The Ultimate Canada Day BBQ: Terry Fox (38%), Wayne Gretzky (36%) and Céline Dion (33%) Would Top Canadians’ Guest Lists

June 30, 2010 (Toronto) – With Canada Day just around the corner, a new survey commissioned by The Historica-Dominion Institute asks Canadians to create the guest list for the Ultimate Canada Day BBQ.

The online survey of over 1,000 Canadians, conducted by Ipsos Reid, asked respondents to imagine they are organizing the ultimate Canada Day BBQ and that they can invite famous Canadians, past and present, to celebrate with their friends and family. Respondents had to select five names from a list of thirty choices.

The survey found that Terry Fox (38%) was the most popular guest, followed by Wayne Gretzky (35%) and Celine Dion (33%). The top ten also included environmentalist David Suzuki (30%), actor Mike Myers (30%), former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau (26%), singer Neil Young (26%), actor William Shatner (25%), comedian Rick Mercer (23%) and hockey player Maurice Richard (22%).

The least popular guests were businessman Conrad Black (3%), followed by rapper K’naan (3%) and singer Justin Bieber (4%).

Other key findings include:

• Young Canadians aged 18 to 34 would prefer to invite Mike Myers (51%), Wayne Gretzky (46%) and Terry Fox (40%). Only 8% would invite Justin Bieber.
• Canadians aged 35 to 54 and those 55 and older voted most often for Terry Fox (38%).
• When the results are examined by region the survey found that Neil Young was the most popular invitee in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, receiving 44% of the vote in those provinces. Neil Young tied for 6th place with Pierre Elliott Trudeau (26%) in the overall vote.
• Anne Murray was a popular choice in Alberta (32%), but finished 11th overall with 22% of the vote.
• A majority (62%) of Quebecers would include Maurice “The Rocket” Richard on their guest list, making him the most frequently chosen Canadian in a single region of the country. Fifty-two percent of Quebecers would include Céline Dion, with René Lévesque (43%), Guy Laliberté (43%) and Wayne Gretzky (36%) rounding out the top five.
• Women (18%) were much more likely than men (4%) to invite children’s book author Robert Munsch, while actor William Shatner was much more likely to be invited to a BBQ by a man (31%) than a woman (19%).

“With a choice of 30 famous Canadians, the vote reflects a balanced and interesting guest list; Terry Fox to inspire, the Great One to tell the stories of his triumphs, David Suzuki to educate, and Céline Dion and Mike Myers to entertain,” says Andrew Cohen, President of The Historica-Dominion Institute.

The Historica-Dominion Institute is the largest charitable organization dedicated to Canadian history, identity and citizenship. Its mandate is to build active and informed citizens through a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, heritage and stories of Canada.

For detailed results, click here.
 
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Media Inquiries:

Chantal Gagnon
Media Relations
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