CBC's "Greatest Canadian" ignores history (a rant)

[TO Kid]

The CBC is demonstrating yet again why most Canadians have tuned them out. They are running a series profiling ten people whom they have select as the greatest Canadian ever. Looking at the list, I have two observations:

1. They seem to think that Canadian history began in 1962.
2. They are confusing popularity with greatness.

Some of their choices are bizarre. Don Cherry and Wayne Gretzky may be interesting characters but neither has really affected the nation in any material sense. They chose Tommy Douglas, a politician who brought in socialized medicine, but Banting & Best are further down the list. But what is really irksome are the ones they ignored, including:

Chief Tecumseh (War of 1812 hero)
William Lyon Mackenzie (property-rights activist and founder of Reform Party of Canada, now called the Liberal Party)
Louis-Joseph Papineau (property-rights activist)
George Brown (publisher and father of Confederation)
Wilfrid Laurier (PM, modernized the country)
Sandford Fleming (built CPR and invented standard time)
Gen. Guy Simmonds (kicked the Nazis out of Holland)

[KurtNYC]

1. And can Gretzky make coffee like Tim Horton?

of course not.

[gula]

4. I see you are boning up on your Canadian history.

:hi: :toast:

[KurtNYC]

5. Just the most important stuff

;-)

Stanley Cup Winners 1983 through 1993:
1992-93 Montreal Canadiens
1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins
1990-91 Pittsburgh Penguins
1989-90 Edmonton Oilers
1988-89 Calgary Flames
1987-88 Edmonton Oilers
1986-87 Edmonton Oilers
1985-86 Montreal Canadiens
1984-85 Edmonton Oilers
1983-84 Edmonton Oilers

I think I see a pattern there.

[glitch]

2. Any women at all? I wanted Margaret Atwood to be somewhere on the list

Here's a link of the top ten anyway:
http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/

At least David Suzuki is on it.

[gula]

6. How about the women that gave us person hood?

Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, and Henrietta Muir Edwards. (filched from another thread so I hope it is right.)

Last Monday, Oct. 18th, was the 75th birthday of Canadian women's person hood.

[gula]

3. Also, they obviously never heard of

women. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Anyway, when I saw that miserable excuse for a human being Don Cherry on the list, I tuned out.

And then Wayne Gretzky. Doesn't he not only live in the States but is actually a Bush supporter. If they need a hockey player on a greatest list, why not the Rocket Maurice Richard or is it only open to white anglo males? I know, except for Dr. Suzuki.


Anyway, I really dislike these greatest lists. The results so far definitely show not only how dumb they are but also how dumb a great number of us Canadians seem to be.

Go Tommy Douglas, go.