Quotes by Canadian Authors | Beyond Motive

top of page

Quotes by Canadian Authors

"The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise."

"The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise."

Alden Nowlan, Canadian Poet

138

"I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."

"I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."

Stephen Leacock, Canadian Economist

Motivational, Work, Luck

135

"Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future; let them look to the land of their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children."

"Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future; let them look to the land of their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children."

Wilfrid Laurier, Canadian Statesman

Family, Children, Future, Land, Past

131

"When I wrote my book I wanted to love someone. I wanted to be in love. Now I know that I shall never be in love - and I no longer wish to be."

"When I wrote my book I wanted to love someone. I wanted to be in love. Now I know that I shall never be in love - and I no longer wish to be."

Mary MacLane, Canadian Writer

122

"But basically, I'm trying to write a fun story."

"But basically, I'm trying to write a fun story."

Rob Walton, Canadian Athlete

119

"Grief changes shape, but it never ends."

"Grief changes shape, but it never ends."

Keanu Reeves, Canadian Actor

118

"My father was a police officer before he retired. One of my brothers is also a police officer, and I think they kind of expected I would do something along those lines, like become a fireman or something."

"My father was a police officer before he retired. One of my brothers is also a police officer, and I think they kind of expected I would do something along those lines, like become a fireman or something."

Ryan Reynolds, Canadian Actor

Father, Brothers, Police

115

"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical and insignificant, if not utterly impossible."

"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical and insignificant, if not utterly impossible."

Simon Newcomb, Canadian Mathematician

Machine, Machines

111

"There's a civic nationalism in Britain and dozens of other countries."

"There's a civic nationalism in Britain and dozens of other countries."

Michael Ignatieff, Canadian Politician

Nation, Countries, Nationalism

110

"Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it."

"Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it."

Hans Selye, Canadian Scientist

108

"He's completely blown through his younger years like his childhood was one big cigarette to smoke carelessly."

"He's completely blown through his younger years like his childhood was one big cigarette to smoke carelessly."

Rebecca McNutt, Canadian Author

Youth, Waste, Time, Neglect

106

"A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together."

"A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together."

Margaret Atwood, Canadian Novelist

Silence, Speech, Voice

106

"Do you think Revolutions are made with rose water?"

"Do you think Revolutions are made with rose water?"

Francis Bond Head, Canadian Statesman

100

"And I've been lucky in that I haven't had another job besides acting in the last five years."

"And I've been lucky in that I haven't had another job besides acting in the last five years."

Nicholas Lea, Canadian Actor

Acting, Job, Years

98

"Innovation is this amazing intersection between someone's imagination and the reality in which they live. The problem is, many companies don't have great imagination, but their view of reality tells them that it's impossible to do what they imagine."

"Innovation is this amazing intersection between someone's imagination and the reality in which they live. The problem is, many companies don't have great imagination, but their view of reality tells them that it's impossible to do what they imagine."

Ron Johnson, Canadian Politician

Imagination, Innovation, Reality

98

"A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven."

"A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven."

Jean Chretien, Canadian Statesman

97

"I'm a hard guy to live with. I'm like a caged animal. I'm up all night walking around the living room. It's hard for me to come down from what I do."

"I'm a hard guy to live with. I'm like a caged animal. I'm up all night walking around the living room. It's hard for me to come down from what I do."

Jim Carrey, Canadian Comedian

Living, Night, Walking

97

"Individuals have little opportunity to get elected to Parliament under the label of the government party... unless they are in good standing with the Prime Minister and pledged to be cooperative."

"Individuals have little opportunity to get elected to Parliament under the label of the government party... unless they are in good standing with the Prime Minister and pledged to be cooperative."

Stockwell Day, Canadian Politician

Government, Opportunity, Parliament, Party

96

"The most technologically efficient machine that man has ever invented is the book."

"The most technologically efficient machine that man has ever invented is the book."

