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Gérald Larose, trade union official (b at Ham Nord Qc 24 Oct 1945). He was a dominant personality in Québécois society during the 80s and 90s.

Paul Edward Haggis, writer, director, producer (born 10 Mar 1953 in London, Ontario). Within Canada, Paul Haggis may be best known as the creator of the popular TV series Due South, which earned him six Gemini Awards including two for Best Dramatic Series. Internationally, he is renowned for a number of film achievements. He made history in 2006 as the first screenwriter of back-to-back Best Picture Oscar winners — Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Crash (2005). He also won Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay Oscars for the latter and helped rejuvenate the James Bond franchise with his screenplays for Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008). More recently, his reputation has been marred by four allegations of sexual assault: in January 2018, he began defending himself in a civil suit against those allegations.

Jean Drapeau, CC, GOQ, lawyer, politician, mayor of Montréal 1954¬–57 and 1960–86 (born 18 February 1916 in Montréal, Québec; died 12 August 1999 in Montréal). Jean Drapeau’s longevity as a politician was such that during his 29 years as mayor of Montréal, seven prime ministers and nine Québec premiers took office. He gave Montréal its largest piece of urban transit infrastructure, the Montréal metro, and two of its greatest moments: a 1967 World Exposition celebrating Canada’s centennial that drew 50 million visitors, and the 1976 Olympic Summer Games. However, he also presided over the decline of Montréal as Canada’s business capital and largest city.

He staged his first play, All These Heels, at Edmonton's first fringe festival in 1982. He had a breakthrough in 1986 with Cocktails at Pam's, a real-time, on-stage depiction of a cocktail party that goes horribly wrong.

Annette, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile and Marie aroused worldwide attention after their birth at Corbeil, Ontario, to Oliva and Elzire Dionne on 28 May 1934. With only two previous cases on record, they were the only quintuplets to survive for more than a few days. This miracle, plus their baby cuteness, the poverty of their French Canadian parents, and the controversy over their guardianship, made them the sensation of the 1930s.

Jean-Guy Pilon, writer (b at Saint-Polycarpe, Qué 12 Nov 1930). He studied at the Valleyfield (now Salaberry-de-Valleyfield) seminary (1943-48) and the College Bourget in Rigaud (BA 1951); he received his LLL (1954) from Université de Montréal.

Phyllis Dewar, swimmer (b at Moose Jaw, Sask 5 Mar 1916; d at Toronto 8 Apr 1961). Spurred from age 4 by a strong competitive instinct, Dewar was the best swimmer on the prairies by age 17.

Jacques Alfred Dextraze, "Ja Dex," soldier (b at Montréal 15 Aug 1919; d at Ottawa 10 May 1993). He served during WWII in Iceland, England, France, Germany and the Netherlands and was promoted from private to lt-col commanding the Fusiliers Mount-Royal.

Horatio Henry Lovat Dickson, publisher, writer (b at Victoria, Australia 30 June 1902; d at Toronto 2 Jan 1987).

John James Deutsch, educator, public servant (b at Quinton, Sask 26 Feb 1911; d at Kingston, Ont Mar 1976).

Dimitri Dimakopoulos, architect, urban designer (b at Athens, Greece 14 Sept 1929; d at Montréal 7 Nov 1995).

Édouard-Gaston Deville, surveyor (b at La Charité sur Noire, Nièvre, France 21 Feb 1849; d at Ottawa 21 Sept 1924). Educated at the naval school at Brest, Deville served in the French Navy and was in charge of its hydrographic surveys throughout the world.

Marcel Elphage Dionne, hockey player (b at Drummondville, Que 3 Aug 1951). After an eventful career as a junior at St Catharines in which he was twice the top scorer in the OHL, he was first choice of the Detroit Red Wings in the amateur draft of 1971.

John Arthur Fraser, artist, illustrator, teacher (b at London, Eng 9 Jan 1838; d at New York C, NY 1 Jan 1898). Soon after emigrating from England in 1858, Fraser joined the firm of William NOTMAN in Montréal as a tinter

From the mid-19th century to around 1930, over 900 000 francophone Québecois emigrated to the US. They migrated in waves, especially after the American Civil War, and around 1890 managed to feel at home and, in a few generations, adopted the habits and customs of their new surroundings.

Armand Frappier, CC, physician, microbiologist (born 26 November 1904 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC; died 17 December 1991 in Montréal, QC).

Michel Dessailliant, dit Richeterre, painter (fl 1701-23). A victim of France's mercantile policy, he was not able to settle permanently in New France and practise his art.

Jean Désy, diplomat (b at Montréal 8 Jan 1893; d at Paris, France 19 Dec 1960). Educated at Laval and the Sorbonne, the highly intelligent Désy was called to the Québec Bar in 1915 and taught history and law at Université de Montréal, 1919-25.

Charles-Eusèbe Dionne, ornithologist (b at St-Denis de Kamouraska, Qué 11 July 1845; d at Québec City 25 Jan 1925). The model of the self-taught man, Dionne was one of the most respected naturalists of French Canada.

Sir Martin Frobisher, mariner, privateer, explorer (born ca. 1535 near Wakefield, England; died 22 November 1594 in Plymouth, England).