Bank of Canada - $5 Shortlist of Possible Portrait

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Saw this article.  The Bank of Canada shortlisted the possible portrait on the new Canadian $5 note.

Drum roll, please 🥁🥁🥁 — it’s time to meet the short list of eight #bankNOTEable Canadians whose portrait could appear on the next $5 note

https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/banknoteable-5/nominees/?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=CUR52020SL

In my humble opinion, I favor Terry Fox.

I see the person I nominated made the short list 

Who was that?  The only one I even heard of is Terry Fox.

It would be nice if there were some business leaders on the list, people who actually contributed to creating wealth and improving the standard of living of fellow Canadians.  Or otherwise a notable scientist or entertainment figure who contributed to Canadian culture would have been great.

All I see are a bunch of mooches and wannabes on that list.  I guess that's sad the state of the PC culture we're living under now where achievers are demonized and freeloaders are revered.

If you live in Alberta and travel east of Calgary to a hamlet called Cluny there is a fantastic museum Blackfoot Crossing  Chief Crowfoot  Isapo-Muxika

It seems like the BoC is stacking the deck in favour of a native person being on the $5.

All I see are a bunch of mooches and wannabes on that list.  I guess that's sad the state of the PC culture we're living under now where achievers are demonized and freeloaders are revered.

So I guess Decorated veterans are just "mooches or wannabes" because they happen to be native. That is a sad exposition of white privilege hiding behind old tired anti "PC" rhetoric.

I hope its either Isapo-muxika, or Onondeyoh, or Terry Fox. The first because of the history, the second because of the bravery, and the third because of getting out there to challenge the country to find a cure for one of the worst diseases that we face. I'm hoping for a fantastic engraving and hopefully a intricate vignette on the front of the bank note, as well as an equally impressive commemoration on the back of the note.

I'd love to see Lester Pearson be considered for the new $50.

Instead of crapping on the choices that have been made, propose some others that you would like to see and elevate the conversation.

So I guess Decorated veterans are just "mooches or wannabes" because they happen to be native. That is a sad exposition of white privilege hiding behind old tired anti "PC" rhetoric.

Nothing could be further from the truth.  I couldn't care less what gender or race these people belong to.  It's precisely the fact that their gender or race even needs to be mentioned that sickens me.  They should be recognized for their achievements and their achievements alone.  Being native or black or a woman is not an achievement.  Likewise, I certainly don't want an individual to be chosen because he is a white male.  I just couldn't care less and it bothers me that this is the only thing that some people seem to care about.

My "mooches and wannabes" comment was directed towards their lack of having accomplished anything for the benefit of fellow Canadians.  Or if they did accomplish something, that it was to the detriment of others.  I would like to see someone who did something to improve the lives of Canadians.

Fighting in a senseless war is not an accomplishment to be proud of.  I would be a lot more inclined to celebrate someone who resisted the war or who resisted political injustices rather than someone who participated in them as most of these individuals did in some way or another.

If any of these people did indeed help to protect the rights of individuals (native or otherwise) against political oppression, then I would fully endorse them.  I'm not convinced that any of them succeeded in that regard, despite claiming credit for such.  That being said, I'm not against selecting a native person even if it's only for the purpose of celebrating their culture and history.  It's the fact that the ones nominated seem to have participated in political injustices rather than to have fought against them which bothers me.

While Terry Fox's story is certainly inspiring, I have some reservations about the "cancer research" industry.  It's certainly not Terry's fault but I feel that his image has been used by less scrupulous people who are more interested in "fund raising" than research.  While I don't have any issues with him personally, I have mixed feeling about choosing him.

I realize I haven't actually endorsed anyone so I'll try to think of someone.  It's hard because most people have a dark side and frequently what they are best known for might be disguising a more sinister reality.

Several decades ago, while partying up at our extended family cottage, my cousin mentioned our ancestor Robert Baldwin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Baldwin) so I asked my own family about this guy but my parents and siblings just thought my cousin was acting eccentric.  I had absolutely no idea who William or Robert Baldwin were, so I went to our local library to start my search.  There were no books on either of them so my uncle lent me The Baldwins and the Great Experiment  [There was Stephen Leacock's 1907 book but it was long out of print/unavailable at most libraries]. 

I also researched John A Macdonald, Louis Riel & started to become mildly interested in Canadian history.  As my interest grew, I was surprised to discover that many CDN's had only mild curiosity about our history. This was around the time that Terry Fox started his marathon across Canada.  I have to say that I was extremely impressed and followed Terry's story long before he arrived in Toronto.  I, like thousands of other Canadians, was heartbroken when he was forced to quit his run across Canada near Thunder Bay.

A little after the Internet, Wiki & Google became commonplace, I noticed a couple Wiki entries about William & Robert Baldwin (much to my surprise since few historians wrote about them).  Around the 200th anniversary the War of 1812, John Ralston Saul's book on LaFontaine & Baldwin was released. I went to one of his readings and got my copy of his book signed.  While there, a U of T history student came up to me and asked me what happened to the Baldwin family fortune.  (I guess it was that obvious I was just another poor nobody ). To this day, I ponder the same thing.

Anyway, my post isn't about seeing the Baldwins being featured on a Canadian banknote.  For one, they're considered forefathers of confederation.  I know they will be nothing more than minor footnotes in our history books. There have been a lot of unsung heroes who have contributed to making Canada a great place to live.  I also know that there are many other worthy historical candidates who made major contributions to our nation: several of them were Indigenous.  I voted for Pauline Johnson (on the $10) & believe that Onondeyoh makes an excellent candidate.  But I also like Terry Fox because he has fired up youth to chase their dreams. He has truly been inspirational to several generations now.

This process is taking soooooo long. At this rate, the time the $5 and the rest of the new series is designed and issued, it'll be time for a new $10 again.

It's probably taking so long because of COVID-19 restrictions and/or lockdowns in Ontario.  Or maybe a decision is made, but it is kept behind closed doors until the unveiling.

Keep in mind that at least one article stated that the new banknote may get released as early as 2023 or 2024.

It's probably taking so long because of COVID-19 restrictions and/or lockdowns in Ontario.  Or maybe a decision is made, but it is kept behind closed doors until the unveiling.

Keep in mind that at least one article stated that the new banknote may get released as early as 2023 or 2024.

2023...Yikes! 5 years between note issues? That's 20 years from start to finish if they go at that rate.

2018 - $10 Desmond
2023 - $5 new portrait
2028 - $100 Macdonald (?)
2033 - $50 Laurier (?)
2038 - King George VII or whatever his name will be

I am thinking the new $20 bill will perhaps occur after the Queen retires or passes away (whichever happens first), and the next monarch takes over.  I don't expect to see fresh $20s with the Queen's portrait to continue being produced after she retires or passes away.  As of this post, the Queen is 95 years old, so chances are she's probably due to retire soon.