Northrop Frye, Canadian Critic

Greatness, Machine, Man

94

"I don't like the American media - particularly Fox."

"I don't like the American media - particularly Fox."

Neil Young, Canadian Musician

American, Media

94

"I'm looking forward to influencing others in a positive way. My message is you can do anything if you just put your mind to it."

"I'm looking forward to influencing others in a positive way. My message is you can do anything if you just put your mind to it."

Justin Bieber, Canadian Musician

94

"To me, I was always just standing on the sidelines because up until issue 50, we were just doing Spawn. I wasn't recruiting anybody because I didn't have any books for people to work on."

"To me, I was always just standing on the sidelines because up until issue 50, we were just doing Spawn. I wasn't recruiting anybody because I didn't have any books for people to work on."

Todd McFarlane, Canadian Artist

Work, People, Books

93

"New York was breaking my concentration and disintegrating my thoughts."

"New York was breaking my concentration and disintegrating my thoughts."

George Murray, Canadian Poet

Thought, Thoughts

92

"Many days I don't write any code at all, and some days I spend all day writing code."

"Many days I don't write any code at all, and some days I spend all day writing code."

Larry Wall, Canadian Author

Career, Day, Writing

91

"Being a lawyer in New York sucks because you're working eighty, sometimes a hundred hours a week."

"Being a lawyer in New York sucks because you're working eighty, sometimes a hundred hours a week."

David Steinberg, Canadian Comedian

90

"The Liberals are the flying saucers of politics. No one can make head nor tail of them and they never are seen twice in the same place."

"The Liberals are the flying saucers of politics. No one can make head nor tail of them and they never are seen twice in the same place."

John G. Diefenbaker, Canadian Statesman

Politics, Flying, Liberals

90

"A lot was happening, plus there were an enormous number of people in the industry that were going to conventions, so it was a pretty fun time. Also there was a lot of controversy and I was at the forefront of some of that."

"A lot was happening, plus there were an enormous number of people in the industry that were going to conventions, so it was a pretty fun time. Also there was a lot of controversy and I was at the forefront of some of that."

Todd McFarlane, Canadian Artist

Time, People, Controversy, Fun

90

"I had the idea that I should beat up every player I tangled with and nothing ever convinced me it wasn't a good idea."

"I had the idea that I should beat up every player I tangled with and nothing ever convinced me it wasn't a good idea."

Ted Lindsay, Canadian Athlete

Creativity, Idea, Nothing

89

"The scientific and technological discoveries that have made war so infinitely more terrible for us are part of the same process that has knit us all so much more closely together."

"The scientific and technological discoveries that have made war so infinitely more terrible for us are part of the same process that has knit us all so much more closely together."

Lester B. Pearson, Canadian Politician

89

"I rise today in support of Bill C-38, the Civil Marriage Act. I rise in support of a Canada in which liberties are safeguarded, rights are protected and the people of this land are treated as equals under the law."

"I rise today in support of Bill C-38, the Civil Marriage Act. I rise in support of a Canada in which liberties are safeguarded, rights are protected and the people of this land are treated as equals under the law."

Paul Martin, Canadian Politician

Marriage, People, Act, Canada

87

"I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for its leadership in developing hybrids which others are now following."

"I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for its leadership in developing hybrids which others are now following."

Maurice Strong, Canadian Businessman

Leadership, Environmental, Development, Awareness

87

"In this world you've just got to hope for the best and prepare for the worst and take whatever God sends."

"In this world you've just got to hope for the best and prepare for the worst and take whatever God sends."

Lucy Maud Montgomery, Canadian Educator

God, Hope, World

87

"We all have these tendencies in us that could go this way or that. I think that's the real key in writing. To look at a character without judgment."

"We all have these tendencies in us that could go this way or that. I think that's the real key in writing. To look at a character without judgment."

Paul Haggis, Canadian Director

Character, Judgment, Key, Writing

86

"It's all trotters in Sweden, so that's what's always caught my eye."

