As one of the commentators (Ian Ferguson, I think) said, it was truly and exercise in democracy, and demonstrated why sometimes democracy doesn't work (or, at least work like you think it should). Hence the inclusion of the DJ from Winnipeg, who must have started a campaign to be included, because they said almost nothing about him. Or the guy who founded the Kinsmen - Harry or Harold something. Who? Exactly.
Other than that, it included more Canadians who were famous than actually great. Mike Myers? Jim Carrey? The DJ from Winnipeg? Not so much nation-builders and great thinkers as Canadians who made it big down south. And only one Canadian author (contrary to the claim that there were no Canadian authors on the list) - Pierre Burton.
The list of the 50-11 people they featured doesn't seem to be posted. Or at least, isn't posted yet. But the top 10 will be presented over the next 10 weeks, complete with celebrity advocate. It was interesting to see who made the top 10 (Don Cherry? Meh. David Suzuki? Yay!), and even more interesting to see who the advocates are:
- Frederick Banting (Mary Walsh)
- Alexander Graham Bell (Evan Solomon)
- Don Cherry (Brett Hart, who was one of the 50)
- Tommy Douglas (George Stromboulopoulos)
- Terry Fox (Sook-Yin Lee)
- Wayne Gretzky (Deborah Grey)
- Sir John A. MacDonald (Charlotte Gray)
- Lester B. Pearson (Paul Gross)
- David Suzuki (Melissa Auf der Maur)
- Pierre Elliot Trudeau (Rex Murphy! Woo!)
