Welcome

What Is a Canadian Hero?

In some ways the very concept of "hero" seems to conflict with traditional views of what it means to be Canadian. Marshall McLuhan described us as "the people who learned to live without the bold accents of the national ego-trippers of other lands." And even though our history is full of great acts and great people, Northrop Frye contended that we are "a country which has manifested a great deal of courage but has never responded with much warmth to charismatic leadership."

On a grander scale, as a nation we have been notoriously reluctant to elevate ordinary individuals to the realm of myth and heroism.

Even so, our literary and cultural artifacts reveal a rich tapestry of historical and fictional figures who have at some time captured the public imagination, and who reflect the dynamism and diversity of the Canadian mosaic.

Why Should We Study Our Heroes?

Heroes are admired for outstanding achievements and noble qualities. Since the qualities we admire mirror the forces and values that characterize society at a particular time, an examination of Canada's heroes can lead to a better understanding of the history, attitudes, and forces that have shaped this country.

This web site explores just a few themes that characterize some Canadian heroes. It cannot present more than a small sampling of many outstanding personalities who have inspired and enriched the national character.

But the creation of Canadian identity is a dynamic process to which we all contribute. We invite visitors to take a look at this brief overview of some of Canada's heroes and to record the names of their own Canadian heroes and to tell us why they merit recognition.

The Team

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Acknowledgements

The National Library of Canada is grateful to Industry Canada for supporting this National Library of Canada digitization project within the framework of its SchoolNet Digital Collections Program (now Canada's Digital Collections).

The National Library of Canada wishes to thank the following people who have contributed their expertise to this project:

Team Members
Alan Born, Jean-François Bourque, George Loos and Adam Van Dyke.

National Library of Canada Staff
Sandra Bell, Danielle Blais, Jacqueline Cossette, Lyne Edmonds, Francis Guillon, Gary Hall, Elaine Hoag, Doug Hodges, Ene Kannel, Aline Lapointe, Todd Liko, Line Parent, David Murrel-Wright, Pierre Ostiguy, Carolynn Robertson, Denis Schryburt, Linda Sigouin, Dale Simmons, Ginette Soulières, Luce Thibault-Bédard, Joan Waiser and Margo Wiper.

National Archives of Canada Staff
Eva Major-Marothy, Jean Matheson, Roanne Mokhtar and Dan Somers.

Copyright Owners
Allied Sales Ltd., Archives nationales du Québec, Barrister to the Heirs of L.M. Montgomery, Comely Communications, Jean Côté, René Dahinden, Betty Fox, The Heirs of L.M. Montgomery, Christopher L. Murphy, Nelvana Limited, Pronk & Associates, Dean Robinson and The Terry Fox Foundation.

Researcher of the Original Exhibition
Hana Aach

Note of Thanks

The team wishes to acknowledge its indebtedness to the creators of the original National Library exhibition which formed the basis of this web site. As well, we would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Marketing and Publishing at the National Library of Canada.

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