Kickass Canadians
Top-Notch Canucks
Blaine Penny, athlete-advocate-engineer-father-guardian angel
“Sometimes, you just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. You might go slowly, but it all adds up. You just take it one step at a time.”
Learn to kick ass likeBlaine Penny Listen
Patrice Vermette, production designer
“When you create something, you don’t create it for yourself—you create it for people to appreciate.”
Get inspired byPatrice Vermette
Ryan Steeves, lawyer-mentor
“What I’ve got today is all because of other people, it’s all because of mentors. Mentors have the most amazing impact.”
Gain insight fromRyan Steeves
A–I
- Baker, Rob · musician-songwriter
- Bartlett, Jon · music lover-community builder-Kelp Records founder
- Batty, Gordon “Red” · Green Bay Packers equipment manager
- Beckta, Stephen · leader-sommelier-curator of fine dining
- Benson, Susan · designer-painter
- Bernardin, Richard · photographer-storyteller
- Bland, Cynthia · survivor-steward of children-founder of Voice Found
- Bonsu, Amma · catalyst-storyteller-powerhouse
- Boudouris, Yiorgos · community leader-communicator-Acts of Greatness founder
- Bryson, Jim · folk singer-songwriter-Kelp Records mainstay
- Campbell, Don R. · real estate advisor-investor-author
- Campbell, Lorraine Elizabeth · mother-early childhood educator-community leader
- Case, Stephanie · humanitarian-lawyer-runner-conqueror
- Charron, Al · Canadian rugby icon
- Chen, Emily · designer
- Chisholm, Scott · first responder-changemaker-Collateral Damage founder
- Cohen, Rob · filmmaker-comedy writer-nerd
- Collishaw, Neil · driving force-Research Director at Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada
- Coulter, Lindsay · David Suzuki's Queen of Green (2008–2020)
- D’Arcy, Dr. Ryan · neuroscientist-inventor-healer
- Demarbre, Lee · movie aficionado
- Donaldson, Christopher · film & television editor
- Doyle, Alan · singer-actor-writer-volunteer-icon-risk taker-boy on bridge
- Drury, Julie · mother-medical advocate-superhero
- Edison, Matthew · actor-writer
- Edwards, Kathleen · singer-songwriter-businesswoman-badass coffee slinger
- Esther the Wonder Pig · animal rights activist-ambassador for change
- Fedeski, Tina · musician-teacher-philanthropist-virtuoso human being
- Finlayson, Miles · filmmaker
- Furey, Dr. Andrew · surgeon-educator-leader-healer
- Gilbert, Glenroy · coach-athlete-champion-team player
- Goheen, John · principal-Pilgrimage of Remembrance guide
- Grant, Jen · comedian
- Gray, Colin Keith · filmmaker
- Groves, Kristina · athlete-dreamer-workhorse
- Hadfield, Col. Chris · astronaut-educator-explorer-musician-engineer-reality star
- Hann, Norm · teacher-adventurer-activist
- Harris, Colin · outdoor educator-motivator-Take Me Outside founder
- Harrison, Teva · artist-writer-cartoonist-student of nature-beam of light
- Hawco, Allan · actor-writer-producer-creative force
- Hein, David · writer-performer-musician-storyteller
- Hodkinson, Ian & Jill · artists
- Hreljac, Ryan · founder of Ryan's Well Foundation
- Hudecki, Sam · storyboard artist-concept designer-dream illustrator
- Hughes, Clara · humanitarian-adventurer-athlete-nature lover
- Ishikawa, Kinya · potter-1001 Pots founder
J–R
- Jansen, Alex · producer-publisher
- Jenkins, Steve · animal rights activist-ambassador for change-real estate agent
- Jones, Perianne · cross-country skier-outdoor champion-community builder
- Jordan, Steve · music lover-Polaris Music Prize founder
- Keiley, Jillian · Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland founder-National Arts Centre English Theatre artistic director (2012–2022)
- Khan, Attiya · survivor-filmmaker-counsellor-healer
- King, Andrew · painter-cartoonist
- Klausener, Rolf · ARBORETUM founder-The Acorn frontman-Kelp Records mainstay
- Leclerc, Trevor John · teacher-spokesman-politician-survivor
