Pierre Trudeau

Sir Wilfred Laurier believed that the role of government was not to force action in one direction but to remove barriers to citizens', efforts to achieve personal and social improvement. His fifteen years of government, 1869-1911, were among the most vigorous in Canada's history as confederation was expanding and immigrants flooded to the land of freedom and opportunity. This report will describe the life and achievements of Wilfred Laurier, a Canadian prime minister at the turn of the century.

Wilfred Laurier was born in St. Lin Quebec in 1841, the son of a farmer. He attended an elementary school then later was sent to new Glascow to learn English. For seven years he went a Roman Catholic College then later studied law at McGill University. Laurier began practicing politics in Montreal after graduating in 1864. He supported the liberal party in Quebec. He moved to L'Avenir in 1866 and took over as editor of Le Defricheur. He married Zoe Lafontaine in 1868. The party "les rouges" were condemned and the government was dominated by the "party blue" Laurier was appointed to legislature as a liberal member in 1871, and then resigned in 1874. He was also elected to the House of Commons in the same year. After the Tory government do

minated for 18 years, the liberal part was elected in 1896. Laurier became the first prime minister to be a francophone. The fifteen years of Laurier government were famous for the unprecedented growth and prosperity he had brought. The west was flooded with immigrants and this led to creating Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. This growth required more transportation so two new continental lines were built. The Liberals lost the election over the issue of open reciprocity. Laurier maintained the confidence of his party until the First World War. Laurier supported contribution to Britain's war efforts and recommended young men in all provinces to sign up, but he was against conscription. The liberal party split after this issue during the 1917 election. Several Liberals formed a union with the conservatives for the length of the war. On February 1919 Laurier's life came to a tragic end. He died of a stroke and was buried in the Notre Dame cemetery in Ottawa, Ontario. He served 45 years in the House of Commons. At his funeral 50 000 people were in the streets of Ottawa while hundreds of dignitaries and officials from all over the country followed the funeral secession. This solemn occasion was one of the first public events in Canada to be recorded on film.

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