Wilfrid Laurier

Laurier re-directs here. For the Canadian federal electoral district see Laurier (electoral district). For the university in Waterloo, Ontario, see Wilfrid Laurier University. For the Coast Guard ship see CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier
7th Prime Minister of Canada
In office July 11, 1896 – October 7, 1911
Preceded by	Charles Tupper
Succeeded by	Robert Borden
Personal details
Born	November 20, 1841 Saint-Lin, Quebec
Died	February 17, 1919 Ottawa
Political party	Liberal Party of Canada

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, PC, GCMG, KC, BCL, DCL, LLD, DLitt, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier (November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from July 11, 1896, to October 7, 1911.

The second child of Carolus Laurier and Marcelle Martineau, Wilfrid Laurier was born in Saint-Lin (today called 'Saint-Lin-Laurentides') on November 20, 1841. He grew up in a family where politics was a staple of talk and debate. His father, an educated man having liberal ideas, enjoyed a certain degree of prestige about town. In addition to being a farmer and surveyor, he also occupied such sought-after positions as mayor, justice of the peace, militia lieutenant and school board member. At the age of 11, Wilfrid left home to study in New Glasgow, a neighbouring town largely inhabited by immigrants from the British Isles. Over the next two years, he had the opportunity of familiarizing himself with the mentality, language and culture of English-speakers.

Often considered one of Canada's great statesmen and the first francophone prime minister, Laurier is well known for his policies of conciliation, nation building, and compromises between French and English Canada. He argued for an English-French partnership in Canada. "I have had before me as a pillar of fire," he said, "a policy of true Canadianism, of moderation, of reconciliation."

Laurier was also well regarded for his efforts to establish Canada as an autonomous country within the British Empire. His efforts were continued by his successor as Prime Minister, Robert Borden.

Laurier is the fourth-longest serving Prime Minister of Canada, behind William Lyon Mackenzie King, John A. Macdonald, and Pierre Trudeau. A Maclean's historical ranking of the Prime Ministers placed Laurier third behind King (first) and Macdonald[1]. Laurier also holds the record for the most consecutive federal elections won (4), and his 15 year tenure remains the longest unbroken term of office among Prime Ministers. In addition, his nearly 45 years (1874-1919) of service in the House of Commons is an all-time record in Canadian politics, unmatched by any other politician. [2]

Early career

Before the Liberals, Laurier was a member of the radical Rouge wing of Quebec politics. He became disenchanted with extremism and ideology, and was a key player in uniting Les Rouges of Quebec with the Clear Grits and Reformers of Ontario into what is now the Liberal Party of Canada. Distinguished by his debonair charm and intellect, Laurier was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1874 election, serving briefly in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie as Minister of Inland Revenue.

Leadership

Chosen as leader of the Liberal Party in 1887, he gradually built up his party's strength with his personal following in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. He led the Liberal Party to victory in the 1896 election, and remained prime minister until the party's defeat in the 1911 election.

Quebec stronghold

Laurier was able to build the Liberal Party a base in Quebec, which had been a Conservative stronghold for decades due to the province's social conservatism and the influence of the Catholic Church which distrusted the Liberal's anti-clericalism. He was aided by the growing alienation of French-Canadians from the Conservatives due to the national Tory party's links with anti-French, anti-Catholic Orangemen in English Canada. These factors combined with the collapse of the Conservative Party of Quebec gave Laurier an opportunity to build a stronghold in French Canada and among Catholics across Canada.

Because Laurier believed in a separation of church and state, Roman Catholic bishops in Quebec repeatedly warned their parishioners never to vote for the man. Renowned journalist and author Laurier LaPierre wrote in his 1996 biography of Laurier: "children were made to kneel and beg God that their parents not be damned should they have the temerity to vote for the Liberal candidate. When electors asked directly whom they should vote for, the cagey priests contented themselves with informing them that 'le ciel est bleu, l'enfer est rouge' – heaven is blue, hell is red."

Prime Minister

Laurier led Canada during a period of rapid growth, industrialization, and immigration. His long career straddles a period of major political and economic change. As Prime Minister he was instrumental in ushering Canada into the 20th century and in gaining greater autonomy from Britain for his country.

One of Laurier's first acts as Prime Minister was to implement a solution to the Manitoba Schools Question, which had helped to bring down the Conservative government of Mackenzie Bowell earlier in 1896. The Manitoba legislature had passed a law eliminating public funding for Catholic schooling. The Catholic minority asked the federal Government for support, and eventually the Conservatives proposed remedial legislation to over-ride Manitoba's legislation. Laurier opposed the remedial legislation on the basis of provincial rights, and succeeded in blocking its passage by Parliament. Once elected, Laurier proposed a compromise stating that Catholics in Manitoba could have a Catholic education if there were enough students to warrant it, on a school-by-school basis. This was seen by many as the best possible solution in the circumstances, making both the French and English equally satisfied (or unsatisfied), and ensuring French had only a minority status, which is true today.

In 1899, the United Kingdom expected military support from Canada, as part of the British Empire, in the Second Boer War. Laurier was caught between demands for support for military action from English Canada, and a strong opposition from French Canada, which saw the Boer War as an "English" war. Henri Bourassa was an especially vocal opponent. Laurier eventually decided to send a volunteer force, rather than the militia expected by Britain, but Bourassa denounced him anyway.

In 1905, Laurier oversaw Saskatchewan and Alberta's entry into Confederation, the last two provinces to be created out of the Northwest Territories.

