View source for The Greatest Canadian

{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2023}}
{{Short description|2004 television series}}
<!--this is CBC's version, they don't hold a monopoly on that term-->
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = TV the greatest canadian logo.jpg
| caption              = The Greatest Canadian logo
| alt_name             =
| genre                = Documentary
| creator              = 
| developer            = Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
| writer               = [[Gary Pearson (comedian)|Gary Pearson]]
| director             = [[Guy O'Sullivan]]
| creative_director    = 
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| voices               = 
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = 
| opentheme            = 
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = Canada
| language             = 
| num_seasons          = <!-- or num_series -->
| num_episodes         = 13
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = 
| producer             = 
| editor               = 
| location             = 
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| channel              = <!-- or network -->
| first_aired          = {{start date|2004|10|17|df=y}}
| last_aired           =
| related              =  
}}

'''''The Greatest Canadian''''' is a 2004 [[television]] series consisting of 13 episodes produced by the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] (CBC) to identify one greatest [[Canadians|Canadian]] of all time, according to those who watched and participated in the program.<ref name=cbc>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/and-the-greatest-canadian-of-all-time-is|title=And the Greatest Canadian of all time is…|publisher=CBC Archives|year= 2005}}</ref>

The series two-hour debut on 17 October 2004 garnered more than one million viewers, with approximately 500,000 to 700,000 viewers per episode thereafter. The initial nomination phase received more than 10,000 names submitted for consideration.<ref name=archive1/> The second phase of the process concluded on 28 November at midnight and the following evening the winner from more than 1.2 million votes was revealed to be [[Tommy Douglas]].<ref name="SorrentinoRN2016">{{cite book|author1=Sheila A Sorrentino|author2=Leighann Remmert, MS RN|author3=Mary J Wilk|title=Mosby's Canadian Textbook for the Support Worker - E-Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dz6SDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA23|year=2016|publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|isbn=978-1-77172-107-3|page=23}}</ref><ref name=cbc2/>

The series was inspired by the [[BBC]] production the ''[[Great Britons]]'' and has a [[spiritual sequel]], ''[[The Greatest Canadian Invention]]''.

''The Greatest Canadian'' experienced strong initial ratings, some fall-off during its run, and a partial rebound for the finale. The series was credited with bringing the CBC public "buzz" and a younger demographic. Conversely the series was critiqued, by [[University of Calgary]] communication professors Bart Beaty and Rebecca Sullivan in their book ''Canadian Television Today'', as [[middlebrow]] "[[Canadian nationalism|nationalist]] pandering."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Beaty |first1=Bart |last2=Sullivan |first2=Rebecca |title=Canadian Television Today |date=2006 |publisher=University of Calgary Press |isbn=978-1-55238-674-3 |pages=24, 86 |access-date=31 August 2023 |url=https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/90047 |language=English}}</ref>

==Selection process == 
The "Greatest Canadian" was chosen through a two-step voting process. The first phase beginning on 5 April 2004, involved the collection of data (nominees for consideration) through polls conducted by mail, phone and the internet.<ref name=cbc2/> Of these nominees the bottom 40 of 50 individuals, in order of popularity, were revealed during the first episode in October.
 
The eligibility criteria as outlined by the CBC was broad:<ref name=archive1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100624082842/http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/about The Greatest Canadian criteria] CBC 2010</ref>
{{blockquote |Born in what is now Canada, or born elsewhere but lived here and made a significant contribution to this country - real (no fictional characters or animals)  - an individual (no pairs, or groups).}}

To prevent bias during the second round of voting; the top ten nominees, also revealed during the first episode, were presented alphabetically rather than by order of first round popularity.<ref name=cbc2>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/tommy-douglas-crowned-greatest-canadian-1.510403|title=Tommy Douglas crowned 'Greatest Canadian|publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada|year=2004}}</ref> This phase was accompanied by a series of hour-long feature documentaries, where 10 Canadian celebrities acting as advocates each presented their case for ''The Greatest Canadian''.<ref name=cbc/> Viewers then submitted votes over the next six weeks supporting their favourite finalists. Importantly, there was no overall limit on the number of times any listener could call in and cast a vote, nor was voting restricted to Canadians.

==Top 10==
On 17 October 2004 the top 10 nominees were revealed at the end of the first episode in alphabetical order.<ref name=archive5/> The winner and all finalists were announced by popularity on 28 November and 29 in a three-hour two part series conclusion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filibustercartoons.com/greatest%20Canadians.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730170821/http://www.filibustercartoons.com/greatest%20Canadians.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=30 July 2012|title=Who is The Greatest Canadian? CBC viewers respond |publisher=The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|year=2010|access-date=21 June 2010}}</ref><ref name=archive5/>
{{sticky header}}
{|class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style=text-align:left;" 
|-
!Rank<ref name=archive3>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041126042810/http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/top_ten/ The Greatest Canadian top 100] CBC 2010</ref>
!Image
!Name
!Date of birth 
!Date of death
!Notability
!Birthplace
!Advocate<ref name=archive4>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041127051532/http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/advocates/ The Greatest Canadian advocate] CBC 2010</ref>
!Aired<ref name=archive5>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041124035003/http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/schedule/ The Greatest Canadian schedule ] CBC 2010</ref>

