Discovery of Canola Source: Manitoba Canola Growers Association Free Canola was created using traditional plant breeding methods at the University of Manitoba by Canadian plant scientists Dr. Baldur Stefansson and Dr. Keith Downey. The name Canola comes from Can as in Canada and ola as in oil and was trademarked in 1978. Over the decades canola has grown to be, along with wheat, one of the two most grown crops in Manitoba and across the prairies. This short 1:25 minute video celebrates canola, its discovery, contribution to a healthy diet and impact here at home and around the world. What is Canola? Length: 1:25 Video, What Is Canola, and Webpage Curriculum Connections – Discovery of Canola