Naval Bill

The naval competition between the United Kingdom and the German Empire escalated in the early years of the 20th century. The British asked Canada for more money and resources for ship construction, precipitating a heated political division in Canada. The imperialists wished to send as much as possible, whereas the Canadian nationalists wished to send nothing.

Aiming for compromise, Laurier advanced the Naval Service Bill of 1910 which created the Royal Canadian Navy. The navy would initially consist of five cruisers and six destroyers; in times of crisis, it could be made subordinate the Royal Navy proper. The idea was lauded at the Imperial Conference on Defence in London, but it proved unpopular across the political spectrum in Canada, especially in Quebec as ex-Liberal Henri Bourassa organized an anti-Laurier force.

Reciprocity and defeat

Another controversy arose regarding Laurier's support of trade reciprocity with the United States. This had the strong support of agricultural interests, but it alienated many businessmen who formed a significant part of the Liberal's support base. The Conservatives denounced the deal as a sell-out, even playing upon fears that Canada would be assimilated as the next US state.

Despite the Liberal government's mandate not expiring, Laurier called an election to settle the issue of reciprocity. The Conservatives were victorious and Robert Laird Borden succeeded Laurier as Prime Minister.

Opposition and war

Laurier's grave in Ottawa's Notre-Dame Cemetery

Laurier led the opposition during World War I. He led the filibuster to the Conservatives' own Naval Bill which would have sent contributions directly to the Royal Navy; the bill was later blocked by the Liberal-controlled Senate. He was an influential opponent of conscription, which led to the Conscription Crisis of 1917 and the formation of a Union government, which Laurier refused to join for fear of having Quebec fall in the hands of nationalist Henri Bourassa. However, many Liberals, particularly in English Canada, joined Borden as Liberal-Unionists and the "Laurier Liberals" were reduced to a mostly French-Canadian rump as a result of the 1917 election.

However, Laurier's last policies and efforts had not been in vain. As a result of Laurier's opposition of conscription in 1917, Quebec and its French-Canadian voters overwhelmingly to support the Liberal party starting in 1917. Despite one notable exception in 1958, the Liberal party continued to dominate federal politics in Quebec until 1984. His protege and successor as party leader William Lyon Mackenzie King led the Liberals to a landslide victory over the Conservatives in the 1921 election.

Laurier died on February 17 1919, and was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Ottawa, Ontario. The Sir Wilfrid Laurier National Historic Site of Canada is in Saint-Lin-Laurentides, a town 60 km north of Montreal. His wife Zoe Laurier died in 1921. There are rumours Laurier had a mistress (Emilie Lavergne - the wife of his law partner Joseph - who bore a son who looked similar to a younger Laurier) despite his happy marriage to Zoe. Another site is Laurier House, his residence in Ottawa at the corner of what is now Laurier Street and Chapel Street. In their will, the Lauriers left the house to Mackenzie King, who in turn donated it to Canada upon his death.

Laurier is depicted on the Canadian five-dollar bill. On November 1 1973, Waterloo Lutheran University, one of Ontario's publicly funded universities, was renamed Wilfrid Laurier University. There are also many high schools in Canada named after him.

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Canadian $5, front

Laurier is also the personal hero of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien who saw in Laurier's abilities at conciliation and at winning majority governments an ideal model to follow.

Titular honours

• Laurier had the prenomial "The Honourable" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on October 8, 1877.[3]
• His prenomial was upgraded to "The Right Honourable" when he was made a member of the Imperial Privy Council of the United Kingdom.
• He had the prenomial "Sir" and postnomial "GCMG" as a knight grand cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

Supreme Court appointments

Laurier recommended to the Governor General that the following be appointed as Justice to the Supreme Court of Canada:

• Sir Louis Henry Davies - (September 25, 1901 - May 1, 1924)
• David Mills - (February 8, 1902 - May 8, 1903)
• Sir Henri Elzear Taschereau (Chief Justice) - (November 21, 1902 - May 2, 1906) (appointed a Puisne Justice by Governor General the Marquess of Lorne on the advice of Mackenzie in 1878)
• John Douglas Armour - (November 21, 1902 - July 11, 1903)
• Wallace Nesbitt - (May 16, 1903 - October 4, 1905)
• Albert Clements Killam - (August 8, 1903 - February 6, 1905)
• John Idington - (February 10, 1905 - March 31, 1927)
• James Maclennan - (October 5, 1905 - February 13, 1909)
• Sir Charles Fitzpatrick (Chief Justice) - (June 4, 1906 - November 21, 1918)
• Sir Lyman Poore Duff - (September 27, 1906 - January 2, 1944)
• Francis Alexander Anglin - (February 23, 1909 - February 28, 1933)
• Louis-Philippe Brodeur - (August 11, 1911 - October 10, 1923)

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
• List of Federal Political Experience from the Library of Parliament
• Rare picture of speeding ticket issued to the Prime Ministers wife, Lady Laurier in 1910.

References

• Elizabeth H. Armstrong, The Crisis of Quebec, 1914-1918 (1937; reprinted 1973)
• H. Blair Neatby. Laurier and a Liberal Quebec: A Study in Political Management (1973)
• Craig Brown and Ramsay Cook, Canada: 1896-1921 A Nation Transformed (1983), standard history
• J. W. Dafoe, Laurier: A Study in Canadian Politics (1922)
• Laurier LaPierre Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Romance of Canada – (1996). ISBN 0-7737-2979-8
• Joseph Schull, Laurier. The First Canadian (1965)
• Oscar Douglas Skelton, Life and Letters of Sir Wilfrid Laurier 2v (1921; reprinted 1965)
• P. B. Waite. Canada, 1874-1896 (1971), standard history

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