Sir Wilfrid Laurier :: essays research papers

Sir Wilfrid LaurierThe first French Canadian to become prime curate of Canada was Wilfrid Laurier.Although French was his native tongue, he became a master of the Englishlanguage. This and his bewitching personality made him popular throughoutCanada, and he led the young person country in a 15-year period of great development.Wilfrid Laurier was born in St-Lin, Quebec, and studied law at McGill University. after struggleds 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 chosen leader of the Liberal societyin 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 Great Britain, sent Canadian volunteers to help in the Boer War, establisheda tariff favorable to British goods, and worked to strengthen the ties betweenthe two countri es. But he saw the British Empire as a worldwide alliance of freeand adequate nations, and he opposed every attempt to limit Canadas freedom.Lauriers liberal in-migration policy brought hundreds of thousands of settlersto the western obligations. He reduced postal rates, promoted the building ofrailroads infallible 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 earlier by opponents in Ontariowho considered him too fragmentiseial to Roman Catholic interests in Quebec. Prior toWorld War I, Laurier tried forcefully to support the makeup of a Canadiannavy. His own 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 support the war policy of Sir Robert Bordens Conservative gover nment.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 school principal was promptly hushedup by new legislation enacted by the province in accordance with a compromiseworked out with Ottawa. To his storage locker 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 she-bop in on the action. Thedemand for Canadian wheat abroad support immigration, and immigration in turn