45.4232° N, 75.6926° W

OTTAWA

Most Famous People Born in Ottawa, Canada

Notable people
1,174
Peak decade
1970s
Median birth year
1951
Most distinctive
Curler 23.1×

Less a national capital than the place Canada uses to manufacture winter athletes — the Curler bench runs at better than twenty-three times the global baseline, which is extreme even by Canadian standards, and the broom-and-blade pipeline goes deeper than the Parliament Hill day jobs. A disproportionate Skater count and a catch-all Sport bump fill in everything the Rideau Canal has frozen into Olympians over the decades.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Ottawa during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1970s with 146 notable births.

What Ottawa Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Hockey is Ottawa's biggest profession — 21% of all notables (248).

Ottawa over-indexes on curler23.1× the global rate.

Ottawa under-produces football — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Hockey248
  2. Politician119
  3. Actor89
  4. Football68
  5. Sport39
  6. Writer35
  7. Lawyer29
  8. Singer28
  1. Curler1623.1×
  2. Hockey24817.8×
  3. Skater196.7×
  4. Sport392.0×
  5. Film231.6×
  1. Football680.5×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Ottawa's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

18251850187519001925195019752000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All1,174
Sort By

1,174 notable people

0301 ACTOR

Grace Lynn Kung

Born 1987

Preview
0302 HOCKEY

Phil Maloney

1927 - 2020

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0303 POLITICIAN

Barbara Hall (politician)

Born 1946

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0304 HOCKEY

Wayne Thomas (ice hockey)

Born 1947

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0305 HOCKEY

Harold Darragh

1902 - 1993

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0306 HOCKEY

Kilby MacDonald

1913 - 1986

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0307 HOCKEY

Harry Smith (ice hockey, born 1883)

1883 - 1953

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0308 PRIEST

Brendan O'Brien (bishop)

Born 1943

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0309 ACTOR

Jana Sinyor

Born 1976

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0310 POLITICIAN

Jean-Robert Gauthier

1929 - 2009

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0311 POLITICIAN

Robert de Cotret

1944 - 1999

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0312 ACTOR

Stephen R. Hart

Born 1958

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0313 POLITICIAN

Paul Dewar

1963 - 2019

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0314 BROADCAST

Betty Kennedy

1926 - 2017

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0315 COMPOSER

Bill Richards (musician)

1923 - 1995

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0316 BADMINTON

Andrew Dabeka

Born 1978

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0317 PLAYWRIGHT

Melissa James Gibson

-

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0318 HOCKEY

Rennison Manners

1904 - 1944

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0319 CHEMIST

Marjorie J. Vold

1913 - 1991

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0320 HOCKEY

Mike Corrigan

Born 1946

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0321 SOCIOLOGIST

Elgin Gould

1860 - 1915

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0322 SKATER

Melville Rogers

1899 - 1973

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0323 PRIEST

Robert Marie Gay

1927 - 2016

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0324 HOCKEY

Albert Renaud

1920 - 2012

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0325 HOCKEY

Hec Kilrea

1907 - 1969

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0326 HOCKEY

Billy Boucher

1899 - 1958

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0327 ACTOR

Kyle Switzer

Born 1985

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0328 HOCKEY

Art Gagné

1896 - 1988

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0329 RAPPER

Ghettosocks

-

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0330 ADMINISTRATOR

Bernie Farber

Born 1951

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0331 SKIER

Mikaela Tommy

Born 1995

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0332 MUSIC

Anabolic Frolic

Born 1974

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0333 HOCKEY

Andre Savage

Born 1975

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0334 HOCKEY

Skene Ronan

1889 - 1937

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0335 ARTIST

Mira Falardeau

Born 1948

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0336 PAINTER

Kenneth Lochhead

1926 - 2006

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0337 HOCKEY

Bill Beveridge

1909 - 1995

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0338 PLAYER

Natasha Watcham-Roy

Born 1992

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0339 PIANIST

Christina Petrowska-Quilico

Born 1948

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0340 ACTOR

Tommie-Amber Pirie

-

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0341 RACEWALKER

Ann Peel

Born 1961

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0342 SPORT

Alexander Cataford

Born 1993

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0343 HOCKEY

Ralph St. Germain

1904 - 1974

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0344 COMPOSER

Annesley Black

Born 1979

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0345 FILM

Jean-Yves Bigras

1919 - 1966

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0346 BASKET

David Turcotte

Born 1965

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0347 ROWER

Jeffrey Lay

Born 1969

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0348 POLITICIAN

Larry O'Brien (Canadian politician)

