25 Famous Canadians Who Made History

A Father of Confederation and Canada's first prime minister (1867-1873, then 1878-1891). Born in Scotland, he arrived in Canada at age 5. Macdonald was the chief architect of the 1867 Confederation that united four provinces into a single dominion. He launched the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, linking Canada from coast to coast. See all Canada's Prime Ministers in our dedicated guide.

Canada's first French-speaking prime minister (1896-1911). Laurier presided over a period of unprecedented growth, welcoming millions of immigrants to Western Canada and creating the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. A champion of bilingualism and compromise between English and French Canadians, he famously declared: "The 20th century shall be Canada's century." His portrait appears on the $5 bill.

A Father of Confederation and key figure in French Canada. Cartier played an essential role in negotiating Quebec's conditions for Confederation, ensuring the protection of the French language, civil law, and Catholic religion. He was the chief promoter of the transcontinental railway and negotiated the purchase of Rupert's Land (1869), paving the way for Canada's westward expansion.

One of the most controversial and important figures in Canadian history. Riel led the Red River Resistance (1869-1870), which resulted in the creation of Manitoba as a bilingual province. Fifteen years later, he led the North-West Rebellion (1885) in Saskatchewan to defend Metis rights. Captured at Batoche, tried and executed for high treason, he is now recognized as the "Father of Manitoba" and a hero of the Metis nation.

Diplomat and prime minister of Canada (1963-1968), Pearson received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for inventing the concept of United Nations peacekeeping (the Blue Helmets) during the Suez Canal crisis. Under his government, Canada adopted the maple leaf flag (1965), the Canada Pension Plan, and the universal healthcare system.

Canadian physician who discovered insulin in 1921 with Charles Best at the University of Toronto, saving millions of diabetics worldwide. Banting became the first Canadian to receive the Nobel Prize (Physiology or Medicine, 1923) and, at 32, the youngest laureate in that category. He shared his prize money with Best. The Canadian government granted him a lifetime annuity. November 14, his birthday, is World Diabetes Day.

Born in Scotland, Bell emigrated to Canada in 1870 with his family, settling in Brantford, Ontario. It was while observing the currents of the Grand River that he conceived the idea for the telephone. He was awarded the telephone patent in 1876, an invention that revolutionized global communications. Bell later established his laboratory in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, where he conducted research on aeronautics and hydrofoils. He is buried in Canada.

World-renowned neurosurgeon who founded the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University in 1934. Penfield mapped the human cerebral cortex by stimulating the brains of conscious patients, creating the "Penfield Homunculus", a representation of the cortical surface devoted to each body part. His work revolutionized the treatment of epilepsy and our understanding of the human brain. Mentioned in Discover Canada.

Scottish-born engineer and inventor who proposed the system of worldwide standard time zones, adopted internationally in 1884. Fleming was also chief engineer of the Intercolonial Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway. He designed Canada's 3-cent stamp, the country's first postage stamp (the "Three Penny Beaver" of 1851). A visionary whose invention still structures our daily lives.

Canadian electrical engineer who invented the world's first cardiac pacemaker in 1950. While studying hypothermia at the National Research Council of Canada's research institute in Ottawa, Hopps discovered that a heart stopped by cold could be restarted with electrical stimulation. His device, initially too large to be implanted, paved the way for the technology that saves millions of lives every year.

Canadian Space Agency astronaut who became the first Canadian to command the International Space Station (ISS) in 2013. Hadfield was also the first Canadian to walk in space (1995) and the first astronaut to operate the Canadarm. His video of David Bowie's Space Oddity, filmed aboard the ISS, went viral with over 55 million views. A test pilot and colonel in the Canadian Forces, he inspired an entire generation.

First Canadian woman and first neurologist to travel to space, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-42 in January 1992. Selected in 1983 among the first six Canadian astronauts, Bondar holds a PhD in neurobiology and a medical degree. After her spaceflight, she led a research team at NASA for over a decade, studying the effects of microgravity on the nervous system.

Although of English origin, Martin Frobisher was one of the first Europeans to explore Canada's Far North. In 1576, he led three expeditions to the Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage. Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit, capital of Nunavut) bears his name. His counterpart Jacques Cartier, a French explorer, claimed Canada for France in 1534, giving the country its name derived from the Iroquoian word "kanata" (village).

