Competitive dance is a popular, widespread activity in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, and tap—before a common group of judges. This is in contrast with other activities that involve competition among dancers based on purpose, or specific dance style, such as pom squad, ballroom, sequence, latin, ceremonial, and highland dance.

The competitive dance industry largely consists of competition production companies—also sometimes called dance competition companies—that conduct regional competitions at stops along their annual, nationwide tours. Dancers who compete at these regional competitions are usually dance students ranging in age from about six to eighteen years old. Dance schools typically arrange for their classes to compete as groups. Advanced dance students often compete solo or in small groups (e.g., duo, trio, quad) in addition to competing with their dance class groups.

Competitive dancers must be physically fit because even short dances can be physically demanding. Also, dancers must continuously train to maintain and improve their technique, balance skills, strength and flexibility. Competitive dancing requires dedication as many months may be spent practicing dance and developing dance routines.

Competition[link]

Principal categories[link]

A routine is the dance that is performed by a dancer or group of dancers at a competition. Each routine is required to be entered into an appropriate category at every competition. A number of factors determine the category into which a routine should be entered:

• Dance style. All dance competitions include categories for specific dance styles such as acro, ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, pointe and tap. In addition, most competitions include an open category for dance styles outside the scope of the specific categories. Also, some competitions define categories that are altogether outside the scope of dance styles. For example, categories such as musical theater and photogenic are not based on dance style and in some cases may not require a performer to dance at all.

• Average age of dancers. Age divisions vary among competitions. Typical age divisions include petite (5-8), junior (9-12), teen (13-15), senior (16-19), and adult (20+).

• Number of dancers. Typically there are separate categories such as solo, duos/trio, small group, large group, line, and production, which are based on the number of dancers in a routine. The numbers of dancers constituting the various groups, as well as the group categories themselves, may differ at different competitions.

• Experience. Some competitions have divisions based on the number of years of dance education.

• Recreational vs. competitive dancers, based on the number of hours of dance instruction per week.

Dance music[link]

The music used in competitive dance routines is typically adapted from commercially available songs created by professional recording artists. Dance routines are subject to time limits at most dance competitions, and consequently the original, commercial music is usually edited to conform to such time limits.^[1]

At some competitions, the dance competition music is adjudicated in terms of its appropriateness for the ages of the performers as well as the character of the dance routine. The quality of the music, however, is not explicitly judged. Even so, dance competition music is an integral part of a dancer's performance, so dancers will sometimes employ professional music editing services in order to obtain high quality music—and thus a competitive edge—for their dance routines.

Dance routines may be performed without accompanying music. Although rare, this approach is most commonly employed in tap routines in order to feature the sound and rhythm of the dancer's tap shoes.

Rules[link]

A routine must comply with the rules of the overall competition, which may vary considerably from one competition to another. Also, a routine must comply with all rules that apply specifically to its category. Violations may cause point deductions or, in some cases, disqualification. For example:

• An upper time limit is usually imposed on a routine based on its number of dancers.
• Ballet routines may not include acrobatic elements.
• Soloists are usually allowed to compete more than one solo at a competition, although most competitions do not allow a soloist to compete in the same style twice. For example, it is not permissible for a dancer to compete two lyrical solos at a competition. Style definitions will sometimes overlap at a competition, thus providing an opportunity for a dancer to compete two dances that might otherwise be considered to have the same style. For example, a soloist might be permitted to compete two acro routines by entering one as acro and the other as open.

Process[link]

In general, similar sized groups compete against each other. Solos compete against solos, duos and trios against each other, small groups against each other, large groups against each other, and lines against each other. Typically, placement awards are given out for each group size.

Other categories[link]

In addition to the established routines that constitute the main part of a competition, competitions will sometimes include special categories and events in which pre-established routines are not allowed. For example:

• Improv, in which contestants dance to random selections of music and must improvise.
• Dance-off or dance-down. A group of contestants is taught a short routine while on stage, over a period of just a few minutes. The contestants must then perform the routine in groups while observed by judges. The pool of contestants is reduced by the judges through a process of elimination until only one dancer—the winner—remains.

Judging[link]

The judges at a dance competition are typically professional dancers. They sit at the front of the audience, facing the stage, and observe all of the dances. Each judge completes a scoresheet for each routine by awarding points for various categories. Judges may also write comments on their scoresheets or, in some cases, record audio comments on CD or DVD media, for the benefit of dancers and their choreographers.