- Lewis, Dr. Daurene · nurse-educator-politician-catalyst
- Lewis, Richard J. · filmmaker-househusband
- Lewis-Crudgington, Elizabeth · Quest Food Exchange executive director
- Loutitt, Shannon · honour runner
- MacDonald, Ann-Marie · writer-actor-creator-feminist
- MacLennan, Rosannagh · trampolinist-champion
- Mackey, Clarke · filmmaker-teacher-mentor-provocateur
- Mader, Marianne · geologist-planetary scientist-tinkerer
- May, Elizabeth · activist-lawyer-pillar of strength-Green Party of Canada leader
- McAllister, Ian · conservationist-nature photographer-trailblazer-Pacific Wild founder
- McConvey, Joel · filmmaker-visionary
- McGowan, Michael · filmmaker-writer-runner-jack of all trades
- Michaels, Sean · writer-inventor-music lover
- Moccio, Stephan · composer-songwriter-producer-musician
- Moir, Scott · figure skater-champion-icon-great person
- Mok, Liz · Moo Shu Ice Cream & Kitchen owner-ideator
- Morrison, Geoff · filmmaker-visionary
- Morton, Alexandra · biologist-wild salmon activist
- Moscovitch, Hannah · playwright-sensation
- Naked, Bif · spokeswoman-survivor-writer-performer-rockstar human being
- Newman, Kevin · journalist-storyteller-digital media advisor
- Nicklen, Paul · wildlife photographer-protector-preserver
- Nolan, Carrie · educator-canoeist-dream realizer
- Noth, Ryan J. · filmmaker-visionary
- Nutt, Dr. Samantha · humanitarian-author-mother-medical doctor-War Child Canada founder
- Parnell, Martin · quest seeker-sport lover-motivational speaker-Right To Play advocate
- Peachy, Jay · artist-activist-mental health advocate
- Penny, Blaine · athlete-advocate-engineer-father-guardian angel
- Power, Jonathon · squash legend-coach-humanitarian-game changer
- Puddester, Dr. Derek · psychiatrist-author-health ambassador-conduit of joy
- Putz, Amanda · CBC Radio host
- Raffan, James · canoeist-adventurer-geographer-storyteller-rambler
- Ramchandani, Dr. Rohit · public health thought leader-instigator of global change
- Raney Aarons, Megan · filmmaker
- Rogers, Shelagh · CBC Radio host-storyteller-healer
S–Z
- Sankoff, Irene · writer-performer-musician-storyteller
- Saucier, Dr. Deborah · neuroscientist
- Simon, Savannah · motivational speaker-entrepreneur
- Smith, Doug · author-motivational speaker
- Smith, Henry · video game developer-wizard
- Steeves, Ryan · lawyer-mentor
- Stewart, Anita · culinary adventurer
- Stochansky, Andy · singer-songwriter
- Suzuki, Dr. David · environmentalist-scientist-educator-grandfather
- Teevens, Cindy · author-speaker-teacher-facilitator
- Thompson, Dr. Niobe · documentary filmmaker-anthropologist-environmentalist
- Thompson, Gavin · Boom! Savings! charity shopper-statistician-Canadian ultimate mainstay
- Tobolowska, Margaret · musician-teacher-philanthropist-virtuoso human being
- Valberg, Michelle · photographer-philanthropist-visionary
- Van Horn, Tim · Canadian Mosaic founder
- Van Oldenbarneveld, Lucy · host-journalist-storyteller-force of nature
- Vandenberg, Saidat · children’s entertainer-youth mental health advocate
- Vasil, Adria · ecoholic-environmentalist-human rights advocate-game changer
- Vermette, Patrice · production designer
- Vickers, Roy Henry · artist-teacher-healer-visionary-leader
- Villeneuve, Denis · filmmaker-artist
- Vincent, Andrew · writer-indie music darling-Kelp Records mainstay
- Virtue, Tessa · figure skater-champion-icon-great person
- Walker, Alyson · businesswoman-marketing machine-digital guru-sports advocate
- Walter, Derek · animal rights activist-ambassador for change-magician
- Weber, Richard · Arctic and polar explorer
- West, Matt · director-editor-creative powerhouse
- Wilson, Ben · musician-creative powerhouse
- Wilson, Emily · philanthropist
- Woodbridge, Rob · mobile business advisor
- Zahab, John & Ray · fitness trainer and impossible2Possible founder, ultrarunners