1. Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne, the pop star who ruled the early 2000s music charts with hits like "Sk8er Boi" and "Complicated", is actually from Belleville, Canada. Belleville sits on Lake Ontario two hours outside of Toronto.

2. Drake

Before he became one of the world's most popular rappers, Drake was just a young boy from Toronto with hopes of becoming an actor. He made this dream come true with a role on the teen show Degrassi: The Next Generation, where he appeared off and on from 2001 to 2008.

3. Jim Carrey

Hollywood funnyman Jim Carrey hails from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, and started his comedy career in Toronto nightclubs.

4. Kim Cattrall

Technically, actress Kim Cattrall was born in Liverpool, England; however, she spent most of her young life in Canada after moving to British Columbia at three months old. Cattrall is best known for her roles HBO'sSex and the City and the 1980s film Mannequin.

5. Pamela Anderson

Years before donning her iconic red one-piece on Baywatch, Pamela Anderson was a regular girl from Ladysmith, British Columbia, a Vancouver Island town.

6. The Rock

Despite being born in Hayward, California, The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) became a Canadian citizen in 2009 and is half-Canadian through his father and fellow wrestler Rocky Johnson, a Nova Scotia native.

7. Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams, star of Mean Girls and The Notebook, was born in London, Ontario, Canada, and started acting via the Toronto theater scene.

8. Ryan Reynolds

Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds was born in Vancouver and landed his first acting role in a Canadian soap opera called Hillside at only 15-years-old.

9. Sandra Oh

Grey's Anatomy and Killing Eve'sSandra Oh is from Nepean, Ottawa, Canada, and first garnered acclaim for her leading role in a 1994 Canadian film titled Double Happiness. In the movie, Oh plays Jade Li, a vibrant young actress struggling to navigate her career ambitions and family expectations.

10. Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen, known for his deadpan comedy style and infectious laugh, got into show business early through stand-up sets at Toronto's Yuk Yuk's comedy club.

11. Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes was just your average teen from Pickering, Canada, before gaining popularity on the app Vine and continues to gain fans through his popular music.

12. Shay Mitchell

Pretty Little Liars' Shay Mitchell got her start as a model from Mississauga, Ontario. As of late, the actress can be seen in the first season of Netflix'sYou and Hulu'sDollface.

This list is just a tiny sampling of the stars that once called Canada home.

Celebs aside, Canada Day has recently come under fire.

This controversy started following the discovery of unmarked graves of children found near the sites of former residential schools. A shocking reminder of the country's systemic discrimination of indigenous peoples.

According to the Canadian government's website, on Canada Day, "Canadians across the country and around the world show their pride in their history, culture and achievements. It's been a day of celebration, where many festivities are held across the country, since 1868."

In a statement, the Canadian government reframed this year's celebration. It said, in part, "More than ever, Canada Day is a time for all Canadians to show empathy, understanding and humility. It is also an opportunity to educate ourselves, to reflect and to redefine our relationship with July 1st, while reaffirming our commitment to ending the systemic racism and discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples."

Justin Trudeau's Canada Day Message