|-
|10
|[[Image:Wgretz edit2.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Wayne|Gretzky}}
|1961
|
|Hockey player, holder of numerous [[National Hockey League|NHL]] records
|[[Brantford]], [[Ontario]]
|{{sortname|Deborah|Grey}}
|20 October
|-
|9
|[[Image:Alexander Graham Bell.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Alexander Graham|Bell}}
|1847
|1922
|Scientist, inventor,<br /> founder of the [[Bell Telephone Company]]
|[[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]]
|{{sortname|Evan|Solomon}}
| 15 November
|-
|8
|[[Image:Brady-Handy John A Macdonald - cropped.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Sir John A.|Macdonald|John A. Macdonald}}
|1815
|1891
|[[List of Prime Ministers of Canada|First Prime Minister of Canada]] 
|[[Glasgow]], [[Scotland]]
|{{sortname|Charlotte|Gray|Charlotte Gray (author)}}
|27 October
|-
|7
|[[Image:Cherry Maclean2.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Don|Cherry}}
|1934
|
|[[Ice Hockey|Hockey]] Commentator
|[[Kingston, Ontario]]
|{{sortname|Bret|Hart}}
| 25 October
|-
|6
|[[Image:Lester B. Pearson with a pencil.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Lester B.|Pearson}}
|1897
|1972
|[[List of Prime Ministers of Canada|Fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada]],<br /> [[United Nations General Assembly]] [[President of the United Nations General Assembly|President]],<br /> [[Nobel Peace Prize]] Laureate
|[[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
|{{sortname|Paul|Gross}}
|10 November
|-
|5
|[[Image:Image-David Suzuki speech head shot.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|David|Suzuki}}
|1936
|
|Environmentalist
|[[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]
|{{sortname|Melissa|Auf der Maur}}
|17 November
|-
|4
|[[Image:Fredrick banting.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Sir Frederick|Banting|Sir Frederick Banting}}
|1891
|1941
|Medical scientist, co-discoverer of [[insulin]], <br />winner of the [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]]
|[[Alliston, Ontario]]
|{{sortname|Mary|Walsh|Mary Walsh (actress)}}
|8 November
|-
|3
|[[Image:Pierre Trudeau.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Pierre|Trudeau}}
|1919
|2000
|[[List of Prime Ministers of Canada|Fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada]]
|[[Montreal]], [[Quebec]]
|{{sortname|Rex|Murphy}}
|22 November
|-
|2
|[[Image:TerryFoxToronto19800712.JPG|75px]]
|{{sortname|Terry|Fox}}
|1958
|1981
|Athlete, activist, [[humanitarian]]
|[[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]]
|{{sortname|Sook-Yin|Lee}}
|3 November
|-
|1
|[[Image:Tommycropped.jpg|75px]]
|{{sortname|Tommy Douglas||}}
|1904
|1986
|Father of [[Medicare (Canada)|Medicare]], [[List of premiers of Saskatchewan|Premier of Saskatchewan]]
|[[Falkirk, Scotland]]
|{{sortname|George|Stroumboulopoulos}}
|18 October
|}

==Top 50 ==
More than 10,000 names were submitted for consideration with the top 100 individuals being revealed online accompanied with a short biography.<ref name=archive2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041126025730/http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/greatcanadians/ The Greatest Canadian top 100] CBC 2010 - [http://www.craigmarlatt.com/school/cpw4u1/improving_quality_of_life_greatest_canadian.pdf PDF list]</ref> Of the 100 only the top 50 nominees were featured during the televised broadcast.

At least three* members of the nominees as the direct result of an active mass-mailing campaign among that individual's loyal and well-organized followers. [[Kin Canada]] founder [[Harold A. Rogers]], DJ [[Hal Anderson]], and [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼí]] activist [[Mary Maxwell (Bahá'í)|Mary Maxwell]] all benefitted from a [[grassroots]] campaign to get their names included in the nominees list.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/the-greatest-canadian/article1144309/|title=The greatest Canadian|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=30 November 2004 |last1=Dixon |first1=Guy }}</ref> CBC openly admitted this during the broadcast, recognizing that these three esoteric individuals are probably quite unknown to the general public.<ref name="m192">{{cite web | title=50 Greatest Canadians | website=eMBezzlerr | url=https://embezzlerr.tripod.com/id9.html | access-date=Nov 20, 2024}}</ref>

