43.6704° N, 79.3868° W

TORONTO

Most Famous People Born in Toronto, Canada

Notable people
4,438
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1956
Most distinctive
Hockey 12.0×

A hockey town with a film industry on the side. Hockey alone accounts for one in seven of Toronto's notable births, and the distinctive-profession list reads like a Canadian winter — ice hockey players at twelve times the global rate, figure skaters, rowers, and novelists close behind. Almost nothing here predates Confederation; the city's notables fan out from the late 19th century into a steady bench of actors, musicians, and filmmakers.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 570 notable births.

What Toronto Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Hockey is Toronto's biggest profession — 14% of all notables (633).

Toronto over-indexes on hockey12.0× the global rate.

Toronto under-produces football — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Hockey633
  2. Actor538
  3. Politician346
  4. Football276
  5. Singer152
  6. Film111
  7. Sport103
  8. Music96
  1. Hockey63312.0×
  2. Skater514.8×
  3. Rower633.9×
  4. Novelist533.0×
  5. Actor5382.3×
  6. Film1112.0×
  7. Singer1521.6×
  8. Music961.5×
  1. Football2760.6×
  2. Writer850.6×
  3. Politician3460.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

18001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Politics & Law
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All4,438
Sort By

4,438 notable people

2701 CIVIL SERVANT

Lionel Massey

1916 - 1965

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2702 ACTOR

Diana Weston

Born 1953

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2703 ART HISTORIAN

Alan Gowans

1923 - 2001

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2704 ACTOR

Chuck Shamata

Born 1942

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2705 FOOTBALL

Julien Edwards

Born 1988

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2706 PHOTOGRAPHER

Philip Timms

1874 - 1973

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2707 MILITAR

James H. Elmsley

1878 - 1954

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2708 SCREENWRITER

Steven Baigelman

Born 1960

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2709 POLITICIAN

Jim Brown (Ontario politician)

1943 - 2020

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2710 WRESTLER

Danyah

-

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2711 POLITICIAN

Frederick Charles Denison

1846 - 1896

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2712 ACTOR

David Eisner (actor)

Born 1958

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2713 MUSIC

Abie Rotenberg

-

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2714 HOCKEY

Mark Major

Born 1970

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2715 POET

Wayne Clifford

Born 1944

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2716 ACTOR

Dylan Authors

Born 1996

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2717 PHOTOGRAPHER

Louis Helbig

Born 1964

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2718 HUMANITARIAN

Harry Black (UNICEF)

Born 1934

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2719 PHOTOGRAPHER

Philip Kamin

Born 1955

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2720 ATHLETIC

Peter Dajia

Born 1964

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2721 FILM

Ben Sainsbury

Born 1972

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2722 ACADEMIC

John B. Macdonald

1918 - 2014

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2723 DIPLOMAT

Fredrik Stefan Eaton

Born 1938

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2724 SPORT

Fred Markus

Born 1937

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2725 ARTIST

Emma May Martin

1865 - 1957

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2726 POLITICIAN

Mary Fragedakis

Born 1971

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2727 WRITER

Alfred Harris

Born 1928

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2728 ACTOR

John Boylan (Canadian actor)

-

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2729 PRIEST

Andrew Hutchison

Born 1938

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2730 DRIVER

Hal Robson

1911 - 1996

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2731 FOOTBALL

Sura Yekka

Born 1997

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2732 ACTOR

Tamara Podemski

Born 1977

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2733 PIANIST

Arthur Gold

1917 - 1990

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2734 PRESENTER

Christopher D. Ryan

Born 1958

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2735 PAINTER

Shirley Wiitasalo

Born 1949

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2736 MODEL

Lana Ogilvie

-

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2737 HOCKEY

Len Broderick

Born 1938

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2738 BISHOP

Mark O'Connell (bishop)

