About the note
A 1906 photograph by William James Topley served as the source for this engraving of Canada’s seventh prime minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier. The engraving was by Yves Baril of the Canadian Bank Note Company. Next to Laurier is an image of the original Centre Block of Parliament Hill, seen from the west, as it appeared before the fire of 1916 destroyed it.
Like all notes in this series, the reverse features a bird chosen for its pan‑Canadian habitat. The original artwork was created by renowned nature artist John Crosby and prepared for lithography by Yves Baril, who reproduce it in gouache and coloured pencil. This is the first series of Canadian bank notes with backs printed entirely by lithography. The belted kingfisher on the $5 note can be found in wetlands and near bodies of water in every Canadian province and territory. As its name suggests, the kingfisher feeds mainly on fish, but it also eats molluscs, insects and small animals.
At a glance
- Portrait: Sir Wilfrid Laurier
- Date of issue: April 28, 1986
- Last day of issue: March 26, 2002
- Signatures:
- Deputy Governors John W. Crow, Gordon G. Thiessen, Bernard Bonin and Malcolm D. Knight
- Governors Gerald K. Bouey, John W. Crow, Gordon G. Thiessen and David A. Dodge
- Dimensions: 15.2 cm x 7 cm
- Design: De La Rue Company Ltd.
- Printer: Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd.
- Status: legal tender
