Sir William Stephenson, man believed to be inspiration for James Bond, honoured with Manitoba lake
Manitoba is honouring Sir William Stephenson, the man who many believe is the inspiration for the fictional James Bond, by naming a lake after the real-life spy.
Stephenson – who was codenamed Intrepid -- was born in Winnipeg and known as one of the great spies of the Second World War.
Now, the Government of Manitoba is honouring Stephenson, who was born 125 years ago, with the naming of Sir William Stephenson Lake located between lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba.
“This is a great tribute to a really outstanding Canadian,” said Dwight MacAulay, president of the Intrepid Society, in an interview on Sunday.
MacAulay added that the naming of the lake is a great honour that Stephenson deserves.
“Countries all over the world have recognized his outstanding contributions to the world, especially during World War II,” he said.
“There’s no doubt about it that his efforts played a major role in bringing about an end to World War II.”
Stephenson led Allied war efforts in gathering intelligence, and was instrumental in ending the Second World War.
“I don’t know that we’ll really know all that he did during World War II since he dealt in that shady area of espionage and spying and so on,” MacAulay said.
He has been recognized in Manitoba and across the world, including being knighted by King George VI, receiving the Order of the Merit and the Order of Canada.
Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond, once wrote that Bond is a “highly romanticized” version of a true spy, but Stephenson was the real thing.
McAulay noted that Stephenson was a modest man who lived a quiet life after the war, but believes Stephenson would be pleased with the honour.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.