Born 1964

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2739 BUSINESS

Philip Orsino

Born 1954

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2740 HOCKEY

Bill Reed

Born 1954

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2741 MUSIC

Anne Marie Moss

1935 - 2012

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2742 SCULPTOR

Ruth Chambers

Born 1960

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2743 BROADCAST

Harry Elton

1930 - 2004

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2744 POLITICIAN

Denton Massey

1900 - 1984

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2745 AUTHOR

Jonathan Garfinkel

Born 1973

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2746 POLITICIAN

Peter Stollery

Born 1935

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2747 HOCKEY

Andy Kyle

1889 - 1971

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2748 FOOTBALL

Ab Box

1909 - 2000

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2749 POLITICIAN

Stan Randall

1908 - 1989

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2750 POLITICIAN

Tyrone Gayle

1987 - 2018

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2751 SINGER

Ryan Laird

Born 1984

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2752 FLYING ACE

Alfred Atkey

1894 - 1971

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2753 CHEMIST

Harry Gunning

1916 - 2002

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2754 OPERA

Michael Levine (set designer)

Born 1961

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2755 ACTOR

Sabrina Jalees

Born 1985

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2756 TRADE UNION

Grace Hartman (trade unionist)

1918 - 1993

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2757 ACTOR

Mark Breslin

Born 1952

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2758 POLITICIAN

Helen Johns

Born 1953

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2759 MUSIC

The 6th Letter

Born 1992

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2760 SKATER

Raymond Schultz (figure skater)

Born 1990

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2761 ACTOR

Catherine Black (actress)

-

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2762 POLITICIAN

Drummond White

Born 1951

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2763 ACADEMIC

Joy Parr

Born 1949

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2764 POLITICIAN

Bobbie Sparrow

Born 1935

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2765 BUSINESS

Peter Godsoe

Born 1938

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2766 STATISTICIAN

Donald A. S. Fraser

Born 1925

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2767 FILM

Andrea Dorfman

Born 1968

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2768 POET

Ian McBryde

Born 1953

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2769 ANTHROPOLOGIST

David A. Palmer (anthropologue)

Born 1969

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2770 ACTOR

Nonnie Griffin

1933 - 2019

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2771 ACTOR

Sarah Levy

Born 1986

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2772 SPORT

Harold Bounsall

1897 - 1978

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2773 LAWYER

Julian Porter

Born 1936

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2774 SINGER

Glen Soderholm

Born 1959

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2775 BUSINESS

John Bitove Sr.

1928 - 2015

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2776 POLITICIAN

George Horace Gooderham

1868 - 1942

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2777 MARTIAL ART

Justin Bruckmann

-

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2778 SCREENWRITER

Earl Pomerantz

1945 - 2020

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2779 JUDO

Karen Sheffield

Born 1961

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2780 NOVELIST

Jenny Sampirisi

Born 1981

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2781 FOOTBALL

Brandon Bridge

Born 1992

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2782 SPORT

Frederick Henry (cyclist)

Born 1929

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2783 MILITAR

Lawrence D. Nicholson

Born 1956

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2784 FIGHTER

Paul Hartley Raney

1892 - 1917

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2785 POLITICIAN

Robert Elgie

1929 - 2013

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2786 HOCKEY

Paul Rosen

Born 1960

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2787 HOCKEY

Pat Graham (ice hockey)

Born 1961

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2788 BALLET

Sabrina Matthews

Born 1977

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2789 SURGEON

Lawrence Bruce Robertson

1885 - 1923

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2790 FOOTBALL

George Arnett

Born 1928

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2791 BUSINESS

Harold Shipp

1926 - 2014

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2792 HOCKEY

Peter Sullivan (ice hockey)

Born 1951

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2793 SINGER

Kim Davis (singer)

-

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2794 BARRISTER

Bartle Bull (politician)

1902 - 1950

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2795 CINEMA

Jordan Cushing

-

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2796 HOCKEY

Bruce Bullock

Born 1949

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2797 SCREENWRITER

Paul Sutherland (TV producer)

1930 - 2004

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2798 JOURNALIST

Beverly Thomson

Born 1966

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2799 POLITICIAN

John Brewin

Born 1936

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2800 SINGER

Drew Wright

Born 1979

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2801 SKATER

Marilyn Ruth Take

Born 1928

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2802 SPRINT

Glenn Bogue

Born 1955

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2803 NOVELIST

Barry Webster (writer)

Born 1961

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2804 PSYCHOLOGIST

Nora Newcombe

Born 1951

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2805 POLITICIAN

Steve Gilchrist

Born 1954

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2806 JOURNALIST

Stanley Maxted

1897 - 1963

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2807 FOOTBALL

Sean Foudy

Born 1966

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2808 HOCKEY

Bert Burry

1906 - 1999

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2809 PHYSICIST

John Blewett

1910 - 2000

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2810 FILM

William R. Kowalchuk junior

Born 1943

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2811 AIRMAN

Gordon Budd Irving

1898 - 1918

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2812 JUDGE

Wishart Spence

1904 - 1998

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2813 PRESENTER

Sangita Patel

Born 1979

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2814 ACTOR

Beau Kazer

1951 - 2014

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2815 HOCKEY

Jim Park (ice hockey)