Born 1949

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0349 SPORT

Pierre Dorion

Born 1972

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0350 HISTORIAN

Seraphin Marion

1896 - 1983

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0351 HOCKEY

Bill Tobin (ice hockey)

1895 - 1963

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0352 HOCKEY

Andrew Calof

Born 1991

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0353 HOCKEY

Johnny Quilty

1921 - 1969

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0354 PAINTER

Danièle Rochon

Born 1946

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0355 WRITER

Eliza Reid

Born 1976

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0356 COLUMNIST

Link Byfield

1951 - 2015

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0357 JOURNALIST

Dahlia Lithwick

-

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0358 HOCKEY

Reginald Schroeter

1921 - 2002

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0359 SWIMMER

Robert Kasting

Born 1950

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0360 WRITER

Brian Doyle (writer)

Born 1935

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0361 ACTIVIST

Rupert Raj

Born 1952

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0362 ECONOMIST

Marie-Josée Kravis

Born 1949

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0363 ARTIST

Camilla d'Errico

Born 1980

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0364 FOOTBALL

Eddie Edward

Born 1988

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0365 HOCKEY

Sammy Hebert

1893 - 1965

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0366 HOCKEY

Steve Washburn

Born 1975

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0367 HOCKEY

Alf Smith (ice hockey)

1873 - 1953

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0368 HOCKEY

Gilles Mayer

1930 - 2015

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0369 MILITAR

Oliver Wheeler

1890 - 1962

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0370 NOVELIST

Dianne Warren

Born 1950

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0371 ATHLETIC

Bruce Deacon

Born 1966

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0372 WRITER

Sue Donaldson

Born 1962

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0373 ECONOMIST

Eli Berman

Born 1960

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0374 SINGER

Valdy

Born 1945

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0375 HOCKEY

Mike Eastwood

Born 1967

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0376 BADMINTON

Andrew D'Souza

Born 1994

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0377 FREESTYLE

Jeff Bean

Born 1977

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0378 WORLD WAR

Donald MacLaren

1893 - 1988

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0379 WRITER

Andrée Christensen

Born 1952

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0380 ENTERTAINER

Suzanne Pinel

-

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0381 THEATRE

Guy Beaulne

1921 - 2001

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0382 POLITICIAN

David McGuinty

Born 1960

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0383 MATHEMATICIAN

Maurice L'Abbé

1920 - 2006

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0384 ENGINEER

James R. Wait

1924 - 1998

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0385 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

David Reddaway

Born 1953

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0386 WRITER

Karyn Monk

Born 1950

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0387 ECONOMIST

Hugh Hambleton

Born 1922

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0388 HOCKEY

Fred Lowrey

1902 - 1968

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0389 HOCKEY

Corey Foster

Born 1969

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0390 ACTOR

Peter Aykroyd

-

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0391 WRITER

Charles Poliquin

1961 - 2018

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0392 TYPOGRAPHER

Ray Larabie

Born 1970

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0393 POLITICIAN

Gisèle Lalonde

Born 1933

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0394 HOCKEY

Bill Inglis (ice hockey)

Born 1943

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0395 ECONOMIST

Jonathan D. Ostry

Born 1962

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0396 BASKET

Barry Mungar

Born 1961

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0397 BUSINESS

André Desmarais

Born 1956

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0398 HOCKEY

Patsy Guzzo

1914 - 1993

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0399 ACTOR

Chantal Quesnel

Born 1971

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0400 LAWYER

Leonard Percy de Wolfe Tilley

1870 - 1947

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0401 COMMENTATOR

Dan Kelly (sportscaster)

1936 - 1989

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0402 HOCKEY

Frank Dunster

1921 - 1995

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0403 PRESENTER

Chris Hyndman

1966 - 2015

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0404 HOCKEY

Brad Ralph

Born 1980

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0405 COMPOSER

Timothy Sullivan (composer)

Born 1954

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0406 FILM

Todd Allen

Born 1979

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0407 ACTOR

Pol Pelletier

Born 1947

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0408 COMPOSER

Oscar O'Brien

1892 - 1958

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0409 MILITAR

Bruce Matthews (Canadian Army officer)

