Sir wilfred laurier biography of alberta university

Waterloo university

Sir Wilfrid Laurier was a Canadian political leader. Head of the Liberal party and prime minister , he spurred Canada's economy but foundered on questions of conscription and protective tariffs. Already fluently bilingual, Laurier was rapidly developing into a superb orator in both of Canada's languages, but his health was delicate and he moved into rural Quebec in an effort to strengthen himself.

Laurier entered politics in , winning a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and in he entered the House of Commons at Ottawa.

Wilfrid laurier previous offices

For a period of a year he was minister of inland revenue in the Alexander Mackenzie government but seemed languid and somewhat uninterested to his parliamentary colleagues. In Laurier delivered a speech on political liberalism that clearly defined the difference between Catholic liberalism, anathema to Quebec clerics, and the liberalism of his party.

This speech was instrumental in gaining respectability for the Liberals in Quebec. In he delivered a brilliant and passionate speech attacking the government for the execution of the rebel Louis Riel , and in Laurier seemed as good a choice as any other Liberal to succeed Edward Blake as party leader. In Laurier campaigned on the issue of unrestricted reciprocity with the United States , but his party again was defeated by Sir John A.

However, after Macdonald's death the Conservatives began to fall apart and split on the Manitoba schools question, when they were forced to take a position because they were in power. Relieved of responsibility, Laurier could talk of using "sunny ways" to resolve the crisis and sit firmly on the fence. The result was victory in the election of An economic boom began in that lasted throughout Laurier's term.

Immigrants began flooding into Canada from all over Europe, lured by free land and a wise immigration policy. Within a decade or two, the great prairies to the west were settled. New railways were built, unfortunately with a too generous government aid, and sometimes supported by shamefully watered stock.