Joni Mitchell - Courtesy of YouTube

According to a 2015 census, Canada had a population of 35.85 million. Despite their small population, however, many Canadians have enjoyed the spotlight on the global stage in various fields, from natural sciences and economics to the arts and culture.

From 1908 to date, for example, around 25 Canadians have won the prestigious Nobel Prize for their excellence in science, economics, literature and peace. Canadian artists and entertainers – from the highbrow to the mainstream – have also earned international recognition. Below are some snapshots of their achievements overseas in their respective fields.

Science and economics

In the field of economics, three Canadians have won the Nobel Prize within a period of three years: Robert Mundell in 1999, Myron Scholes in 1997 and William Vickrey in 1996. Mundell, in particular, has distinguished himself through his Mundell-Fleming economic model, set forth by Mundell and Marcus Fleming, which explains the correlations among an economy’s nominal exchange value, its interest rate and output.

Meanwhile, in the natural sciences, Canadians have won the Nobel Prize in the fields of physiology and medicine, physics and chemistry. The best-known among them is Ernest Rutherford, whose name and theories feature prominently in chemistry and physics textbooks around the world. Rutherford, who became the first Canadian Nobel laureate in 1908, discovered the concept of radioactive half-life, while proving that radioactivity involved nuclear transmutation of one chemical element to another and differentiating between alpha and beta radiation.

Courtesy of hulu

Popular music and entertainment

Aside from being known for its unique travel destinations as well as an excellent education system, Canada is also known for its arts and culture scene, which has attained global recognition. The Canadian arts and culture scene covers a lot of grounds, from highbrow to mainstream types, but the best-known fields are music, literature and humor.

Throughout Canada’s history, its culture has been influenced by European traditions, especially British and French. In addition to that, Canadian people have also been influenced by US culture due to the shared language, proximity and migration between the two countries.

Let us start with popular music, the field that is probably most familiar to people, including Indonesians. For the current generation, the most popular Canadian singer might be the controversial entertainer Justin Bieber, whose songs have been watched by billions of viewers on YouTube.

Bieber started his career by uploading a video on YouTube and has signed with the major record label Universal. The song that propelled him to fame – “Baby” – prompted cheers and jeers around the world when it was released in 2009, when the singer was just 15 years old. His latest song – “Sorry” – has been viewed more than 2.6 billion times.

Another pop singer who has gained recognition in the millennial generation is Carly Rae Jepsen, well-known for her song “Call Me Maybe”, which was in heavy rotation on the radio. The singer was so popular in Indonesia that she was invited to Jakarta in 2013 to commemorate the launch of a privately owned television network called NET TV.

Now, let us rewind to the 1990s, the era considered to be the most exciting time for music by observers and music lovers alike. The 1990s generation likes to be nostalgic about that period – when music flourished like never before, supported by the now-shrinking Music Television (MTv) channel – so let us remember some Canadian musicians who graced the scene during that decade.

In the pop music field, Bryan Adams and Celine Dion are powerhouses of the 1990s. From the more soulful field, we remember Sarah McLachlan with her melancholic ballads, such as “Adia” and “Angel.” Meanwhile, representing the 1990s alt-rock scene is Alanis Morissette, screaming into the microphone songs like “You Oughta Know.”

From the 1970s and 1980s generation, we know prominent singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Before them came the man who bridged the world of poetry and music, the late Leonard Cohen. The three musicians – known for their introspective and poetic songwriting – have inspired artists in generations to follow them, like Sarah McLachlan, Diana Krall and Tori Amos, to name a few.

In the field of mainstream entertainment, most Indonesians are probably familiar with the 30-minute television sketch program Just for laughs gags, which has been on air for almost two decades since the year 2000. Originally aired in Montreal, Canada, the silent comedy show makes television audiences in Indonesia and anywhere else laugh their heads off with the hilarious pranks shown there.

In Hollywood also many Canadian faces gained international fame, including Jim Carrey, Ryan Gosling, Pamela Anderson, Michael J. Fox and Rachel McAdams.

Margaret Atwood (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Literature

The most recent Canadian to receive the Nobel Prize in literature is short story writer Alice Munro, who won the award in 2013, following fellow Canadian literature Nobel laureate Saul Bellow, who won the prize in 1976. Munro’s most recent works include Dear Life (2004) and Too Much Happiness (2013). Munro also received another international award for her works, namely the Man Booker International Prize in 2009. Her works are distinguished by their investigation of human frailty.

Another prominent female writer from Canada, probably the most celebrated feminist worldwide, is Margaret Atwood. Atwood is a versatile writer of short stories, novels, essays, poetry and also children’s books. Considered to be her best work, Atwood’s 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale – telling the story of a dystopian theocratic nation – has recently become popular again, with many people talking about it.

Contemporary readers are amazed with how the novel, written 32 years ago, has been capable of forecasting current socio-political conditions, with religious fundamentalism flourishing everywhere. The ‘resurrection’ of the book’s popularity after 32 years of being ‘shelved’ is such that the Hulu television network has turned it into a TV series.