1909 - 1991

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0410 FOOTBALL

Melisa Ertürk

Born 1993

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0411 NOVELIST

Anthony Hyde

Born 1946

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0412 FILM

Alison Maclean

Born 1958

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0413 HOCKEY

Billy Gilmour

1885 - 1959

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0414 HOCKEY

Mike Bloom (ice hockey)

Born 1952

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0415 WRITER

Sheree Fitch

Born 1956

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0416 CANOE

Renn Crichlow

Born 1968

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0417 HOCKEY

Bill Touhey

1906 - 1999

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0418 POLITICIAN

Theodore Arthur Burrows

1857 - 1929

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0419 BASKET

Johnny Berhanemeskel

Born 1992

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0420 SWIMMER

Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson

Born 1995

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0421 POET

B. W. Powe

Born 1955

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0422 NOVELIST

John MacLachlan Gray

Born 1946

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0423 HOCKEY

Shawn Rivers

Born 1971

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0424 PHOTOJOURNALIST

Jo-Anne McArthur

Born 1976

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0425 FARMER

Christopher Evans (outlaw)

1847 - 1917

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0426 BOBSLED

Ken Leblanc (bobsleigh)

Born 1968

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0427 WRITER

Karen Levine

Born 1955

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0428 CURLER

Lynn Kreviazuk

Born 1991

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0429 SON

Michel Trudeau

1975 - 1998

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0430 FILM

Judith Crawley

1914 - 1986

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0431 LACROSSE

Bouse Hutton

1877 - 1962

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0432 PRODUCER

Leslie Howe

-

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0433 POET

Suzanne Meloche

1926 - 2009

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0434 RUNNER

Penny Werthner

Born 1951

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0435 PHOTOGRAPHER

Philip Pocock

Born 1954

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0436 HOCKEY

John Barrett (ice hockey)

Born 1958

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0437 SCREENWRITER

Pat Mills (director)

-

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0438 POLITICIAN

Mona Fortier

Born 1972

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0439 ACTOR

Peter Blais

Born 1949

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0440 FOOTBALL

Bill Rooney

1896 - 1988

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0441 HOCKEY

Harry Connor

1904 - 1947

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0442 PLAYER

Runa Reta

Born 1980

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0443 HOCKEY

T. Franklin Ahearn

1886 - 1962

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0444 WRITER

Alan Cumyn

Born 1960

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0445 CURLER

Jenn Hanna

Born 1980

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0446 POLITICIAN

Ian Scott (Ontario politician)

1934 - 2006

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0447 ACTOR

Steve Coulter

Born 1960

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0448 POLITICIAN

Ruth Ellen Brosseau

Born 1984

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0449 BIOLOGIST

James F. Gusella

Born 1952

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0450 SONGWRITER

Jordan McIntosh

Born 1995

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0451 LAWYER

John M. Davy

1835 - 1909

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0452 ACTOR

Tim Progosh

Born 1957

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0453 SKI

Peter Wilson (ski jumper)

Born 1952

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0454 SINGER

Abbas Hasan

-

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0455 RUNNER

Glenda Reiser

1955 - 2008

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0456 HOCKEY

Ben Sexton (ice hockey)

Born 1991

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0457 HOCKEY

Steve Guenette

Born 1965

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0458 ACTOR

Stephanie Moore

Born 1970

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0459 JOURNALIST

Charles P. B. Taylor

1935 - 1997

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0460 ACTOR

Chad Connell

Born 1983

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0461 SPORT

Gerald Presley

Born 1942

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0462 ANIMATION

Chris Robinson (writer)

Born 1967

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0463 HOCKEY

Marc St. Jean

Born 1978

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0464 BADMINTON

Stephan Wojcikiewicz

Born 1980

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0465 WRITER

Ben Barry

Born 1983

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0466 HOCKEY

Jerry Dupont

Born 1962

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0467 ENGRAVER

Claire Van Vliet

Born 1933

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0468 ACTOR

Jenny Miller

Born 1980

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0469 ACTOR

Chloe O'Malley

Born 2001

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0470 HOCKEY

Marc Dorion

Born 1987

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0471 ACTOR

Michael Jackson (actor)

