Should Gord Downie have been on the new five-dollar bill?

The Canadian five-dollar bill is due for an overhaul soon and while other countries might put yet another old president or prime minister or monarch on the new edition, we seem to have moved beyond that.

There was much consultation (this is the government, of course) and at least 600 names came up–including Gord Downie and John Candy. Here’s a mock-up of what might have been,

The Bank of Canada has narrowed things down to the images of eight iconic Canadians. Here they are (via BlogTO):

• Pitseolak Ashoona
• Robertine Barry (“Françoise”)
• Binaaswi (Francis Pegahmagabow)
• Won Alexander Cumyow
• Terry Fox
• Lotta Hitschmanova
• Isapo-muxika (Crowfoot)
• Onondeyoh (Frederick Ogilvie Loft)

So no Gord Downie–this time. But along with John Candy, the following suggestions also didn’t make the cut:

• The Littlest Hobo
• The Friendly Giant
• Hammy Hamster
• Sol the Clown

A final decision will soon be made and then we’ll get an announcement. It’s only then that design will start on the new bill. What will it look like? All we know for sure is that it will be blue.