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

4201 TEACHER

Robert Uffen

1923 - 2009

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4202 CONSULTANT

Michael Schabas

Born 1956

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4203 FOOTBALL

Billy Sweetzer

Born 1958

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4204 HOCKEY

Eddie Giroux

1883 - 1930

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4205 SPORT

William Hamilton (sport shooter)

1884 - 1939

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4206 POLITICIAN

Marvin Gelber

1912 - 1990

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4207 GUITAR

Gordon O'Brien

Born 1966

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4208 ATHLETIC

George Barber (athlete)

Born 1884

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4209 SPRINT

Craig Blackman

Born 1951

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4210 FOOTBALL

Al Irwin

Born 1943

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4211 POLITICIAN

George Hugh Macdonell

1851 - 1920

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4212 POLITICIAN

James Currie (politician)

1827 - 1901

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4213 CURLER

Dayna Deruelle

Born 1982

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4214 LAWYER

Wendy Byrne

-

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4215 RACER

Barclay Livingstone

Born 1941

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4216 HOCKEY

Daryl Watts

Born 1999

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4217 LAWYER

Daniel Lang (Ontario politician)

1919 - 1997

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4218 RACER

Mel Gould

Born 1930

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4219 REBEL

Jamie Garratt

Born 1977

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4220 FOOTBALL

Salvatore Borgh

-

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4221 SKATER

Donald Gilchrist

1922 - 2017

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4222 JOURNALIST

John Short (journalist)

Born 1937

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4223 FOOTBALL

Ron Watton

Born 1933

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4224 RADIO

Prior Smith

Born 1944

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4225 PAINTER

Robert G. Kemp

1928 - 1988

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4226 POLITICIAN

Jennifer McKelvie

-

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4227 LINGUIST

Alister Cumming

Born 1953

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4228 JOCKEY

Brian Swatuk

1949 - 2014

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4229 FOOTBALL

Roy Killin

Born 1929

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4230 PHYSICIAN

André Bourque

1947 - 2012

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4231 ARCHITECT

Francis R. Heakes

1858 - 1930

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4232 SPORT

Alex Docherty

1904 - 1973

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4233 ACTOR

Araby Lockhart

Born 1926

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4234 SWIMMER

Gerald Clawson

1917 - 2001

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4235 SCREENWRITER

Josh Saltzman

Born 1981

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4236 MUSIC

Daryl Irvine

Born 1932

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4237 FOOTBALL

Maurice Forbes

Born 1987

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4238 ATHLETIC

Nicole Devonish

Born 1973

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4239 FOOTBALL

Greg Hetherington

Born 1983

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4240 SWIMMER

Peter Mingie

1931 - 1999

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4241 POLITICIAN

Frank Philbrook

1931 - 2017

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4242 WORKER

Sylvain Thévoz

Born 1974

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4243 SPORT

Bill McIntyre (Canadian football)

Born 1964

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4244 BADMINTON

Fiona McKee

Born 1985

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4245 POLITICIAN

John Kucherepa

1919 - 1990

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4246 APOSTOLISCHER

Alban Edward Quinn

1924 - 2010

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4247 SWIMMER

Merrily Stratten

Born 1951

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4248 SPORT

Jim McAndrew (athlete)

Born 1956

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4249 ECOLOGIST

Robert Henry Peters

1946 - 1996

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4250 ACADEMIC

Donald Forster

1934 - 1983

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4251 OFFICER

Patrick O'Donnell (Canadian general)

1940 - 2015

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4252 POLITICIAN

George Oakley

1877 - 1934

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4253 HOCKEY

Jarred Seymour

Born 1990

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4254 FOOTBALL

Cosimo Commisso (soccer)

-

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4255 MILITAR

John P. McVeane

1842 - 1896

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4256 MUSIC

Cathy Young (vocalist)

Born 1951

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4257 FOOTBALL

Luca Petrasso

Born 2000

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4258 ILLUSTRATOR

Jason Logan

-

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4259 FOOTBALL

Joe Ciaravino

Born 1976

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4260 ACTOR

Ryan Allen (attore)

-

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4261 DIPLOMAT

James Clelland Britton

-

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4262 SPORT

Paul Craig (runner)

