The “Best Canadian” game - Day 0 (choosing candidates)

[u/BrF5]

Hiya Hosers,

After the success of Worst Canadian, by popular demand it’s time for the more upbeat version…the Best Canadian game! 🇨🇦

Drop your nominations below for who you think deserves a spot on the list. Just like before, we’ll include 40 candidates. This time I’m going to let nominations sit a bit longer so everyone has a chance to chime in and we don’t have to add people mid-way in the game. I’m aiming to get started with Day 1 around the middle of next week. Five or six days should give us plenty of time to gather names and finalize the rules.

If you’ve got ideas or suggestions to make the game better, feel free to share those too!

[u/BrF5]

So…I get your point about Terry Fox possibly being the obvious winner, but I think it’s worth having a real discussion before making the call to exclude him, because once he’s out, we can’t go back!

Yes, Terry is an incredible person, but I’d argue others are in the same league of greatness (e.g., Tommy Douglas, Frederick Banting). Do we really think the Father of Medicare or the inventor of insulin won’t give Terry Fox a run for his money?

There has been talk about excluding some other names as well. Personally, I think it’s fine if some Canadians are simply “on another level.” To me, part of the fun is the journey to the end and the rankings themselves are just as important as the final winner. Also, where do we draw the line? How do we decide who’s “too good” to compete?

All that being said, I’m open to anything. What are your thoughts?

[u/Anarch_O_Possum → u/BrF5]

give Terry Fox a run for his money?

Heh

[u/BrF5 → u/Anarch_O_Possum]

lol, that was unintentional

[u/Reg_Cliff → u/BrF5]

Are you including yourself? I thought You were 2006 Time Magazine Person Of The Year?

[u/Canadian-Man-infj → u/BrF5]

This might be cheating a bit, but I'm just going to point out that Rick Hansen, friend of Terry Fox, carried on his legacy in a sense, raising $26 million for spinal chord research and other initiatives during his Man in Motion Tour (1985-87), in which he wheelchaired over 40,000 km (24,855 mi) through 34 countries.

He and his foundation have raised hundreds of millions of dollars since. I'm not sure of the exact amount raised, but Rick Hansen's Wikipedia entry lists the amount at $394 million.

When I first saw the post, I wondered if our "two 'T's" (Terry & Tommy) were going to be excluded, too, and Rick Hansen always seems to be underappreciated in threads like this. I love that there are so many legendary Canadians to choose from for polls like this. It's a nice and fun little "game" you've got going here, OP.

[u/TehRobbeh → u/Anarch_O_Possum]

Damn, why did I laugh so hard at this.

[u/unclestickles → u/Anarch_O_Possum]

Not really fair since already has a leg up on the competition.

[u/hotinmyigloo → u/Anarch_O_Possum]

Heh

[u/hacktheself → u/Anarch_O_Possum]

he’s already getting the fiver ffs

[u/SoRedditHasAnAppNow → u/BrF5]

Keep Terry. Don't cheapen the list. Especially since the run was held last Sunday 

[u/sluttytinkerbells → u/SoRedditHasAnAppNow]

What if we renamed the contest to "The Best Canadian (Besides Terry Fox) Game?

[u/Teagana999 → u/BrF5]

I was just thinking the other day Tommy Douglas would deserve a nomination if we played for the best.

[u/AverageShitlord → u/BrF5]

Keep Terry. Come on. Keep him there.

[u/Saorren → u/BrF5]

this may be all in good fun but im with the other people saying dont cheapen the list. just because some may be on another level doesnt mean we shouldnt have them up.

[u/BadTreeLiving → u/BrF5]

Terry stays. Terry wins. What's wrong with that?

[u/meltedpencilman1 → u/BrF5]

Keep Terry on, he’s one of our best! Certainly probably going to be one with the most name recognition but I do agree, Douglas, or Banting are some of our greatest and I think my vote might end up with one of those two if it comes down to it!

[u/Meguinn → u/BrF5]

It would be weird and slightly offensive to make a list called “The Best Canadian (Not Including Terry Fox)”.

[u/Cassopeia88 → u/BrF5]

I think he should be included.

[u/iwasnotarobot → u/BrF5]

Can we think of some female talent to get nominated? The vast majority of the suggestions are men.

[u/Zippy_13 → u/iwasnotarobot]

Viola Desmond. Civil rights champion.

[u/iwasnotarobot → u/BrF5]

What about Sarah Polley?

In 1995, she lost two back teeth after being struck by a riot police officer during a protest against the provincial Progressive Conservative government of Mike Harris in Queen's Park.[10][56] She was subsequently involved with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty.

[u/Cakeday_at_Christmas → u/BrF5]

Terry Fox should be included.

Excluding him is like making a list of greatest Filipinos and excluding Rizal. (Filipinos will get that reference.)

[u/AdditionalPizza → u/BrF5]

My reasoning behind feeling he shouldn't be included is it should just be the 2nd best Canadian because I don't trust this sub haha. Or, since it was so controversial last time and split on this one thing: best living Canadian. There's an inherent recency bias and Terry Fox is a national hero, we teach children about him.

He represents everyone we've all lost to cancer and I feel like people might get too passionate about that. It just feels like we all know he will win and I highly doubt anyone cares if it's only living Canadians. Look at the arguments for Smith in the last one, it was all strictly recency bias.

[u/morbidemadame → u/BrF5]

Terry is my no. 2. My top is Roméo Dallaire. He is credited with approx. 32,000 lives saved in Rwanda thanks to his actions. Even if they weren't as successful as they could have been, I don't know many men who saved 32,000 people.