A bank NOTE-able Canadian

Students will use the concept of historical significance to choose an iconic Canadian as a portrait subject for the Bank of Canada’s $5 bank note.

Overview

In 2018, the Bank of Canada unveiled a $10 bank note featuring Viola Desmond – the first woman other than royalty to be featured on a regularly circulating Canadian bank note. In early 2020, the Bank of Canada asked for nominations from the public for whose portrait should appear on a new $5 bank note. The public nomination process is an excellent opportunity to explore historical significance, one of the historical thinking concepts in many provincial and territorial curricula. This concept lets students examine how and why we choose important historical figures to represent Canada.

Big idea

The people and imagery chosen for bank notes are historically significant because bank notes are designed to represent Canada.

Total time

Approximately 60 minutes of instructional time with options for research in class time or for homework and in-class presentations

Grade levels

Grades 6 to 10; Elementary Cycle Three to Secondary IV

Subject areas

Social studies

• past and present: Changes in everyday objects
• heritage and identity: Communities in Canada, past and present
• historical significance, continuity and change

History

• use of the historical inquiry process to investigate different cultural and social groups throughout Canada
• significant Canadians throughout history
• identity, citizenship and heritage
• historical significance, continuity and change

Learning objectives

Students will:

• examine bank notes as visual historical documents using the social studies and historical inquiry processes
• use the concept of historical significance to examine the portrait subjects of Canadian bank notes
• research important Canadians

Materials

Classroom supplies and technology

• computers or tablets with internet access for students (one per two to four students)
• white board and markers

Online resources

From the Bank of Canada:

• Frontiers series $5 note
• Canada’s vertical $10 note
• Principles of bank note design
• The next bank NOTE-able Canadian
• Your candidates for the next $5 bank note

For research:

• The Canadian Encyclopedia
• Historica Canada Heritage Minutes
• Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Activity 1: Explore our $5 bank note

Time

30 minutes

1.1 Opening discussion

As a class, examine the $5 bank note from the Frontiers series.

Ask the students:

• Do they recognize the person on this note? Who is it?
• Why is Sir Wilfrid Laurier historically significant?
• What are the other images on the bank note? What do they represent?

1.2 Hands-on exercise

Divide the class into small groups of three to four students.

Tell them that the Bank of Canada is redesigning the $5 bank note, and it is looking for a portrait subject for this note.

Ask the groups to come up with a list of people who meet the following criteria. The portrait subject:

• is a Canadian (by birth or naturalization)
• has demonstrated outstanding leadership, achievement or distinction in any field, benefiting the people of Canada or in the service of Canada
• has been deceased for at least 25 years (died before March 11, 1995)
• is not a fictional character

Encourage students to think about diversity and to include Canadians they have learned about recently. These could be Indigenous people, women, local and regional historical figures, racialized people, veterans or others. Students can use a computer to research their choices. The Canadian Encyclopedia, Heritage Minutes and the Dictionary of Canadian Biography are good places to start.

Compile a list of the submissions from the whole class.

Ask each group to share one of their nominations with the class and discuss the person’s significance in relation to the selection criteria.

Explain that historical significance varies over time and from group to group. Therefore, the person they think is the most significant may not be the same as that chosen by other students in the class or by someone 20 years ago.

1.3 Discussion

Ask the students:

• Was it hard to find people to put on your list? Was it hard to choose only one?
• What were some of the things you considered important for your choices?
• Do you think the person you chose will still be significant in 50 years?

Activity 2: Nominate an iconic Canadian

Time

30 minutes (plus optional class time or homework for research and a follow-up class for debates)

2.1 Opening discussion

Show the class the nominations submitted by Canadians for the new $5 bank note and ask them to check if their nominee was included.

Explain to students that:

• The Bank of Canada invited Canadians to submit names of iconic Canadians they felt deserved to be recognized on a bank note, following the criteria we looked at in the first activity. The Bank received tens of thousands of submissions from the Canadian public.
• An independent Advisory Council developed a short list of nominees. The Minister of Finance will make the final decision.

2.2 Hands-on exercise

Show your class the short list of Canadians who were nominated to appear on the $5 note. The eight candidates are:

• Pitseolak Ashoona, [c. 1904–08]–1983, Inuit artist
• Robertine Barry (“Françoise”), 1863–1910, French-Canadian journalist and social justice activist
• Binaaswi (Francis Pegahmagabow), 1888–1952, Indigenous solider, First World War veteran and Indigenous rights activist
• Won Alexander Cumyow, 1861–1955, first known Chinese-Canadian born in Canada, interpreter and activist
• Terry Fox, 1958–1981, athlete and cancer research activist
• Lotta Hitschmanova, 1909–1990, humanitarian
• Isapo-muxika (Crowfoot), c. 1830–1990, Siksika chief and Indigenous diplomat
• Onondeyoh (Frederick Ogilvie Loft), 1861–1934, Mohawk chief, Indigenous soldier, First World War veteran, activist and author

Divide the class into eight groups and assign each group one person from this list.

• Ask each group to research their candidate online. A research article is linked to each of the nominees above.
• Tell each group that their job will be to argue for the significance of their nominee in a debate about which Canadian should appear on a bank note.

The following are five additional criteria the Advisory Council used to create the short list of portrait subjects for the $5 note. Write or display these criteria on the board.

• Positive change: The shortlisted nominees should have changed Canada and Canadians for the better.
• National icon: Their impact is known nationally across Canada.
• Universality: They have had an impact in Canada and this impact should reflect Canadian values.
• Uniqueness: They are uniquely Canadian and known beyond their local/regional communities.
• Relevancy: They had an impact that is relevant today.

Ask the students to find sources and arguments for the historical significance of each person. You may wish to give students a further class period to complete this, or to assign it as homework.

Arrange a debate during the following class. Allow each group to present their candidate. Encourage students to use visual aids.

At the end of all the presentations, ask the students to vote anonymously for who they would choose to be on the next $5 bank note.

2.3 Discussion

Ask the students:

• Do you think that the person who won our class vote the most significant person? Why or why not?
• What do you think of the criteria chosen by the Bank of Canada and the Advisory Council for the historical significance of the nominees?

Remind students that historical significance varies from person to person and group to group. In their own way, each of these candidates is significant and deserves to be on the bank note. They all fulfill the Advisory Council’s criteria.

Extensions

• Learn more about historical significance and continuity and change in The changing face of our money.
• Write an essay on the historical significance of one of these portrait subjects, highlighting the construction of historical significance and the subject’s place in the story of Canada.
• Learn about the life of a polymer bank note with this video and discussion guide.
• Examine the environmental impact of everyday items by assessing the life cycle of a universal product: money.