Process[link]

Adjudication categories vary at different competitions, but commonly judged categories cover aspects such as showmanship, technique (i.e., proper form, execution of movements, transitions), difficulty of the routine, costume, and choreography. At some competitions, points may be deducted if the costume or music is deemed inappropriate for the age of the dancers. Also, judges may disqualify a routine if it violates any rules of the competition.

The points issued by each judge are totaled to compute the judge's score. Typically, a maximum of 100 points can be awarded by an individual judge (i.e., a perfect score). All of the judges' scores are then added together to produce a final score. At some competitions the lowest and highest judges' scores are discarded before computing the final score. For example, a competition might employ five judges, each of whom may award up to 100 points; when the low and high scores have been discarded, the resulting final score will have a maximum possible value of 300 points.

Standards[link]

There is no industry-wide standard for scoring. The maximum number of points issued by each judge, as well as the maximum possible final score, varies among competition production companies. Although it is common for judges to issue a maximum of 100 points each, at least one company implements a system in which judges may issue up to 200 points, based on the rationale that such a scoring system is similar to that employed in public schools.^[2]

Awards[link]

A dance routine may receive an individual award based on its final score, or based on its ranking in a particular category, depending on the competition. Some competitions issue individual awards for every routine while others present awards only for the highest overall scoring routines at a competition. Top scoring routines are sometimes awarded prize money and/or scholarships for dance education. These routines may also be eligible to advance to a higher level (e.g., national) competition.

Awards are usually issued in the form of trophies and plaques or, less frequently, as medals. Awards nomenclature varies considerably among competitions, although most awards systems have a value theme involving precious metals or gemstones. For example, at some competitions a routine might receive a bronze, silver, gold or platinum award, while at another competition one might receive an emerald, ruby or diamond award. In addition to variations in nomenclature, there are differences insofar as the number of points required for each award. For example, a gold award might require 270 points at one competition and 280 at another.

Special Awards[link]

Some competitions also present judges' choice or other special awards. These awards are usually given without regard to final score. The topics of these awards (e.g., Best Costume, Best Choreography, Most Original) are often determined by the judge who issues them, although some competitions have fixed, standard topics for special awards.

Titles[link]

Dance competitions often bestow titles upon select dancers. Depending on the competition, titles may be automatically assigned to the highest scoring dancer in each age category, or an additional pageant may be conducted to determine the title winner. When a pageant is conducted, contestants are typically required to perform a solo routine, model their costumes, introduce themselves to the audience, give a short speech, be interviewed, or some combination of these. Titles are typically applicable for one year. For example:

• American Dance Awards bestows ADA Dancer of the Year titles.
• Canadian-based Thunderstruck Canada bestows "Eye of the Storm" and "Top Studio" titles.
• Canadian-based Can-Dance bestows Mr. Can Dance and Miss Can Dance titles.
• Spotlight Dance Cup bestows Mr. Spotlight and Miss Spotlight titles.
• StarQuest Performing Arts Competition bestows Mr. StarQuest and Miss StarQuest titles.

Competitions[link]

Competitive Dance Industry[link]

Dance competitions are organized and conducted by independent competition production companies. There are approximately 200 such companies operating in the United States and Canada alone.^[3] Competition production companies move from one metropolitan area to another, stopping for a few days in each area to conduct a regional competition. By touring in this manner, these companies are able to generate profits while at the same time enabling significant numbers of dancers to attend local competitions. Some companies also conduct one or more national competitions after their regional tours have ended.

The competitive dance industry has no oversight body or standards organization, although at least one effort is underway to establish a limited set of competition rules and safety standards in the industry.^[4] Competition production companies seldom coordinate their tours with each other. Tour start and end dates, as well as cities visited, vary from one company to another. Most companies conduct regional tours from approximately January through May, while National competitions generally run from June through August. It is not uncommon for two regional tours to be visiting the same metropolitan area at the same time.

Regionals[link]

Regional competitions are held at high school auditoriums or other performance venues that include a stage and space for judges and audience. Such venues are typically rented for periods ranging from one to four consecutive days, depending on the number of dancers scheduled to compete. Competitions often start very early in the morning and last until late at night so as to minimize rental cost and other expenses.

Nationals[link]

National competitions typically take place in major metropolitan areas in large, rented spaces such as hotel conference rooms or convention centers, with portable stages, sound and lighting systems installed just for the competition event. National competitions often last for a full week. In addition to the competition itself, these events sometimes include:

• Dance classes and workshops. At some competitions, these classes are adjudicated to produce partial scores for title contenders.
• A dance-off or dance-down.
• Choreography workshop for title contenders.
• End-of-the-week banquet. If the title contenders participated in a choreography workshop, they typically perform the dance at this banquet.

