Six Nations poet E. Pauline Johnson is again being pitched to grace Canadian currency.

The Bank of Canada has launched public consultations to select an iconic Canadian to appear on the next $5 bank note, taking the place of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canada’s first francophone prime minister, who has been on the $5 bill for almost 50 years.

Toronto resident Jim Gibson thinks there’s something about Pauline — the name of an exhibit he curated and displayed in Brantford last year — that makes her an ideal choice as the face of the bill.

“Pauline Johnson deserves to be commemorated on the new $5 bill because the telling of her story will increase knowledge, acceptance, empathy, awareness and appreciation of Indigenous histories, traditions, cultures and contributions in Canada,” said Gibson in his proposal to Stephen Poloz, governor of the Bank of Canada.

“It’s time we honour Indigenous women on Canada’s currency.”

Johnson was among five prominent female finalists in 2016 being considered for the face of the new $10 bill. That honour went to civil rights pioneer Viola Desmond. Among the other finalists were Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery, British Columbia artist Emily Carr, Quebec social reformer and politician Therese Casgrain and Manitoba author Gabrielle Roy.

Johnson was born in 1861 at her family home, Chiefswood, along the water at Six Nations of the Grand River. Chiefswood is now a national historic site and museum.

Gibson said Johnson, famous during the 19th century, “defied the role of women at the time by not marrying or having children and sustained herself and her mother financially after the death of her father through writing and performances.”

“She travelled the world, reciting her work on stages from Canada to England. Pauline broke down barriers across Canada for women in literature and, in particular, Indigenous women, to make their way as artists on their own terms.”

Never one to shy away from a challenge, said Gibson, “Pauline used her words to share the plight of other Indigenous peoples through poems such as The Cattle Thief and A Cry of an Indian Wife, which questioned established regimes of religion and government and the negative roles these had on Indigenous lives across the country.”

Johnson’s work continued to influence the Canadian literary field long after her death, said Gibson. She was commemorated on a Canadian stamp in 1961 and her most famous poem, The Song My Paddle Sings, was included in Canadian textbooks throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She also has at least four Canadian schools named in her honour, including Pauline Johnson Collegiate in Brantford.

Gibson said he learned of Johnson when he started collecting First Nations books and became intrigued by her story. Among his collection are some early edition books and a letter written by the poet, one of her music sheets, and some historical photographs.

“The more I found out about her, the more interested I was,” said Gibson. “It kind of skyrocketed.”

He has support for his bank note proposal from Six Nations artist Raymond Skye and Heather George, chair of Chiefswood’s board of directors.

Johnson is likely to have some stiff competition to be the face of the new $5 note. Marathon of Hope runner Terry Fox seems to have strong backing.

When the Bank of Canada put out the call for public consultations on the $10 bill, it got more than 26,000 submissions.

“When we launched the last round of consultations, we never could have anticipated the enthusiasm of Canadians, both for the process or for the historic bank note that featured a Canadian woman for the first time,” said Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

Nominees must be a Canadian by birth or naturalization who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, achievement or distinction in any field, benefiting the people of Canada or in the service of Canada.They can’t be a fictional character and must have been dead for at least 25 years.

Nominations will be accepted until March 11 via bankofcanada.ca .

An independent advisory council will submit a short list of candidates to the minister of finance who will announce his decision later this year.

From the start of the public consultation campaign, it takes three to four years to design, produce and issue a new bank note.