Canada Is Putting a Woman on Its Currency—and You Can Help Decide Who
Hilary George-Parkin
If you were waffling over your plans to move to Canada pending Donald Trump’s presidential win, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just made an announcement that might push you over the edge. (And no, it’s not that those panda bears are up for adoption.)
Yesterday, he revealed that the country will feature a Canadian woman in its next series of bank notes, set to debut in 2018.
“Today, on International Women’s Day, the Bank of Canada is taking the first step by launching public consultations to select an iconic Canadian woman to be featured on this new bill,” said Trudeau.
Currently, Queen Elizabeth II is the only notable female to grace the face side of Canada’s paper currency (she’s on the $20s), while the hundred-dollar bill pays tribute to the country’s scientific achievements with an illustration of a woman looking into a microscope.
The Bank of Canada hasn’t yet determined which denomination will feature the new female honoree, but it’s inviting the country to nominate outstanding candidates through its Bank NOTE-able program through April 15, 2016. Before you go jump at the chance to submit your favorite Canuck, though, there are a few caveats: The nominees must have died prior to April 15, 1991, which, sadly, rules out my top picks among my fellow Canadians, Céline Dion and Alanis Morissette, and they can’t be a fictional character (sorry, Anne of Green Gables).
The question of which woman should go on the American $10 bill has been a topic of interest since last June, when the Treasury announced plans to roll out a new series of notes in 2020 to join those featuring Alexander Hamilton. But since the volume of submissions has delayed the decision until sometime later this year, it looks like Canada has gone and stolen the States’ thunder.
Sorry, guys; maybe next time.
