Yep – she’s an old bird now. But at 144 years old, Canada is still looking as fine as ever. In this near century and a half, the Great White North has spit out some serious ingenuity. We’ve seen an amazing array of athletes, actors, scientists, doctors, businesses and foods emerge from this beautiful land. And, in honour of that, we’re looking at the top 144 Canadian people, places and things. That’s right – one for each year. Check it out.
BUZZ
1.
Neil Young: Basically the epitome of Canadian music, Neil Young has had an illustrious career that has lasted over 40 years and is still going strong.
2.
Nickelback: Even though Canadians tend to have a love-hate relationship with this homegrown rock group, their international success can’t be denied. Selling over 35 million records kind of speaks for itself.
3.
Trio of Women: Canada has a legendary list of successful female performers. Among the best are Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Sarah McLaughlin who, combined, have sold over 320 million records.
4.
Alex Trebek: This Sudbury, Ontario native put Canada on the map by hosting the hit trivia series Jeopardy for 27 years.
5.
Arcade Fire: Montreal’s infamous indie outfit won a Grammy and a Juno this year.
6.
Alexisonfire: These musical revolutionists formed an entirely new genre of music known as “screamo." They also spawned the internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Dallas Green (City And Colour).
7.
Jim Carrey: Though this comedian-turned-actor currently resides in America, he is a Canadian at heart.
8.
No S#!@ Sherlock: Ontario-born Rachel McAdams is reprising her role as the lead female character in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes sequel.
9.
Commander Kirk William Shatner of Montreal, Quebec commanded the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek as a major part of his 50-years-plus in front of the camera.
10.
The Hip: Gord Downie and the boys from Kingston, Ontario have received a seemingly endless list of national and international awards that includes 14 Junos.
11.
Bieber Fever: Stratford, Ontario’s Justin Bieber cracked Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people this year. He was, after all, the first artist in history to have seven tracks from a debut album top the charts.
12.
Guess Who: The Guess Who is one of the biggest internationally renowned Canadian bands for hits such as “American Woman" and “These Eyes."
13.
Seth Rogen: This Canadian groomed comedian is known for his blockbuster hits like Superbad, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Green Hornet.
14.
Farley Mowat: This infamous Canadian author received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame this year.
15.
Margaret Atwood: Emerging from our nation’s capital, Margaret Atwood has become one of the most honoured authors in history.
16.
Ryan Reynolds: Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds was recently cast as the latest star for a superhero blockbuster – The Green Lantern.
17.
Popular Video: Blink-182’s official music video for their hit “First Date" was filmed in Vancouver. It has almost 14 million views on YouTube.
18
Rick Mercer: This Canadian political satirist’s hit TV show Talking To Americans was the highest-rated comedy special in the history of CBC Television with 2.7 million viewers
19.
Cirque du Soleil: Renowned for its internationally touring performing arts show, Cirque du Soleil originated in Montreal, Quebec.
20.
Tim McFarlane: This Canadian cartoonist is the mastermind behind the fantasy series called Spawn.
