Howe is a good one....

He also has Fleming (who was as much a Maritimer as anything else) and Northrop Frye.

CBC has Hank Snow! Hank was a fine country singer but hardly the greatest Canadian. Obviously this is meant simply as a fun exercise to get us talking about our own greatness.

My feeling is that most of the greatest Canadians are not widely known. And most derive their greatness in the face of great struggle. William Cooper, a renaissance man and freedom fighter, comes to mind as a great Islander for instance.

I've endorsed a great living Canadian....David Suzuki.

See - my problem is my ignorance. I did not know Frye was a Maritimer. But then again, what makes him the most important Canadian as opposed to a great academic whether inside or outside of Canada.

How about Moses Coady, founder of the co-operative movement? That is a good one.

Well the Beaver wasn't a very nice man but did he ever do a lot! Set up many of Canada's core businesses before he left for the UK. Became a major newspaper proprietor and was the minister for aircraft production during the battle of Britain. If we were living 40 years ago - it would have been easy to say Max Aitken.

Here is another son of the Maritimes that we might forget who became the PM of England!

"Andrew Bonar Law, the son of Rev. James Law, was born in Rexton, New Brunswick (now a part of Canada) in 1858. Educated in Canada he moved to Glasgow in Scotland after the death of his mother and at sixteen started work in the family's ironwork business.

Bonar Law joined the Conservative Party and in the 1900 General Election was elected to represent Glasgow Blackfriars. He impressed Arthur Balfour and when he formed a government in 1902 he appointed him as his Secretary to the Board of Trade. Bonar Law, like many Conservative MPs, lost his seat in the 1906 General Election. However, later that year won a by-election at Dulwich.

When Arthur Balfour resigned in 1911 Bonar Law became the new leader of the Conservative Party. The outbreak of war was embarrassing for Bonar Law because it was claimed that his family firm had been selling iron to Germany for its armaments programme until August 1914.

When Herbert Asquith formed a coalition government in May 1915, Bonar Law became Secretary of State for the Colonies and a member of the War Committee. David Lloyd George replaced Asquith in 1916 and Bonar Law was offered the more important post of Chancellor of the Exchequer. This effectively made him Lloyd George's second-in-command.

Bonar Law retired as leader of the Conservative Party in March 1921, but despite poor health, agreed to become Prime Minister after David Lloyd George was removed from office in October 1922. His health continued to deteriorate and in May 1923 he was forced to resign. Andrew Bonar Law died on 30th October 1923."

stompin tom. al, i surprised at you.

Stompin' Tom, my ass - and I even went out with his 18 year old cousin! Lovely persons both but not the greatest Canadians ever. Did I tell you I had a thing in junior high for Peggy Atwood's neice? Did I ever tell you I am the brains behind the entire Liberal establishment of the nation? You were only with the Senate so were not on the need to know list.

My Vote for Canada's Greatest Canadian is:

Tommy Douglas.

Right on, Madge! <p>The old referal logs have been going nutty what with the Google rankings for "Greatest Canadian", "John Stewart Crossfire" and "Kerry" and his "policies". Glad you took the time to drop a note once Lord Goog led you here.

stompin tom.

He's 13 on the list apparently. I was hoping for Luba.

I think the greatest canadian is Piere Trudeau.He should win in my view.

Edith! I am with you. I saw him at the Greenwood Mall in Nova Scotia in the early mid-70s and I couldn't believe how short he was. We need to support someone who was both a great political leader and, let's be honest, a little bit tinier than the rest of us. I wanted to kiss him and I was only ten!

hank snow then. or wilf carter.

I would have hugged them both.