Born 1953

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4263 RUNNER

Art Keay

1907 - 1989

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4264 WRITER

Deanna Kamiel

1946 - 2018

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4265 COACH

George O'Donoghue

1885 - 1925

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4266 COMPOSER

Jessie Baetz

-

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4267 SPRINT

Murray Cockburn

Born 1933

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4268 HOCKEY

Rob Edamura

Born 1965

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4269 SKATER

Elmer Pillon

Born 1973

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4270 SPORT

Alan MacLachlan

Born 1957

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4271 SPORT

Harold Gallop

Born 1910

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4272 SPRINT

Frances O'Halloran

Born 1934

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4273 CRIME

Gwyn Thomas (reporter)

1913 - 2010

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4274 FOOTBALL

Jermaine Reid

Born 1983

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4275 ACTOR

Jennifer Kitchen

Born 1971

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4276 POLITICIAN

Ken Robinson (Canadian politician)

1927 - 1991

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4277 NOVELIST

Thea Lim

Born 1981

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4278 JAVELIN THROWER

Bill Heikkila

Born 1944

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4279 ICE HOCKEY

Paul Skjodt

Born 1958

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4280 MILITAR

Donald Gordon Medd Nelson

1914 - 1989

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4281 SPORT

Glenn Beauchamp

Born 1962

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4282 POLITICIAN

Don Blenkarn

1930 - 2012

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4283 PRODUCER

Sharon Keogh

-

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4284 POLITICIAN

Charles Turner (Canadian politician)

1916 - 1993

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4285 POLITICIAN

Edward LeRoy Bowerman

1892 - 1977

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4286 DRIVER

Tony Burgess

Born 1955

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4287 AUTHOR

Frederick Vettese

Born 1953

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4288 ATHLETIC

Brent McMahon (wheelchair racer)

Born 1966

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4289 HOCKEY

Leo Thomas

Born 1981

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4290 TRADE UNION

Fred Dowling

1902 - 1982

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4291 GYMNAST

Clarence Kiddington

1880 - 1940

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4292 COLLECTOR

Ralph Booth

1873 - 1931

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4293 POLITICIAN

Donald Taylor (Yukon politician)

1933 - 2012

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4294 POLITICIAN

John Hunter (Canadian politician)

1909 - 1993

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4295 LOTTATORE

Frederick Ferguson

Born 1884

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4296 JOCKEY

Harry Watts (jockey)

1894 - 1940

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4297 LAWYER

William Goldwin Carrington Howland

1915 - 1994

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4298 GUITAR

Sandy Ewen

Born 1985

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4299 SPORT

David Leuty

Born 1960

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4300 POLITICIAN

Frederick Hoblitzell

1891 - 1964

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4301 POLITICIAN

Robert Hicks (Canadian politician)

1933 - 2014

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4302 SWIMMER

Bill Park

Born 1952

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4303 ARCHITECT

Joan Burt

Born 1930

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4304 CONDUCTOR

Jordan de Souza

Born 1988

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4305 ACTOR

Michael Lazarovitch

-

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4306 LACROSSE

Brock Boyle

Born 1982

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4307 CHEMIST

Adrian Gibbs Brook

1924 - 2013

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4308 COACH

Ainslee Lamb

-

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4309 EXECUTIVE

Lenna Bradburn

Born 1960

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4310 PHILOSOPHER

Rebecca Kukla

-

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4311 BASEBALL

Harvey Shank

Born 1946

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4312 HORSE TRAINER

Daniel Vella

Born 1955

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4313 LAWYER

James Ditson Service

1926 - 2014

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4314 AERONAUTICAL

Paul Bernard Dilworth

1915 - 2007

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4315 SPORT

William McGregor (judoka)

Born 1949

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4316 POLITICIAN

Sidney Cecil Robinson

1870 - 1943

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4317 ATHLETIC

Chelsea Lariviere

-

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4318 POLITICIAN

Sylvester Perry Ryan

1918 - 2001

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4319 ROWER

Lou Scholes

1880 - 1942

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4320 HOCKEY

Jack Shill

1913 - 1976

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4321 POLITICIAN

Thomas Fennell (politician)

1928 - 2012

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4322 PHYSICIST

Glenn D. Starkman

-

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4323 HOCKEY

Samuel Levine

1908 - 1970

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4324 POLITICIAN

David Hahn (Canadian politician)

1925 - 2012

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4325 PRIEST

Francis Valentine Allen

1909 - 1977

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4326 FOOTBALL

Lionel Conacher Jr.