Born 1970

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0472 DESIGNER

Alan Beddoe

1893 - 1975

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0473 HOCKEY

Brian Cullen

Born 1933

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0474 ACTOR

Jon Dore

Born 1975

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0475 CHEMIST

Léo Marion

1899 - 1979

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0476 ESPERANTIST

Geoffrey B. Greatrex

Born 1968

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0477 SKATER

Mandy Valentine

Born 1990

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0478 HOCKEY

Scott Valentine (ice hockey)

Born 1991

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0479 ATHLETIC

Alicia Brown

Born 1990

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0480 POLITICIAN

John C. Bowen

1872 - 1957

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0481 LAWYER

David Berger (Canadian politician)

Born 1950

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0482 SKATER

Nicolas Bean

Born 1987

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0483 RESTAURATEUR

Hugh Acheson

Born 1971

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0484 HOCKEY

Robert Boucher

1904 - 1931

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0485 COLUMNIST

Andrew Coyne

Born 1960

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0486 POLITICIAN

Grant Mitchell (politician)

Born 1951

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0487 HOCKEY

Rod Zaine

Born 1946

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0488 SPORT

Sean Pettit

Born 1992

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0489 HOCKEY

Dean DeFazio

Born 1963

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0490 SONGWRITER

Bernie LaBarge

Born 1953

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0491 PAINTER

Elizabeth McGillivray Knowles

1866 - 1928

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0492 WRITER

Jean-François Martel

Born 1950

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0493 MUSIC

Brian Campeau

Born 1980

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0494 PHOTOGRAPHER

Julie Moos

Born 1966

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0495 HOCKEY

Tim Higgins

Born 1958

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0496 MUSIC

Stanley Sheldon

Born 1950

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0497 ACTOR

Paul Hopkins (actor)

Born 1968

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0498 HOCKEY

Rat Westwick

1876 - 1957

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0499 ACADEMIC

Peter Stoicheff

Born 1956

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0500 ARTIST

Denis Beauvais

Born 1962

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0501 LITERARY

Geoff Pevere

Born 1957

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0502 FOOTBALL

Jonathan Viscosi

Born 1991

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0503 POLITICIAN

Pierre St. Jean

1833 - 1900

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0504 ATHLETE

Kirsten Kasper

Born 1991

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0505 HOCKEY

Bob Boucher (ice hockey)

1938 - 2004

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0506 PRIEST

Pierre Jubinville

Born 1960

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0507 POLITICIAN

Marie-France Lalonde

Born 1971

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0508 BASEBALL

Guy Hoffman (baseball)

Born 1956

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0509 PARLIAMENT

Walter Baker (Canadian politician)

1930 - 1983

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0510 WRITER

Saleema Nawaz

Born 1979

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0511 SINGER

Sneezy Waters

Born 1945

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0512 HOCKEY

Chris Lipsett

Born 1974

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0513 ACTOR

Jon McLaren

Born 1984

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0514 NOVELIST

Michael Rowe (journalist)

Born 1962

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0515 MUSIC

Andrew Huang (musician)

Born 1984

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0516 ACTOR

Gilbert Chénier

1936 - 1975

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0517 WRITER

Naomi Duguid

Born 1950

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0518 SKI

Kim Fripp

Born 1952

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0519 WRITER

Nicolas Billon

Born 1978

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0520 NOVELIST

Gail Scott (writer)

Born 1945

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0521 ATHLETE

Diana Kingsmill Wright

1908 - 1982

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0522 FOOTBALL

Eli Ankou

Born 1994

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0523 ACTOR

Penelope Corrin

Born 1975

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0524 FILM

David J. Francis (actor)

Born 1970

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0525 HOCKEY

Philippe Audet

Born 1977

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0526 POLITICIAN

Jean Poirier

Born 1950

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0527 HOCKEY

Fred Barrett (ice hockey)

Born 1950

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0528 FILM

Steve Hoban

Born 1964

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0529 HOCKEY

Harold Starr

1906 - 1981

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0530 HOCKEY

Gerry Lowrey

1906 - 1979

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0531 HOCKEY

Ray Cadieux

Born 1941

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0532 COMPOSER

James Rolfe (composer)

Born 1961

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0533 ACTOR

Marjolaine Hébert

1926 - 2014

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0534 MILITAR

Edward James Gibson Holland

1878 - 1948

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0535 LAWYER

John Joseph Connolly

1906 - 1982

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0536 SPORT

Cheryl Kreviazuk

Born 1992

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0537 SKATER

Norman M. Scott

-

Preview
0538 HOCKEY

Kevin Grimes (ice hockey)

