Lists of Canadians explained
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 (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
See also: List of Canadian women artists.
Actors
See main article: List of Canadian actors and Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.
Animators
- Ryan Larkin (1943–2007) – nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Film, Walking, 1969
Broadcasters
See main article: List of Canadian television personalities and List of Canadian radio personalities.
Comedians
See main article: List of Canadian comedians and List of Canadian stand-up comedians.
Musicians
See main article: List of Canadian musicians and List of bands from Canada.
Photographers
Visual arts
See main article: List of Canadian artists, List of Canadian painters and List of Canadian women photographers.
Cartoonists
Astronauts
Athletes
See main article: List of Canadian sports personalities and Canada's athletes of the 20th century.
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
- 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
- Sam Feldman (born 1949) - music executive
- 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) – speaker, writer, former 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
See main article: List of Canadian directors.
Educators
- J. Willis Ambrose (1911–1974) – Professor at the Queen's University at Kingston
- Sonia Aïssa – Professor at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique
- 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
- 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 (1931–2024) – 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
- 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 (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
- 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 2004–2006
- 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
See main article: List of Canadian musicians.
Politicians
Provincial premiers
Main articles:
Territorial premiers
Main articles:
Indigenous leaders
See also: Aboriginal Canadian personalities.
Producers
See main article: List of Canadian producers.
Religious figures
Martyrs
Religious community leaders
- 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
- Marc Zender – Mayanist
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 (1930–2020) – 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
- 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
See main article: List of Canadian singers.
Viceroys
Other personalities
- 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
See main article: Ethnic origins of people in Canada.
- Lists by city
- List of people from Canada by city
- Lists by province/territory
External links
Notes and References
- Gordon W. . Fulton . David Ewart . 15 .
- News: Werb. Jessica. Cindy Lee. 25 May 2012. BC Business. November 4, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120321203337/http://www.bcbusinessonline.ca/bcb/top-stories/2009/11/04/cindy-lee. 21 March 2012.
- November 9, 1966 . The New China . The McGill Daily . 56 . 38 . 6 June 2016.
- Web site: The Greatest Canadian – Top 100 – 11 to 100 . CBC . 2008-07-05 . 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080420130011/http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/greatcanadians/index.html . 2008-04-20 . dead .
