to this point, and i know it's not something that gets talked about a lot on hfboards, but uh, half the people in the world are women, and the women i know definitely care more about terry fox than they do about wayne gretzky.
Bigger Canadian icon - Wayne Gretzky or Terry Fox?
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vadim sharifijanov
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bieber, yes, but probably not forever. geddy lee, no; leonard cohen, no. joni and neil (not peart), probably. shania and bryan adams, yes.
conversely, am i out to lunch if i ask: is there a person in canada who has been in the country for five years or more who doesn’t know who wayne gretzky is?
what?
also, half of the ppl in the country are women and the “ten greatest canadians” are all men? i think most women would care more about nellie mcclung than don cherry.
MadLuke
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The vote was in 2004 when he was playing quite well for the Leaf (you know hockey is maybe too big in Canada when Ed Belfour show up on a list like this, if Don Cherry in the top 10 is not enough of a sign).
I am an American but I feel like I know much about Canada and T.C. Douglas threw me for a loop and I had to go to Google.
Gretzky himself most likely would say Fox.
The Panther
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It's itself a very Canadian thing that Terry Fox isn't better know all around the world (although the charity run in his name is held around the planet).
If Fox had been American and the same fate had played itself out, he'd today be about as well-known as Abraham Lincoln or Michael Jackson. But since he's Canadian, he hasn't been mass marketed to the world.
If Fox had been American and the same fate had played itself out, he'd today be about as well-known as Abraham Lincoln or Michael Jackson. But since he's Canadian, he hasn't been mass marketed to the world.
alko
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Nathaniel Skywalker
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Spirit of 67
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As a 13 YO when Terry rolled through Ontario and Toronto it was hard not to be moved, impressed and and downright proud of the young man. He left an indelible impression on me that I will never forget.
But I think this is Gretzky. It's possible that Fox is more iconic in Canada but Gretzky world wide.
But I think this is Gretzky. It's possible that Fox is more iconic in Canada but Gretzky world wide.
Gretzky is definitely bigger
Maybe Terry Fox is more important - but if youre asking whose more famous or well known its definitely Gretzky
Maybe Terry Fox is more important - but if youre asking whose more famous or well known its definitely Gretzky
TheMoreYouKnow
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The question there is just how much staying power that has for people who weren't around back then. I had heard vaguely of the Terry Fox story, though I doubt there is any awareness of it among the 'common man' outside Canada or North America, but I can't say that I would have been able to associate it with the name itself. At the end of the day, it was a human interest story, and I think those type of stories tend to be very much driven by the emotional appeal in the moment.
In comparison, Gretzky's achievement within the sport of hockey is something that is objective and factual. It doesn't necessarily evoke emotion, it evokes acknowledgement that he was the best. The value of that obviously depends on how much you value hockey, but within the Canadian context of course there's hardly anyone who's not at least aware of hockey and the NHL.
As far as national icons go, Canada does of course have the problem that it's a young country and one that's mostly stayed out of the limelight of history in the time of its existence. Most places around the globe will have their national myths, their tales of ancient glory, the battle won against overwhelming odds, the hero leading the revolt against foreign oppressors, etc., etc. For Canada it's always been a bit more complicated.
sr edler
gold is not reality
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My mom's been a fan of Margaret for quite some time, before it was cool I guess. My wife's also followed that new The Handmaid's Tale television show but I doubt she really knows who Margaret Atwood is. They're Swedish and Estonian.
Even if a country is somewhat old that doesn't necessarily mean there is an obvious national icon everybody looks up to. I highly doubt a lot of Swedes actually look up to Gustav Vasa, for instance. It's way too abstract and far off in history and also kinda irrelevant in today's context since Swedes and Danes haven't feuded with each other for a loooong time.
blood gin
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That's fascinating to me as somebody from the states. Was there like a reluctance to do so or just not in the character of the nation?
MadLuke
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The rest of the world do not know many local hero of Belgium, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Mexico, USA/UK ability to export cultural production and have stuff about them well known all around is just on an completely different level.
Sentinel
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I cant believe Don Cherry is more popular than Celine Dion. And I hate Celine Dion.
double5son10
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It may be my age, I would've been in middle school at the time, so impressionable, but I well remember Fox being on the evening news here in the states. Wasn't there a TV movie? I'd swear I saw it as a kid. Could be as a hockey player I was more attune to what was going on in the North, but I bet if my friends were quizzed there'd be a handful who'd remember Terry's Run.
Eisen
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JackSlater
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Gretzky is the more famous Canadian.
Terry Fox is the greatest Canadian. What an example to others. What a hero.
Terry Fox is the greatest Canadian. What an example to others. What a hero.
BenchBrawl
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Big Phil
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Gretzky..............although Gretzky would probably say Fox. It all depends on how the question is asked. Fox is definitely not more well known than Gretzky outside of Canada. No chance. So Gretzky wins that in a landslide there. Inside of Canada it is still closer but to me it is still Gretzky being more well known.
I respect Terry Fox a great deal, who doesn't? Despite having scares (and deaths) in my own family when it comes to cancer I guess you could say I am always skeptical about fundraising for cancer and where the money goes. But for me the most incredible thing Fox did was from a physical standpoint. Most people couldn't dream of doing that 100% healthy.
I respect Terry Fox a great deal, who doesn't? Despite having scares (and deaths) in my own family when it comes to cancer I guess you could say I am always skeptical about fundraising for cancer and where the money goes. But for me the most incredible thing Fox did was from a physical standpoint. Most people couldn't dream of doing that 100% healthy.
Hockey Outsider
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The other thing to keep in mind is, if I remember correctly, there weren't any "ranked ballots" - everybody who participated just voted for the one person they thought was greatest. (Not sure how they prevented people from potentially voting more than once).
As a result, Ed Belfour being ranked the 79th greatest Canadian could have been the result of a few throwaway votes from a fraction of a percent of the people who participated.
I mean, it's ridiculous that Belfour even got one vote for greatest Canadian, but a dozen or two votes (from rapid Leafs fans in 2003?) certainly could have given him a spot on the list.
(Or who knows - maybe Belfour promised a bunch of voters a billion dollars).
