Shatner was chosen to be represented on the coin because of his status 
as a hero to Canadians, and especially the science fiction community, which makes up approx- imately 80% of the Canadian population.
The original concept for having (Bill) Shatner minted comes from the years that the Canadian $5 bill was altered using a blue ballpoint pen. The bill ostensibly shows Wilfrid Laurier, a former prime minister. A few clever marks transformed the staid former Member of Parliament into the character Spock from the original television series. Coincidence? Leonard Nimoy is not a Canadian, but his former captain is.
