, and eccentric
Linda Evangelista, (born 1965), supermodel
Bret Hart, (born 1957), professional wrestler
Owen Hart, (1965-1999), professional wrestler, brother of Bret
Chris Haney - co-inventor of Trivial Pursuit
Josiah Henson - former slave, believed to be the inspiration for "Uncle Tom's Cabin".
Sue Johanson- television sex expert, author
Bat Masterson - (1853-1921) gunfighter, fight promoter, sports journalist
Edgar Randolph Parker - better known as "Painless" Parker - flamboyant dentist
Winnie the Pooh - aka Winnipeg the Bear who inspired Milne
Sue Rodriguez, (-1994), ALS sufferer and right to die advocate
Margaret Trudeau (born 1948), former wife of Pierre Elliott Trudeau