If you’re hoping to call Canada hope in the near future, then you’ll be following in the footsteps of these illusturious immigrants:
Sir John Macdonald
The first Canadian Prime Minister, Sir John Macdonald – of plain old John Macdonald as he was then known – emigrated to Canada as a child in the 1820s from Glasgow. Regarded as one of modern-day Canada’s founding fathers, Sir John left school at just 15 years of age but in 1867 became the dominion of Canada’s first Prime Minister. Macdonald is also recognised as the founder of the famous Canadian Mounted Police Force, better known as the ‘Mounties’.
Alexander Graham Bell
The Scottish-born inventor of the telephone, moved to southern Ontario in 1870 at the age of 23, when his parents purchased a 10.5 acre farm. He became a naturalised citizen 12 years later. Ironic, that an immigrant should be credited with inventing the technology that would allow so many other immigrants to keep in touch with their family over the years, don’t you think?
Kim Cattrall
The actress best known for her role as man-eater Samantha Jones in Sex in the City, was actually born in Liverpool but moved to Canada with her family when she was three months old. Although she returned to England briefly at the age of 11, by 16 she was back living in Canada. In addition to her starring role in SITC, Cattrall is credited with having appeared in more than 20 films, a wide range of television shows and a number of theatre productions.
Lennox Lewis
Although the heavyweight boxer would eventually go on to become a champion of the world fighting for Britain, he twice represented Canada at the Olympic Games, winning gold at the 1988 even in Seoul (beating future nemesis Riddick Bowe in the final). London-born Lewis moved to Canada with his parents when he was 12, and excelled at Canadian football (similar to the US version) before eventually establishing himself as a boxer. Despite the fact he was the flag bearer for Canada in the closing ceremony of the 1988 Olympics, within a couple of years Lewis had declared himself British had as a professional boxer represented the country of his birth.
Frank Yallop
The former coach of the Canadian football (soccer team) was born in Watford, but moved to Canada in 1974 at the age of ten. Within nine years, Yallop was back in England to start a professional football career which over the next 13 years would see him make more than 380 first team appearances for Ipswich Town. He made his debut for the Canadian national side in 1990, and went on to win 52 caps, and in 2004 was named the national team’s coach, winning eight of his 20 games in charge. In 2004, Yallop was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.