Walmann, The portraits are of the 2 guys whose signatures are printed on the note.The last Canadian chartered bank notes were issued in 1943 by the Royal Bank of Canada.Legislation was passed in 1945 to ban further issues of Canadian chartered bank notes,& gave the chartered banks until the end of 1949 to withdraw their notes.It is the Bank of Canada that is now only allowed to issue notes,& reigning monarchs are the only living people allowed to appear on Canadian currency.Aidan.