"Our history is written on the surface of the land..."

Welcome to the Parks Canada Web site!

Did you know that since 1919, the Government of Canada has designated more than 875 sites, 570 persons and 350 events as being of national historic significance, that is of importance to all Canadians? From the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa to Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, from Samuel de Champlain to Sir John A. Macdonald, and from the Underground Railroad to the Winning of the Vote by Women, these places, persons and events define and symbolize important moments in our national history.

We invite you to visit the Parks Canada Web site to discover more about important Canadians such as Lester B. Pearson, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables, Métis leader Louis Riel, Sir Frederick Banting, co-discoverer of insulin, Emily Murphy, first woman magistrate in the Commonwealth, Edward Hanlan, world rowing champion from 1880 to 1884, Tecumseh, Shawnee leader during the War of 1812, Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney) writer and conservationist, Emily Carr, noted painter and writer, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, first French Canadian Prime Minister of Canada, Portia White, acclaimed vocalist from the Black Nova Scotian community, Joseph-Armand Bombardier, industrialist and developer of the snowmobile, Sir Sandford Fleming, surveyor, engineer and Father of Standard Time, William Lyon Mackenzie King, longest serving Prime Minister of Canada, Dr. Emily Stowe, first female practicing doctor in Canada and suffrage leader, Pauline Johnson, famous Mohawk poet, James Naismith, physician and inventor of basketball, and many, many more.

The Greatest Canadians of all time

In 2004, CBC Television collected nominations for the Greatest Canadian of all time. If you want to learn more about great Canadians, we encourage you to examine the following Parks Canada online features:

• This Week in History
• The Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance in Canada
• The Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers

Then visit The Greatest Canadian Web site to nominate your candidate.

The wonder of Canada's cultural and natural heritage

In addition to managing the national program of historical commemoration, Parks Canada also manages 149 national historic sites, 41 national parks and two national marine conservation areas located across the country. We invite you to visit the rest of the Parks Canada Web site to discover the wonder, magic and richness of Canada's cultural and natural heritage.

Thank you and come again!