Should Igor Gouzenko Be Portrayed As A Canadian Hero?

Heroism: according to Vocabulary.com, is the act of putting others first, even at your peril. Igor Gouzenko, a Russian cypher clerk stationed in Canada, did just this when he saved Canada and the entire world from a catastrophe. Igor risked his life and put others first on September 5th, 1945, when he made the courageous decision to steal 109 classified Soviet documents proving Russian espionage in Canada. Igor brought the documents to the authorities defecting from his own country but saving another. Without Igors heroism, Canada would not be the same today. That is why Igor Gouzenko should be seen as a Canadian hero, due to his actions having a long-lasting impact on Canada, his prevention of a great tragedy in the world: primarily in Canada and other Western countries, and his incredible acts of bravery and selflessness.

Igor Gouzenkos's actions had a long-lasting impact on Canada because he stopped soviet espionage, helped improve Canadian security, and stopped William Lyon Mackenzie King from leaking

He thwarted the tragedies because, He stopped attacks from Russia to Canada and America, prevented the tracking of US nuclear technology, and helped get many spies arrested. Firstly, Igor's exposition of Soviet espionage foiled Soviet plans of attack on North America. For Example, Author L.D. Cross states that “There were Soviet plans to blow up oil refineries and gas pimples across Canada”(citation needed). Not only would attacks such as this negatively affect Canada, but it would also negatively affect the Us. It would be a problem for the Us because “to disrupt Canada would be to disrupt the United States, too”(citation needed). So many lives would have been affected without Igor Gouzenkos's defection. Secondly, he stopped attacks from Russia to Canada because according to L.D. Cross, “the Soviets would likely have increased their tracking of