Born 1936

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4327 PLAYER

Erik Mattson

Born 1990

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4328 POLITICIAN

Gordon Forster

1884 - 1964

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4329 FOOTBALL

Melvin M. Hawkrigg

Born 1930

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4330 POLITICIAN

Alfred Doig

1855 - 1939

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4331 HOCKEY

Peter Aston

Born 1986

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4332 SPORT

Don Lockhart

1931 - 1982

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4333 POLITICIAN

Harry Gladstone Clarke

1881 - 1956

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4334 SPORT

John Chapman (harness racing)

1928 - 1980

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4335 POLITICIAN

John Hollings Addison

1929 - 2010

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4336 WRITER

Audax Minor

1887 - 1979

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4337 FOOTBALL

Rudy Grass

1921 - 2006

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4338 POLITICIAN

William Dean Howe

1916 - 1982

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4339 HOCKEY

Scott McGeown

Born 1960

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4340 POLITICIAN

John William Thomson

Born 1928

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4341 KATHOLISCHER

Francis Patrick Carroll (Bischof, 1890)

1890 - 1967

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4342 SKATER

Harry Cody

-

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4343 PHILANTHROPIST

Arthur Gelber

1915 - 1998

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4344 POET

Charmaine Cadeau

-

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4345 HOCKEY

Chris Speyer (ice hockey)

1902 - 1966

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4346 WRITER

Basil Papademos

Born 1957

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4347 POLITICIAN

Sue Edelman

Born 1957

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4348 POLITICIAN

Douglas Ross (Canadian politician)

1883 - 1961

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4349 POLITICIAN

Frederick Howard Collins (Commissioner of Yukon)

1903 - 1982

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4350 SPRINT

Joseph Foreman (athlete)

Born 1935

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4351 FOOTBALL

Marlon Sequeira

Born 1989

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4352 SWIMMER

Sara Petrov

Born 1982

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4353 SURGEON

Honoria Somerville Keer

1883 - 1969

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4354 POLITICIAN

David Weatherhead

1928 - 2012

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4355 IDROTTARE

Ross Wilson

1909 - 1997

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4356 POLITICIAN

Joseph Russell (Canadian politician)

1868 - 1925

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4357 PLAYER

Gordon Anderson (squash player)

-

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4358 SKIER

John Taylor (längdåkare)

Born 1908

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4359 JOURNALIST

Gary Mittelholtz

1954 - 2010

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4360 MISSING

Ross Robinson (skridskoåkare)

Born 1906

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4361 POLITICIAN

Isabel Hardie

1916 - 2006

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4362 POLITICIAN

Rod Webb

1910 - 1999

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4363 SPORT

Frank D. Selke

Died 2013

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4364 PLAYER

Emilie Bydwell

Born 1985

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4365 POLITICIAN

George Alexander Gillespie

1872 - 1956

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4366 LAWYER

Robert Weld Mitchell

1915 - 1994

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4367 POLITICIAN

James Ross (Alberta politician)

1851 - 1936

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4368 POLITICIAN

Cecil Cathers

1901 - 1989

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4369 HOCKEY

Ronnie Wilson

Born 1922

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4370 MANUFACTURER

Steven Brian Fera

Born 1960

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4371 FOOTBALL

Richard Zulys

Born 1984

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4372 BIOCHIMISTE

Beverly E. Pearson Murphy

1929 - 2020

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4373 HOCKEY

Guy Roach

Born 1919

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4374 POLITICIAN

Albert Victor Waters

1896 - 1953

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4375 ARCHITECT

Mary Clark (architect)

Born 1936

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4376 SPORT

Laura Misciagna

Born 1960

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4377 HOCKEY

Matt Christie

Born 1985

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4378 HOCKEY

Jack Higgins (hockey sur glace)