Born 1952

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2816 DRIVER

John Bird (racing driver)

Born 1926

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2817 DIVER

Scott Cranham

Born 1954

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2818 FOOTBALL

Andrew Dias

Born 1998

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2819 ARTIST

Kelly Wood (artist)

Born 1962

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2820 ACTOR

Catherine Burdon

-

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2821 SINGER

J. R. Vautour

-

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2822 AEROSPACE

Robert D. Richards

-

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2823 LAWYER

Leonard Braithwaite

1923 - 2012

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2824 FOOTBALL

Mackenzie Pridham

Born 1990

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2825 FLYING ACE

Reginald Hoidge

1894 - 1963

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2826 HOCKEY

Ron Wilson (ice hockey, born 1956)

Born 1956

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2827 TRADE UNION

Jeff Rose

Born 1946

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2828 POLITICIAN

Michelle Madoff

1928 - 2013

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2829 PRESENTER

Samantha Taylor

Born 1958

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2830 FOOTBALL

Jerome Baker (soccer)

Born 1991

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2831 MILITAR

Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn

1867 - 1913

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2832 ACTOR

Ngozi Paul

-

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2833 POLITICIAN

David Rotenberg

Born 1930

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2834 POLITICIAN

Ralph Day

1898 - 1976

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2835 LIBRARIAN

Marianne Scott

Born 1928

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2836 PIANIST

Daria Telizyn

1960 - 2005

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2837 POLITICIAN

Terry O'Connor (Canadian politician)

Born 1940

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2838 ACTOR

Nicole Stoffman

Born 1972

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2839 SPORT

Alan Engel

Born 1983

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2840 ECONOMIST

H. Ian Macdonald

Born 1929

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2841 ACTOR

Sydney Banks

1917 - 2006

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2842 FOOTBALL

Leif Pettersen

1950 - 2008

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2843 JOURNALIST

Ted Byfield

Born 1929

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2844 MUSIC

Chuggo

Born 1971

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2845 ACTOR

Allegra Denton

Born 1986

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2846 PHOTOGRAPHER

Frank Lennon

1927 - 2006

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2847 NEUROSCIENTIST

Ariel Garten

Born 1979

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2848 SONGWRITER

Dana Jean Phoenix

Born 1987

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2849 POLITICIAN

Paul McCrossan

Born 1942

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2850 BASKET

Anne Hurley

Born 1951

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2851 RACER

Richard Clarke (sailor)

Born 1968

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2852 JOURNALIST

Elliotte Friedman

Born 1970

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2853 MODEL

Hanna Begovic

Born 1998

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2854 ACTOR

Frank Meschkuleit

Born 1975

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2855 MUSIC

David Piltch

Born 1960

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2856 SINGER

Jerry Leger

Born 1985

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2857 HOCKEY

Anthony Circelli

Born 1962

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2858 HOCKEY

Greg Hickey

Born 1955

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2859 BAKER

Henry Ross

1829 - 1854

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2860 BASKET

Mike Inglis

Born 1966

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2861 POLITICIAN

James Mason (Canadian politician)

1843 - 1918

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2862 POLITICIAN

Dianne Cunningham

Born 1939

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2863 POLITICIAN

Adam Giambrone

Born 1977

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2864 ATHLETIC

R. Irving Parkes

1886 - 1964

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2865 POLITICIAN

Harry Jackman

1900 - 1979

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2866 DRUMMER

Duris Maxwell

Born 1946

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2867 ACTOR

Terence Kelly (actor)

Born 1922

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2868 COACH

Michael Futa

Born 1967

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2869 AUTHOR

John Lewis (Canadian senator)

1858 - 1935

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2870 LACROSSE

John Tavares (lacrosse)

Born 1968

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2871 PLAYER

Dale Power

Born 1949

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2872 ACTOR

Eddie Della Siepe

Born 1981

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2873 COMPOSER

Guy Zerafa

Born 1959

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2874 LAWYER

Lorne Abony

Born 1969

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2875 ACTOR

Susan Conway

Born 1952

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2876 BASKET

Mark Jones (sportscaster)

