Laurier, Wilfrid (1841-1919)

Canadian politician, leader of the Liberal Party 1887-1919 and prime minister 1896-1911. The first French Canadian to hold the office, he encouraged immigration into Canada from Europe and the USA, established a separate Canadian navy, and sent troops to help the UK in the Boer War. GCMG in 1897.

Laurier was born at St Lin, near Montréal, and educated at McGill University. He practised law for a time in Montréal, then moved to Québec. In 1871 he was elected to the provincial legislature for Drummond and Arthabaska counties, and from 1874 represented the same constituency in the Dominion parliament, though later he represented Québec East. He was minister for inland revenue in the Mackenzie cabinet 1877-78, and succeeded Edward Blake as Liberal leader 1887. Laurier always favoured free trade, and in 1896 won the election and became prime minister.

His sending of troops to aid the British in South Africa was not approved by his native province, which was better pleased by his resistance, at the Imperial Conference 1902, to Chamberlain's scheme of unified empire defence. He carried the general elections of 1900 and 1908, despite being hotly opposed by the nationalists for ‘supporting British jingoism’. His once-popular policy of reciprocity with the USA was defeated at the elections of 1911. During World War I he was invited by Robert Borden to form a coalition, but declined.