10 Things The World Wouldn't Have Without Canadians
Canada has made several important contributions to the world that have changed the course of history. From staple foods you'll find in your cupboard to valuable tools used in multiple industries, Canadians have been at the forefront of technology and innovation for decades.
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In honour of Canada's 150th birthday, here are some notable Canadian inventions and contributions that have had a positive impact on society:
Egg cartons
British Columbia
The egg carton was invented by Joseph Coyle, a newspaper editor who lived in the town of Smithers in British Columbia. He created it as a a solution to a quarrel between a hotel manager and a farmer regarding the delivery of broken eggs.
Source: Innovation 150
Caesars
Alberta
The caesar was invented by Walter Chell, the restaurant manager of the Calgary Inn (formerly the Westin Inn). He developed the cocktail to be the house drink for a new Italian restaurant that was opening at the inn.
Source: Liquor.com
ATMs
Saskatchewan
The ATM was actually first developed and used in Saskatchewan. The very first one in Canada appeared in 1977 and was owned by the country's sixth largest credit union, Conexus.
Source: Global News
Clodhoppers
Manitoba
Clodhoppers were conceived by Chris Emery and Larry Finnson from Winnipeg. The chocolates were based off of a family recipe that Emery's grandmother had developed, and they eventually signed a distribution contract with Wal-Mart in 1998.
Source: Winnipeg Sun
Insulin
Ontario
Insulin was discovered by Toronto researchers Frederick Banting and Charles H. Best in 1921 while examining pancreatic extracts of dogs. Their tests revealed that the hormone significantly lowered blood glucose levels to normal, and it is has been used in the treatment of diabetes ever since.
Source: Heritage @ UofT
Peanut butter
Quebec
Peanut butter was created by Marcellus Edson in 1884, an English chemist from Montreal. He came up with the idea of making a peanut paste for individuals who have trouble chewing solid foods.
Source: National Peanut Board
Snowblower
New Brunswick
The snowblower was invented by Robert Carr Harris of New Brunswick in 1870. At the time, it he patented the machine as a "Railway Screw Snow Excavator".
Source: Government of New Brunswick
Telephone
Nova Scotia
The telephone was invented by Scottish-born Alexander Graham Bell, who became a Canadian citizen in 1870 and moved to Cape Breton, NS from Brantford, ON in 1885. He experimented with various sound transmitters and receivers, and was the first person to obtain a patent for his apparatus.
Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia
Reduced fat salad dressing
Prince Edward Island
Reduced fat salad dressing was patented by Shoji Yamamoto from Charlottetown. He formuated it using a microparticulated protein that served as the replacement for part of the fat or oil in salad dressing.
Source: Google Patents
Gas mask
Newfoundland
The gas mask was invented by physicist Cluny Macpherson from St. John's, who made a primitive apparatus using fabric and a helmet stolen from a German prisoner in the middle of WWI.
Source: CBC