The Battle of Vimy Ridge April 9, 1917:
Canada was getting dragged into the First World War whether they liked it or not, clinging to the coattails of the British empire. But at Vimy Ridge, Canadians got a real chance to show their mettle. With a brutal snowstorm raging overhead, 100,000 Canadian troops rushed and overcame the German forces, capturing the ridge and allowing French forces to catch the nearby town of Aisne under defended.
Universal health care:
The debate over offering medicare to every Canadian citizen was a fiery one in 1960. Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas believed every province owed their residents a basic level of care, and fought tooth and nail to make that happen.
Discovery of Insulin, 1922:
Before insulin, getting diabetes could often mean a death sentence. But in 1920, Dr. Frederick Banting, an unknown in his field, thought he’d found the cure to diabetes. And it all revolved around a dog’s pancreas. Working out of a tiny lab, Banning and his assistant Charles Best removed the pancreas from dogs, and when they got diabetes, they injected the dog’s own ground up pancreas to treat the disease.
Confederation, 1867:
Who’d ever believe that a bunch of aging politicians with wicked chops and exaggerated curls could ever actually accomplish much? But lo and behold, this merry band of men (sorry gals, your part comes later) managed to form the federal Dominion of Canada on July 1, now our great nation’s birthday. Ontario and Quebec were formed and united with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Terry Fox, 1980:
If Canada has one gleaming hero, it must be Terry Fox. No other Canadian — man or woman — so captivated a nation. “He sparked an imagination of what is possible,” said Opp. “It’s connected to that sense of conquering geography to conquer a disease.” He ran 5,733 km in 143 days on one leg during his Marathon of Hope before cancer finally claimed him. But his legacy has raised more than $500 million for cancer research.
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