"It's all trotters in Sweden, so that's what's always caught my eye."

Mats Sundin, Canadian Athlete

Creativity, Eye

86

"We must keep on trying to solve problems, one by one, stage by stage, if not on the basis of confidence and cooperation, at least on that of mutual toleration and self-interest."

"We must keep on trying to solve problems, one by one, stage by stage, if not on the basis of confidence and cooperation, at least on that of mutual toleration and self-interest."

Lester B. Pearson, Canadian Politician

Confidence, Cooperation, Problems, Self

85

"You talk about Japanese technocracy and you get radios."

"You talk about Japanese technocracy and you get radios."

Gordon Sinclair, Canadian Journalist

85

"It's a responsibility of the writer to get the reader out of the story somehow."

"It's a responsibility of the writer to get the reader out of the story somehow."

Michael Ondaatje, Canadian Author

Responsibility, Writer

84

"When the franc was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it."

"When the franc was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it."

Gordon Sinclair, Canadian Journalist

Politics, Americans, Danger, Paris, Reward

84

"A word after a word after a word is power."

"A word after a word after a word is power."

Margaret Atwood, Canadian Novelist

83

"You can never step into the same book twice, because you are different each time you read it."

"You can never step into the same book twice, because you are different each time you read it."

John Barton, Canadian Poet

83

"My death will be caused by morphine, which I have deliberately taken with suicidal intent."

"My death will be caused by morphine, which I have deliberately taken with suicidal intent."

Alex Campbell, Canadian Politician

83

"When I decided to take writing seriously, I did a lot of reading and analyzing of the books I liked, and came up with what I thought were pretty sound plotting and structure basics."

"When I decided to take writing seriously, I did a lot of reading and analyzing of the books I liked, and came up with what I thought were pretty sound plotting and structure basics."

George Stephen, Canadian Businessman

Reading, Thought, Books, Pretty

82

"It would be simply suicidal to French Canadians to form a party by themselves."

"It would be simply suicidal to French Canadians to form a party by themselves."

Wilfrid Laurier, Canadian Statesman

81

"Mostly this problem is contained in the fact that the US makes it so difficult for Canadians to get green cards (you heard it here), but if an American orchestra really wants a player, they have their ways."

"Mostly this problem is contained in the fact that the US makes it so difficult for Canadians to get green cards (you heard it here), but if an American orchestra really wants a player, they have their ways."

Lara St. John, Canadian Musician

American, Cards, Fact

81

"We all agree on the necessity of compromise. We just can't agree on when it's necessary to compromise."

"We all agree on the necessity of compromise. We just can't agree on when it's necessary to compromise."

Larry Wall, Canadian Author

Compromise, Necessity

79

"We have two tables on our airplane that are set up with the games."

"We have two tables on our airplane that are set up with the games."

Steve Yzerman, Canadian Athlete

79

"I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old."

"I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old."

A. E. van Vogt, Canadian Author

Creativity, Science, Fiction, First, Old

79

"Anyone who tries to make a distinction between education and entertainment doesn't know the first thing about either."

"Anyone who tries to make a distinction between education and entertainment doesn't know the first thing about either."

Marshall McLuhan, Canadian Sociologist

Education, Entertainment, First

78

"Improving the world can be a nasty and ugly and difficult and dangerous business...because when you improve the world, you threaten the entrenched interests of evil people."

"Improving the world can be a nasty and ugly and difficult and dangerous business...because when you improve the world, you threaten the entrenched interests of evil people."

Stefan Molyneux, Canadian Author

Society, Change, Improvement, Conflict, Power

78

"Somehow, the painting soothed him. It verified his fears. But it also informed him that fear was wonderful."

"Somehow, the painting soothed him. It verified his fears. But it also informed him that fear was wonderful."

Timothy Findley, Canadian Novelist

77

bottom of page