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David Suzuki most 'admired' Canadian; Rick Hansen second

Peter Mansbridge and Margaret Atwood also placed high, while Mike Duffy, Conrad Black, and John Furlong scraped the bottom.
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Canadian environmentalist and activist David Suzuki (seen here in 2006).


Long-time environmentalist David Suzuki is the most admired Canadian – by Canadians – according to a new poll by Angus Reid Global.

57 per cent of those surveyed said they admired Suzuki, who topped British Columbian paralympian Rick Hansen (50 per cent), Peter Mansbridge (48 per cent), and Margaret Atwood (34 per cent). Bringing up the rear – as the least admired Canadians – are recently embattled Canadian senator Mike Duffy (four per cent), once-jailed media mogul Conrad Black (five per cent), and former VANOC head John Furlong (six per cent), who has been fighting off allegations of sexual abuse of Aboriginal students when Furlong taught in Burns Lake, B.C.

Without topping the list, prominent Canadian politicians managed to poll respective numbers.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau led all federal political part leader with 34 per cent admiration, followed by Prime Minister and Conservative leader Stephen Harper (23 per cent) Green Party leader Elizabeth May (22 per cent) and NDP leader Thomas Mulcair (20 per cent).

May was also among the "least known Canadians". In that list, May finished with 29 per cent, tying her with Belinda Stronach. Stephen Lewis ranked high in the unknown category with 51 per cent.

John Furlong was also one of the least known Canadians, with 63 per cent.