Born 1961

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2877 PHOTOGRAPHER

Donald Weber (photographer)

Born 1973

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2878 POLITICIAN

Joseph Cordiano

Born 1957

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2879 HOCKEY

Brett Callighen

Born 1953

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2880 HOCKEY

Ted Dent

Born 1969

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2881 ARTIST

Erika DeFreitas

Born 1980

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2882 SINGER

Brandon Chang

Born 1982

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2883 HOCKEY

Carmine Vani

Born 1964

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2884 BASEBALL

Daniel Pinero

Born 1994

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2885 ACTOR

Sally Gifford

Born 1981

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2886 POLITICIAN

Duncan Campbell (Unionist politician)

1876 - 1916

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2887 SAILOR

Ken Glass

1913 - 1961

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2888 LAWYER

Ilana Rubel

-

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2889 MUSIC

Maurice Solway

1906 - 2001

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2890 SKATER

Netty Kim

Born 1976

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2891 ACTOR

L. Dean Ifill

Born 1971

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2892 GEOLOGIST

Lawrence Morley

1920 - 2013

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2893 HOCKEY

Howie Glover

Born 1935

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2894 LAWYER

John Arnup

1911 - 2005

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2895 EDITOR

George Clay Ginty

1840 - 1890

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2896 FOLKLORIST

Robert Klymasz

Born 1936

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2897 ARCHER

Jonathan Ohayon

Born 1972

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2898 ACTOR

Mercedes Arn-Horn

Born 1993

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2899 PRESENTER

Andi Petrillo

Born 1985

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2900 CITY COUNCIL

Howard Moscoe

Born 1939

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2901 HISTORIAN

Margaret Stovel McWilliams

1875 - 1952

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2902 ACTIVIST

Paul M. Grod

-

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2903 ACTOR

Alisha Morrison

Born 1986

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2904 BASEBALL

Milt Whitehead

1862 - 1901

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2905 SONGWRITER

Matthew Tishler

-

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2906 HOCKEY

Jamie Bates (ice hockey)

Born 1985

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2907 MISSIONARY

James Woodsworth

1843 - 1917

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2908 POLITICIAN

Charles Harnick

Born 1950

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2909 BASEBALL

Jonathan Lockwood

Born 1981

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2910 MINERALOGIST

Leonard G. Berry

1914 - 1982

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2911 BUSINESS

Avie Bennett

1928 - 2017

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2912 BASKET

Norbert Torres

Born 1990

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2913 SINGER

Hilary Weaver

Born 1991

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2914 AIR FORCE

George McGill (RCAF officer)

1918 - 1944

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2915 RESEARCH

H. David Kotz

Born 1966

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2916 SINGER

James Anthony (musician)

Born 1955

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2917 POLITICIAN

Terry David Jones

1938 - 2014

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2918 POLITICIAN

Gerry Martiniuk

1938 - 2017

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2919 LAWYER

Nathaniel Erskine-Smith

Born 1984

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2920 HOCKEY

Jeff Allan

Born 1957

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2921 PRODUCER

Adam Messinger

-

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2922 MUSIC

Eugene Kash

1912 - 2004

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2923 LAWYER

Margaret Campbell (politician)

1912 - 1999

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2924 SKATER

Louise Bertram

1908 - 1996

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2925 FLYING ACE

William Ernest Shields

1892 - 1921

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2926 SPRINT

Hugh Spooner

Born 1957

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2927 SPORT

Alexandrine Gibb

1891 - 1958

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2928 PRESENTER

Sharon Lewis

-

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2929 JOURNALIST

Charles Jennings (journalist)

1908 - 1973

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2930 HOCKEY

Rocky Farr

Born 1947

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2931 FOOTBALL

Martín Amuz

Born 1997

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2932 LAWYER

Alykhan Velshi

Born 1984

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2933 ARTIST

Taral Wayne

Born 1951

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2934 HOCKEY

Joe Gibbs (Eishockeyspieler)

Born 1960

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2935 MUSIC

Dave Cohen (keyboardist)

Born 1985

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2936 HOCKEY

Paul Cohen (ice hockey)

