Sir Wilfrid Laurier :: essays research papers

Sir Wilfrid LaurierThe first cut Canadian to become prime minister of Canada was Wilfrid Laurier.Although French was his native tongue, he became a master of the Englishlanguage. This and his picturesque personality made him popular throughoutCanada, and he led the young country in a 15-year period of great development.Wilfrid Laurier was born in St-Lin, Quebec, and studied law at McGill University.After three years in the Quebec legislature, he was elected to the CanadianHouse of Commons in 1874. There he rose rapidly to leadership. Although he was aFrench Canadian and a Roman Catholic, he was elect leader of the Liberal disuniteyin 1887. Nine years later he became prime minister. He was knighted in 1897."Build up Canada" were the watchwords of Lauriers government. Laurier was loyalto bully Britain, sent Canadian volunteers to help in the Boer War, establisheda tariff favorable to British goods, and worked to strengthen the ties betweenthe two countries. But he aphorism the British Empire as a worldwide alliance of freeand equal nations, and he opposed every attempt to limit Canadas freedom.Lauriers liberal in-migration policy brought hundreds of thousands of settlersto the western provinces. He reduced postal rates, promoted the building ofrailroads needed for national expansion, and appointed a commission to regulaterailroad rates. After 15 years in office his government was defeated, presumablyon the issue of reciprocal trade with the United States. Laurier believed,however, that his political defeat was caused primarily by opponents in Ontariowho considered him too partial to Roman Catholic interests in Quebec. Prior toWorld War I, Laurier tried forcefully to support the formation of a Canadiannavy. His make Liberal party defeated this measure, however, and Canada enteredthe war without a fleet of its own. During the early years of World War I,Laurier supported the war policy of Sir Robert Bordens Conservative government.In 1917 he refused to join a coalition government that was formed to upholdconscription. Laurier felt that he could not back a measure so unpopular in theprovince of Quebec. Wilfrid Lauriers regime lasted 15 years. It was one ofrenewed growth and prosperity. The Manitoba School Question was promptly hushedup by new command enacted by the province in accordance with a compromiseworked out with Ottawa. To his Cabinet Laurier drew some of the most capableleaders from every part of Canada. Business throughout the world was on anupswing, and the Laurier government was determined to get in on the action. Thedemand for Canadian wheat abroad encouraged immigration, and immigration in turn