Gord Downie Chosen as "Newsmaker of the Year"

For the second year running, Canadian musician and activist Gord Downie is selected as the Newsmaker of the Year by the Canadian Press.

The Canadian news agency has said that their decision was based on a survey from newsrooms across the nation:

“His hope for a better Canada is one of the reasons editors and broadcasters say they selected him as Canada’s Newsmaker of the Year for the second straight time.

Downie collected 47 votes (53 per cent) in the annual Canadian Press survey of newsrooms across the country. The musician remains the only entertainer to receive the title in its 71-year history.

He’s also now among a select group of Canadians to be voted top newsmaker more than once. Others include former prime ministers Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau and activist athletes Terry Fox and Rick Hansen.”

Gord Downi passed away in October at the age of 53.

~With Files from Canadian Press