Born 1965

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2937 LAWYER

Joe Peschisolido

Born 1963

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2938 ÉTUDES

Mark O'Neill

Born 1963

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2939 GOLF

Rick Todd

Born 1962

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2940 FOOTBALL

Mark Anthony Gonzalez

Born 1994

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2941 HOCKEY

Mike Keating (ice hockey)

Born 1957

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2942 HOCKEY

Don Webster

1924 - 1978

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2943 NOVELIST

J. D. Carpenter

Born 1948

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2944 MUSIC

Mitch Lewis

Born 1954

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2945 ATHLETIC

Arturo Huerta

Born 1964

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2946 WRESTLER

Ron Hutchison

Born 1964

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2947 FOOTBALL

Joe Breen

1897 - 1978

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2948 ACADEMIC

George Gray Bell

1920 - 2000

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2949 HOCKEY

Brian McDonald (ice hockey)

Born 1945

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2950 MUSIC

Derek Wise

Born 1992

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2951 HOCKEY

Paul Evans (ice hockey, born 1954)

Born 1954

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2952 LAWYER

Ruby Sahota

-

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2953 MUSIC

Arabesque (rapper)

Born 1981

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2954 ACTOR

Trevor Smith (actor)

Born 1970

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2955 WRITER

Alice Priestley

Born 1962

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2956 ASTRONOMER

David G. Turner

Born 1945

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2957 AVIATOR

Marion Alice Orr

1918 - 1995

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2958 PLAYER

Kim Donaldson (rugby union)

Born 1983

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2959 CELLIST

Peggy Lee (Cellistin)

Born 1963

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2960 FOOTBALL

Mike Labinjo

1980 - 2018

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2961 BODYBUILDER

Ben Pakulski

Born 1981

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2962 BASKET

Duane Notice

Born 1994

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2963 DJ

Dzeko (DJ)

Born 1992

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2964 ACTOR

Krysta Carter

Born 1985

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2965 HOCKEY

Ron Lalonde

Born 1952

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2966 FOOTBALL

Stathis Kappos

Born 1979

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2967 ACTOR

Sunny Besen Thrasher

Born 1976

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2968 SWIMMER

Robbie Taylor

Born 1981

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2969 OFFICER

Samuel Whitside

1839 - 1904

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2970 SPORT

Paul Weir (basketball)

Born 1979

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2971 WIFE OF

Mary Pellatt

1857 - 1924

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2972 DANCER

Alvin Chau

Born 1989

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2973 HOCKEY

Mike Corbett (ice hockey, born 1942)

1942 - 2003

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2974 HOCKEY

Stelio Zupancich

Born 1958

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2975 SCIENTIST

Lawrence S. Hamilton

1925 - 2016

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2976 ACTOR

Jaclyn Forbes

-

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2977 ACTOR

Riva Di Paola

Born 1983

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2978 DANCER

Nicole Kuzmichová

Born 1997

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2979 POLITICIAN

Donald Deacon

1920 - 2003

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2980 BASKET

Sue Stewart

Born 1969

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2981 ACTOR

Jaime Callica

-

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2982 FOOTBALL

Christine Exeter

Born 1992

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2983 POLITICIAN

Thomas Leonard Wells

1930 - 2000

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2984 ACTIVIST

Hannah Alper

Born 2003

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2985 CURLER

Greg Balsdon

Born 1977

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2986 SWIMMER

Eric Jubb

Born 1931

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2987 PLAYER

Doug Burke (tennis)

Born 1963

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2988 SPRINT

Ian Seale

Born 1954

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2989 COMPOSER

Leo Marchildon

Born 1962

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2990 HOCKEY

Bob Boyd (ice hockey)

Born 1951

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2991 HOCKEY

Bob McDonald (ice hockey)

1923 - 1977

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2992 COMPOSER

Robert Carli

Born 1970

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2993 ACTOR

Alexander De Jordy

Born 1993

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2994 HOCKEY

Bart Crashley

Born 1946

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2995 ACADEMIC

Henry G. Schogt

1927 - 2020

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2996 SINGER

Denzal Sinclaire

Born 1969

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2997 HOCKEY

Jamie Cooke

Born 1968

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2998 HOCKEY

Rob Kwiet

Born 1988

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2999 COACH

David Frost (sports agent)

-

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3000 FOOTBALL

Huck Welch

1907 - 1979

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