Laurier House National Historic Site of Canada

The Political Life of Sir Wilfrid Laurier

Statue of Sir Wilfrid Laurier on Parliament Hill, located right of East Block
© Parks Canada / Juan Sanchez

Sir Wilfrid Laurier served as a member of Parliament for over forty years. He was the leader of the Liberal party from 1887 to 1919, and prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. His accomplishments were on such a scale that he is remembered today as one of Canada's greatest political leaders.

When Laurier became prime minister, he took over a country that had been politically adrift since the death of Sir John A. Macdonald in 1891. Four prime ministers had followed Macdonald in quick succession. Generally lacking the political skills of the "Old Chieftain", they proved unable to cope with the issues of the day and to provide the leadership needed to build on his accomplishments. Laurier's arrival in the prime minister's office was like a breath of fresh air. Canada's first prime minister of French Canadian descent, Laurier had a vision of Canada's potential that guided him throughout the fifteen years that he presided over the nation's destiny.

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