Canadian politician, former Prime Minister.
The Right Honourable, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1887 to 1919, died in 1919 after 45 years in the House of Commons. He was Prime Minister from 1896 until an election loss in 1911.
He was the first French-Canadian Prime Minister. He worked for provinical powers and French-Canadian rights, and to restore national unity after the execution of Louis Riel and a devisive debate over schooling in Manitoba. The prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta and the Yukon Territory were created under his government.
He graces the Canadian $5 bill (the blue one), and a small university in Waterloo, Ontario bears his name.
"Canada has been modest in its history, in my estimation, is only commencing. It is commencing in this century. The nineteenth century of the United States. I think we can claim that Canada will fill the twentieth century." -- Sir Wilfrid Laurier, January 18, 1904.
Noder pylon says: He also has a very prestigious hotel named after him,
Le Château Laurier, which is located directly next door to the Parliamentary buildings. It was so named because he helped
Canadian Pacific obtain the land for it, though he only visited it twice. (And an hour after his second visit, he died).
Previous Prime Minister: Sir Charles Tupper (1896)
Next Prime Minister: Sir Robert Borden (1911)