Born 1979

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0539 ACTOR

Lorne Brass

Born 1959

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0540 JUDGE

Dyson Heydon

Born 1943

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0541 LAWYER

Constance Glube

1931 - 2016

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0542 SPORT

Katherine Maine

Born 1997

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0543 HOCKEY

Des Smith (ice hockey)

1914 - 1981

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0544 POLITICIAN

Michael Miltenberger

Born 1951

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0545 POLITICIAN

Derek Fildebrandt

Born 1985

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0546 ACTOR

Matthew Edison

Born 1975

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0547 SINGER

Terry Carisse

1942 - 2005

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0548 PRISONER

Ronald Turpin

1933 - 1962

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0549 SONGWRITER

Chris Thompson (Canadian musician)

Born 1971

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0550 CANOE

Cameron Smedley

Born 1990

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0551 PLAYWRIGHT

Hannah Moscovitch

Born 1978

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0552 HOCKEY

Howard Riopelle

1922 - 2013

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0553 CHEMIST

Bernard Cloutier

1933 - 2011

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0554 EXPLORER

Jeff Fuchs

-

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0555 HOCKEY

Barry Cullen

Born 1935

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0556 CHOREOGRAPHER

Emma Portner

-

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0557 PHOTOGRAPHER

Champlain Marcil

1920 - 2010

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0558 BASEBALL

Chris Mears

Born 1978

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0559 ROWER

Athol Meech

1907 - 1981

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0560 MUSIC

Chris McKhool

Born 1968

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0561 WRESTLER

Devon Nicholson

Born 1982

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0562 ACTOR

Dave Kelly (actor)

Born 1963

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0563 TERRORIST

Abdullah Khadr

Born 1981

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0564 SPORT

James Duthie (sportscaster)

Born 1966

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0565 MUSIC

Night Lovell

Born 1997

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0566 SINGER

Les Emmerson

Born 1944

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0567 FILM

Guy L. Coté

1925 - 1994

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0568 POLITICIAN

Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 3rd Marquess of Dufferin and Ava

1875 - 1930

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0569 CHEMIST

Robert J. LeRoy

1943 - 2018

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0570 PAINTER

George Pepper (artist)

1903 - 1962

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0571 CITY COUNCIL

Pierre Bourque (journalist)

Born 1958

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0572 LIBERAL

Will Amos

Born 1974

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0573 LAWYER

Arthur Bourinot

1893 - 1969

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0574 WRITER

Giles Slade

Born 1953

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0575 HISTORIAN

Lesley Abrams

Born 1952

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0576 POLITICIAN

Randy Hillier (politician)

Born 1958

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0577 EXPLORER

Kathleen Conlan

Born 1950

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0578 MUSIC

Bill Stevenson (Canadian musician)

Born 1947

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0579 SONGWRITER

Chris Stylez

-

Preview
0580 POLITICIAN

Thomas Birkett

1844 - 1920

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0581 THEATRE

Guy Sprung

Born 1947

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0582 HOCKEY

Stan McCabe (ice hockey)

1908 - 1958

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0583 PRIEST

Jean-Louis Plouffe

Born 1940

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0584 HISTORIAN

Susan Mann

Born 1941

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0585 BASKET

Richard Elias Anderson

Born 1977

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0586 SINGER

Dave Dunlop

Born 1965

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0587 POLITICIAN

Romuald Bourque

1889 - 1974

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0588 FILM

André Gladu

Born 1945

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0589 POLITICIAN

John Fraser (Ontario MPP)

Born 1958

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0590 CINEMA

Grant H. Crabtree

1913 - 2008

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0591 POLITICIAN

Garry Guzzo

Born 1941

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0592 HISTORIAN

Hélène Beauchamp

Born 1943

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0593 HOCKEY

Corey Cowick

Born 1989

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0594 FILM

John Palmer (director)

1943 - 2020

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0595 ACTOR

Louison Danis

Born 1951

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0596 MUSIC

Jordan O'Connor

Born 1972

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0597 JOURNALIST

Jeremy Mercer

Born 1971

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0598 MUSIC

Leif Vollebekk

Born 1986

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0599 PHYSICIST

David A. Weitz

Born 1951

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0600 HOCKEY

Stewart Evans (ice hockey)

1908 - 1996

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