Extraordinary Canadians

Peter Mansbridge is a well-known former CBC News anchor here in Canada and with television producer Mark Bulgutch, he has compiled this collection of first-person narratives from everyday Canadians who have made a positive impact on our country. 

As Mansbridge states, the great heroes of a country aren't the politicians, the money makers or the celebrities - it is the everyday heroes who show what a country is made of. It's the frontline nurses, the soldiers, the immigrants. It's the advocates, the first Indigenous female surgeon and others who have broken down barriers and faced personal struggles, yet still found the strength, and compassion to give back to their communities to fight for inclusion, acceptance and freedom.

This book features Canadians from various backgrounds and reflects the diversity, humility, strength and perseverance of our population as these seventeen people share the contributions they've made to their communities and our country as a whole. They are an eclectic bunch and while their stories are all compelling, a few touched me more than others - in particular, Jessica Grossman, Frances Wright and Robb Nash. Jessica shares her struggle with Crohn's Disease and her goal to destigmatize ostomy bags. Frances is a tireless supporter of social justice who raised millions of dollars for the Famous Five statues in Ottawa in recognition of five prominent Canadian suffragists and musician Robb Nash is an inspiration for his on-going dedication to support teens dealing with bullying, self-harm, and suicide.

Inspiring, touching and a source of great pride, this group of Canadians show why Canada's diversity, humility and strength make this country an amazing place to call home and for the word 'Canadian' to mean so very much.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for my complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Peter Mansbridge (with Mark Bulgutch)

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Canadian

Type and Source: eBook from NetGalley

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada

First Published: Nov 10, 2020

Opening Lines: The Canadian military cemetery at Beny-sur-Mer 

in northwestern France is just a few kilometres from the 

Normandy coast. On a clear summer's day, standing 

among the headstones, you can see the water and the 

beaches. The same beaches where hundreds of young Canadian 

boys were cut down by German guns on June 6, 1944. D-Day.

Book Description from Amazon.ca: From Peter Mansbridge, the beloved former anchor of CBC’s The National, and Mark Bulgutch, former CBC producer, comes a collection of first-person stories about remarkable Canadians who embody the values of our great nation—kindness, compassion, courage, and freedom—and inspire us to do the same.

In this timely and heartwarming volume of personal stories, Peter Mansbridge and former CBC producer Mark Bulgutch bring together inspiring Canadians from across the country, who in their own way, are making Canada a better place for all.

Hear Gitxsan activist Cindy Blackstock describe her childhood in northern British Columbia where she straddled two communities—Indigenous and non-Indigenous—and her subsequent fight for equitable health care for all children as the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. Meet Matt Devlin, the US broadcaster who found a new home in Canada when he got a job with the Toronto Raptors, and read how he helped calm the crowd when a gunman began shooting in Nathan Phillips Square after the team’s NBA championship win. From the young woman living with Crohn’s disease—and proudly modeling her ostomy bag—to the rabbi whose family fled Nazi Germany—and who now gives the benediction on Parliament Hill each Remembrance Day—Extraordinary Canadians celebrates the people who have overcome adversity and broken down barriers to champion the rights and freedoms of everyone who calls Canada home.

Featuring voices from all walks of life—advocates, politicians, doctors, veterans, immigrants, business leaders, and more—this collection gets to the heart of what it means to be Canadian. These stories will change the way you see your country and make you fall in love with Canada all over again.