One of the most admired Canadians of all time. After losing his right leg to osteosarcoma at age 18, Terry Fox embarked on the Marathon of Hope in 1980, running across Canada on a prosthetic leg to raise funds for cancer research. He covered 5,373 km in 143 days before being forced to stop near Thunder Bay, Ontario. He passed away on June 28, 1981, at age 22. The Terry Fox Run, held annually in over 60 countries, has raised more than $850 million for research.

Known as "The Great One," Wayne Gretzky is widely considered the greatest hockey player of all time. Born in Brantford, Ontario, he holds 61 NHL records, including 894 goals and 2,857 career points — marks that seem untouchable. He won 4 Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers (1984-1988) and 9 Hart Trophies (most valuable player). The NHL retired his number 99 league-wide in his honour.

First NHL player to score 50 goals in 50 games (1944-1945), a feat considered the greatest sports record of its era. Richard won 8 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens. More than an athlete, he was a symbol of pride for French Canadians. The "Richard Riot" of 1955, triggered by his suspension, is considered a precursor to Quebec's Quiet Revolution.

Physical education instructor born in Almonte, Ontario, who invented basketball in 1891 at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. Naismith was looking for an indoor sport to keep his students active during winter. He wrote the 13 original rules of the game and hung two peach baskets as goals. Today, basketball is played by more than 450 million people worldwide. The Basketball Hall of Fame bears his name.

Jamaican-born Canadian sprinter who became the fastest man in the world by winning gold in the 100 metres at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with a world record of 9.84 seconds. He also won gold in the 4x100 metre relay. Bailey is a symbol of Canadian diversity and the contribution of immigrants to the country's sporting excellence. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.

One of the most famous and influential writers in the world. Margaret Atwood has published over 50 works, including the dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale (1985), adapted into an Emmy-winning TV series. Two-time Booker Prize winner (2000, 2019), recipient of the Order of Canada and the PEN Pinter Prize, she is the most powerful voice in contemporary Canadian literature. Her work explores feminism, power, and identity.

Painter and writer from Victoria, British Columbia, renowned for her striking paintings of the Pacific rainforests and First Nations totem poles. Long ignored by the art world, Carr was rediscovered in the 1920s through the Group of Seven. She is now considered one of Canada's greatest artists and a pioneer of modern art in Canada. Mentioned in Discover Canada.

Lucy Maud Montgomery is the author of Anne of Green Gables (1908), one of the best-selling Canadian novels of all time, translated into more than 36 languages. The story of the red-haired orphan girl on Prince Edward Island has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. Montgomery was the first Canadian woman inducted into the British Royal Society of Arts.

Inuit artist from Baffin Island, Nunavut, considered the pioneer of modern Inuit art. Her most famous work, The Enchanted Owl (1960), was reproduced on a Canadian stamp in 1970 and has become one of the most recognizable images in Canadian art. A Companion of the Order of Canada, she devoted her life to preserving and promoting Inuit artistic culture. Mentioned in Discover Canada.

Jazz pianist born in Montreal, considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. Peterson recorded over 200 albums and won 8 Grammy Awards. Nicknamed the "Maharaja of the Keyboard," he played with the greats: Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker. A Companion of the Order of Canada, he paved the way for Black Canadian artists and brought Canadian music to the world stage.

Black businesswoman from Nova Scotia who became a pioneer of civil rights in Canada. In 1946, Viola Desmond refused to leave the whites-only section of the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow — nine years before Rosa Parks in the United States. Arrested, jailed, and fined, her case became one of the most well-known incidents of racial discrimination in Canadian history. In 2018, she became the first Canadian-born woman and first Black person to appear on a Canadian banknote: the $10 bill.

Canadian surgeon and humanitarian who developed mobile blood transfusion units on the battlefields during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Bethune then went to China to treat soldiers in Mao Zedong's army, where he died of septicemia in 1939. He is one of the most famous Canadians in China, where millions of schoolchildren study his life. A memorial and hospital bear his name in Shijiazhuang. Mentioned in Discover Canada.