Year in Review 2017: Canada's top search of the year is truly American
Canadians are a patriotic bunch, but if the top Yahoo Canada search of the year is any indication, we were taking a closer look south of the border this 2017 than anywhere else in the country.
With 2017 coming to an end, Yahoo Canada compiled a list of top searches reflecting people, events and things that interested our country and this year’s No. 1 is (not) surprisingly…
President Donald Trump
From shuffling White House employees to his late-night tweets, U.S. president Donald Trump (No. 1) has certainly had an active year.
Popularizing the phrase “fake news” and starting a one-man fight against the media, threatening to dismantle the NAFTA trade agreement and questionable ties with Russia, Trump’s actions and resulting commentary dominated headlines internationally, from the most respected newspapers around the world to late night talks shows, and infamous Saturday Night Live sketches. The whole world was talking about Trump throughout 2017, likely a huge trend that will likely continue into 2018 as well.
Hurricane Irma
One of the events that Trump received significant criticism for was the way he handled the natural disasters that plagued the U.S. this year, Hurricane Irma (No. 7 overall) and Harvey. Hurricane Irma roared through the Caribbean and Florida with a vengeance, still leaving many communities in a state of destruction to this day. Despite the numerous natural disasters this year, president Trump has not changed his view on climate change, dismissing the idea that it is playing a role in the natural disasters that occurred around the world.
North Korea
In addition to disasters at home, Trump certainly made his views clear on international relations with North Korea (No. 6 overall). Calling leader Kim Jong Un “little rocket man” after the the country released images of a ballistic missile, in addition to saying that he would “totally destroy” North Korea with “fire and fury,” Americans and the rest of the world alike began thinking seriously about an attack from North Korea on the U.S., and the impact on the rest of the world.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
On the Canadian side of leadership, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (No. 5) got his own share of attention around the globe. Viewed internationally as a charming and progressive leader, with a great head of hair, the Trudeau media circus was in full swing throughout the year. From dressing up as Clark Kent/Superman for Halloween to speaking at women’s conferences as a self-proclaimed feminist, and apologies for government actions of the past, the prime minister certainly garnered a lot of attention, even if some Canadians may not be as moved by his charisma as his international fans.
Canadian dollar
From an economic perspective, the Canadian dollar (No. 3) kept Canadians guessing this year. The loonie saw some swift highs and lows in 2017, with differing oil prices and tumultuous trade negotiation throughout. The Canadian dollar has gained eight per cent since 2016, a high we’ll watch as international negotiations and federal spending progresses.
Toronto Blue Jays
On the sports front, the Toronto Blue Jays (No. 2), had a less successful season than they’ve had in the past couple of years, in addition to the the departure of legendary Blue Jay Jose Bautista, a polarizing event at best. There were definitely some growing pains for the Jays in 2017 but we will see what the team holds as we wait for the 2018 season.
Toronto Maple Leafs & Edmonton Oilers
In hockey, the Toronto Maple Leafs (No. 8 overall) scored Auston Matthews last year, making his first debut with the team in October 2016. The Leafs scored a spot in playoffs but were unfortunately eliminated in the first round. In 2017, the Edmonton Oilers (No. 9 overall) made the playoffs for the first time since 2006, with team captain Connor McDavid at the helm – the youngest captain in NHL history. The team’s road to the Stanley Cup eventually came to an end in the second round against the Anaheim Ducks.
Game of Thrones
In entertainment news, Game of Thrones (No. 10 overall) creators announced that this year marked the penultimate season of the HBO show. Although this most recent season saw some significant critiques in terms of consistency and tone, a television era is coming to an end, with episodes seeing their highest viewership to date this year.
Roblox
For those who may be too young to watch Game of Thrones, Roblox (No. 4) was the big attraction in 2017. It’s a multiplayer online platform that allows users to design their own game or play games created by other users. Roblox has 56 million monthly players and the company announced this year that it expects to pay out $30 million to its developers, with the highest individual pay out to reach $3 million.
Top searches overall
Donald Trump
Toronto Blue Jays
Canadian dollar
Roblox
Justin Trudeau
North Korea
Hurricane Irma
Toronto Maple Leafs
Edmonton Oilers
Game of Thrones
Gord Downie
Toronto Raptors
iPhone 8
Kate Middleton
For more looks back at 2017, check in with Yahoo Canada for the top searches and stories in Style, Sports, Finance, and News.