Critics have complained there were only four women and three nonwhites in the top 50, that French Canadian participation was very low and that a large number of modern pop culture celebrities made the list like; [[Bret Hart]], [[Mike Myers]], [[John Candy]], [[Jim Carrey]] and [[Avril Lavigne]].<ref name="m192"/> A [[recency bias]] in favour of contemporary icons may be reflective of a youthful voting demographic, as the production was family oriented, or there was unwillingness or confusion distinguishing modern popularity with national historic significance among the participants of all ages.<ref name="m192"/> In particular, [[Don Cherry]]'s inclusion in the top 10 upset many Canadians, especially considering it forced out figures they believe more worthy like [[Louis Riel]] and [[Jean Vanier]].<ref name="m192"/> 
{{sticky header}}
{|class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style=text-align:left;" 
|-
!Rank<ref name=archive2/>
!Name
!Notability
|-
|11
|[[Louis Riel]] 
|[[Métis]] leader
|-
|12
|[[Jean Vanier]] 
|humanitarian, founder of [[L'Arche]], author
|-
|13
|[[Stompin' Tom Connors]] 
|singer, songwriter
|-
|14
|[[Neil Young]] 
|singer, guitarist, organist
|-
|15
|[[Peter Gzowski]] 
|broadcaster, writer, reporter
|-
|16
| [[Roméo Dallaire]] 
|general, humanitarian, author
|-
|17
|[[Stephen Lewis]] 
|politician, broadcaster, diplomat
|-
|18
| [[Shania Twain]] 
|singer, songwriter
|-
|19
|[[Bobby Orr]] 
|ice hockey player
|-
|20
|[[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]]
|actor, comedian, writer, producer
|-
|21
|[[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]] 
|soldiers
|-
|22
|[[Harold A. Rogers]] <big>'''*'''</big>
|founder of Kin Canada
|-
|23
|[[Maurice Richard]] 
|ice hockey player
|-
|24
|Sir [[Arthur Currie]] 
|commander, general
|-
|25
|[[Nellie McClung]] 
|feminist, social activist
|-
|26
|Dr. [[Norman Bethune]] 
|physician, medical innovator, humanitarian
|-
|27
|[[Céline Dion]] 
|vocalist, entertainer
|-
|28
|Sir [[Isaac Brock]] 
|major-general
|-
|29
|[[Jim Carrey]] 
|film actor, comedian, writer, producer
|-
|30
|[[Rick Hansen]] 
|parapalegic athlete, humanitarian
|-
|31
|[[Pierre Berton]] 
|author, television personality
|-
|32
|[[Michael J. Fox]] 
|actor, activist 
|-
|33
| [[Gordon Lightfoot]] 
|folk singer, composer, lyricist
|-
|34
|[[Hal Anderson]] 
|broadcaster
|-
|35
| [[Laura Secord]] 
|national heroine
|-
|36
| [[Ernie Coombs]] 
|children's entertainer
|-
|37
|[[Tecumseh]] 
| indigenous leader
|-
|38
|[[Mario Lemieux]] 
| ice hockey player
|-
|39
| [[Bret Hart]] 
|professional wrestler
|-
|40
|[[Avril Lavigne]] 
|singer, songwriter
|-
|41
| [[John Candy]] 
|comedian, actor
|-
|42
| Sir [[Sandford Fleming]] 
|engineer, inventor
|-
|43
|Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]] 
|prime minister
|-
|44
|[[Mary Maxwell (Bahá'í)|Mary Maxwell]] <big>'''*'''</big>
|[[Baháʼí Faith]] follower
|-
|45
| [[Jean Chrétien]] 
|prime minister
|-
|46
| [[Leonard Cohen]] 
|poet, novelist, folk singer, songwriter
|-
|47
|[[John Diefenbaker]] 
|prime minister
|-
|48
|[[Billy Bishop]] 
|WW1 flying ace
|-
|49
|[[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] 
|prime minister
|-
|50
|[[Rick Mercer]] 
|comedian, broadcasting personality
|}

==Other editions==
{{Main|Greatest Britons spin-offs}}
Other countries have produced similar shows based on the format originated by the [[BBC]]. The [[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] and [[Alexander Graham Bell]] were also featured on the [[100 Greatest Britons]] list. A two-hour spin-off series called  ''[[The Greatest Canadian Invention]]'' aired in 2007 with [[Insulin]] as the winner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/inventions/ |title=The Greatest Canadian Invention|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |year=2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217072737/http://www.cbc.ca/inventions/|archive-date=17 February 2007}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|border=no|Canada}}
*''[[Canada: A People's History]]''
*[[Canadian Newsmaker of the Year]]
*''[[Heritage Minutes]]''
* [[List of Canadian awards]]
*[[List of Canadian Victoria Cross recipients]]
*[[List of companions of the Order of Canada]]
*[[List of inductees of Canada's Walk of Fame]]
*[[Persons of National Historic Significance]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{People of Canada}}
{{Countries' greatest people TV series}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greatest Canadian, The}}
[[Category:2004 Canadian television series debuts]]
[[Category:2004 Canadian television series endings]]
[[Category:2000s Canadian documentary television series]]
[[Category:Greatest Nationals|Canada]]
[[Category:Lists of Canadian people]]
[[Category:Canadian television series based on British television series]]