Born 1934

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4379 JOURNALIST

Peter H. Martyn

Born 1948

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4380 LACROSSE

Eric Pacey

Born 1978

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4381 LAWYER

Ben Thompson (Canadian politician)

1924 - 1998

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4382 HOCKEY

Doug Chapman (ice hockey)

Born 1930

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4383 SPORT

Natasha Bacchus

Born 1977

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4384 HOCKEY

Matthew Kang

Born 1988

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4385 RESEARCH

Marian Packham

1927 - 2020

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4386 GUITAR

Steven Thachuk

-

Preview
4387 HOCKEY

John Petro (ice hockey)

1930 - 1998

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4388 POLITICIAN

Samuel Thomas Wright

1887 - 1948

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4389 PREMIER LEAGUE

David Clanachan

Born 1962

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4390 POLITICIAN

Greg Stevens (Alberta politician)

Born 1935

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4391 ACTIVIST

Aileen Williams

1924 - 2015

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4392 PHOTOGRAPHER

Stacey Tyrell

-

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4393 SPORT

Mychal Mulder

Born 1994

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4394 JOURNALIST

Isobel Steele

1910 - 1998

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4395 HOCKEY

Sarah Shantz-Smiley

Born 1982

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4396 POLITICIAN

Henry Sloane Cooper

1888 - 1970

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4397 HOCKEY

Don Munroe

Born 1927

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4398 HOCKEY

Bob Kennedy (ice hockey)

1930 - 1998

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4399 DRIVER

Robert Julien

Born 1967

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4400 FOOTBALL

Jack McGee (Canadian football)

1932 - 2009

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4401 HOCKEY

Tom Campbell (ice hockey)

1922 - 1996

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4402 FOOTBALL

Arthur Rodrigues

1928 - 2015

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4403 ENGINEER

William Gourlay Webster

1884 - 1965

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4404 DANCER

Ola Skanks

1926 - 2018

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4405 BASKET

Morgan McLaughlin

Born 1980

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4406 CURLER

Darryl Prebble

Born 1978

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4407 POLITICIAN

George Lemuel Dickinson

1848 - 1930

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4408 HOCKEY

Earl Clements

1931 - 2010

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4409 SINGER

Io Perry

-

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4410 ACTOR

Caley Wilson

-

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4411 HOCKEY

Harold Fiskari

1928 - 2012

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4412 ARCHITECT

Phyllis Cook Carlisle

1912 - 1954

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4413 POLITICIAN

Norman Magee

1922 - 1985

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4414 HOCKEY

Vic Sluce

1928 - 1991

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4415 HOCKEY

Norm Gray

1930 - 2008

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4416 POLITICIAN

Arthur George Frost

1888 - 1965

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4417 POLITICIAN

James Barnes (Canadian politician)

Born 1842

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4418 ECONOMIST

Sherry Glied

Born 1961

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4419 POLITICIAN

Harold Norman Carr

1887 - 1974

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4420 LAWYER

Frank C. Ford

1873 - 1965

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4421 POLITICIAN

William Gerald Strongman

Born 1936

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4422 NOVELIST

Catherine Hanrahan

-

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4423 PLAYWRIGHT

John Thomas McDonough

-

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4424 HOCKEY

George Sayliss

1930 - 2020

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4425 FOOTBALL

Stan Siorovigas

Born 1969

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4426 HOCKEY

Gavin Lindsay

Born 1929

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4427 PHYSICIST

Joseph A. Giordmaine

Born 1933

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4428 SPORT

Alf Phillips Jr.

Born 1938

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4429 SPORT

Ossie Lang

1893 - 1981

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4430 POLITICIAN

William E. Mason (Canadian politician)

1866 - 1951

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4431 POLITICIAN

Allan James McDonell

1882 - 1957

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4432 MUSIC

Lina Drechsler Adamson

1876 - 1960

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4433 MUSIC

Sarah Davidson

Born 1958

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4434 ATHLETIC

William Heikila

Born 1944

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4435 ATHLETE

Ashley Kraayeveld

Born 1992

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4436 LITERARY

Ottilie Mulzet

-

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4437 PHOTOGRAPHER

Donald Gordon Murray

Born 1943

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4438 BOXER

Frankie Genovese

1915 - 1998

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