Top 4(5?) Canadians

So one of my courses this semester revolves around Canadian Issues, and one of the topics we talked about last class was who would we consider a top Canadian. It got me thinking, and I came up with a list long after the class was over, so here it is, in no particular order.

• Michael Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie: yes, it's a bit of a cheat to have two names, but since they both co-founded RIM, the company that made the Blackberry now attached to your hip, they should be on together or not at all. And I can't leave them off. As to why, well, they made the Blackberry, which might possibly be one of the top technological advancements of the lat decade, and corralled it into a successful company; so successful, in fact, that Balsillie (and possibly Lazaridis as well) has enough money to buy an NHL team. That level of success is nothing short of commendable.
• James Cameron: Speaking of success, the director of the two all time highest grossing movies has to be on this list. Even though he did leave the country at 18, Cameron has been back since, and well, he did spend his formative years here, so he's as Canadian as anyone.
• Mario Lemieux: Played hockey at a high enough level to captain his team to a Stanley Cup twice, all while suffering through back pain so excruciating he couldn't even tie his own skates. Came out of retirement to captain Team Canada to an Olympic Gold medal. Battled Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and still had the highest points in the league. Imagine how good he'd have been without all these hardships he had to face (which is one of the reasons I think he's a better player than Gretzky, as blasphemous as that sounds) And through it all, he never complained or asked for sympathy or preferential treatment even once. And really, isn't that what being Canadian is all about?
• Craig Kielburger: An Order of Canada recipient at age 25, Kielburger was inspired as a teenager to create Free the Children, an organisation dedicated to fighting child labour. His action-oriented attitude and big heart is to be commended, and he's a great role model. Hell, he's done all this and more already, and he's not even 30 yet. If that's not impressive, then I don't know what is.

The three of you who will eventually read this over the lifetime of this blog, do feel free to let me know your thoughts. Otherwise, until we meet again, auf wiedersehen.