Event Schedules[link]

The duration of a competition event is dictated by the number, and types, of dance routines that are scheduled to compete. In addition to the time needed for dance performances—which represents the majority of the total event time—additional time is allotted for judging, score tabulation and awards ceremonies.

Due to late entries and scratches, competition schedules are often subject to change until just a few days before the competition. Because of this, the final schedule is often published, and made available to competitors, shortly before the competition begins.

Dancers are required to be at the competition venue during their performances and, in most cases, at the associated awards ceremonies as well. In addition, dance schools require their dancers to arrive no later than a specified time (i.e., the call time). Dancer call times are generally well before their scheduled performance times because:

• A competition may run ahead of its published schedule.
• Dancing is an athletic endeavor, and thus requires sufficient warm-up to avoid injuries.
• Many studios encourage idle dancers to watch and learn from other dancers and also serve as supportive audience for other dancers.

Videography and Photography[link]

The choreography of a dance routine—which is the design of movement and flow of steps in the routine—is copyrightable.^[5] Consequently, video recording is often prohibited at dance competitions in order to steer clear of copyright infringement issues. Some competition production companies employ professional videographers to capture and sell video recordings of competitive performances with the restriction that video recordings may only be sold to the subject performers or members of their studios, thus avoiding infringement. When no professional videographer is available, competition production companies will sometimes permit each attending dance school to designate a videographer to record performances of students from that school.

Unlike videography, still photography does not infringe copyrighted choreography.^[5] Because of this, many competition production companies permit photography at their competitions. Virtually all competitions prohibit flash photography, however, both for the safety of performers and to prevent undesirable distractions. Some competition production companies employ professional photographers to capture and sell photographs of dance performances. In such cases, photography by audience members is typically prohibited so as to provide an exclusive market for the official photographers.

Conventions[link]

Dance conventions are regional educational events hosted by professional dancers. They are held on weekends in large cities nationwide—typically in hotel ballrooms—with a stage for instructors to teach from. Many conventions also hold competitions so that attendees can have their routines critiqued by dance professionals.

Instructors at dance conventions are usually experts in the field of dance and are either currently working in the industry (e.g., music videos, films, commercials, industrials, concerts, Broadway) or have in the past. These professionals sometimes teach at well-known dance studios in Los Angeles or New York, such as The Edge, The Millennium, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps on Broadway.

Dance schools participate in dance conventions to learn from the professional dancers who host them. Conventions are a means for dance teachers and students to learn new technique, and styles of dance from New York City and Los Angeles, without incurring the expense of traveling to distant cities.

Spirit of competition[link]

Although the highest scoring dancers are ranked according to their overall scores, dance schools and competition production companies emphasize that dancers are primarily competing against themselves, and thus competitive dance is not so much about competing, but rather is an opportunity to:

• Receive valuable critiques from dance professionals. Competition companies provide original judges' scoresheets and critiques and, in some cases, audio recordings of judges' comments to dancers, to help them improve their technique and routines.
• Watch and learn from other dancers. Dance schools often instruct their dancer to spend their free time watching other routines.

Dancers are expected to conform to proper etiquette at competitions. They are expected to be courteous to each other, to applaud other routines, to not enter or exit the auditorium during a performance, etc. Aside from these standard rules of etiquette, many competition companies impose additional rules. For example, American Dance Awards requires all dancers to say "thank-you" when presented with an award.

Community[link]

Many dance schools attend competitions and so dancers from different schools may see each other many times during the competition season. This creates a sense of community as well as valuable connections should a student decide to become a professional dancer.

See also[link]

• List of dance organizations

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Music Primer for Dancers Introduction to dance competition music. Topics include song selection, dance music editing, tips for choreographers and dancers.

The Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier GCMG, PC, KC
7th Prime Minister of Canada
In office 11 July 1896 – 6 October 1911
Monarch	Victoria Edward VII George V
Preceded by	Charles Tupper
Succeeded by	Robert Borden
Member of Canadian Parliament
In office 29 November 1877 – 17 February 1919
Personal details
Born	(1841-11-20)20 November 1841 Saint-Lin, Canada East
Died	17 February 1919(1919-02-17) (aged 77) Ottawa, Ontario
Political party	Liberal Party of Canada
Spouse(s)	Zoé Lafontaine
Children	none
Alma mater	McGill University
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Signature

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier (20 November 1841 – 17 February 1919) was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911.

Canada's first francophone prime minister, Laurier is often considered one of the country's greatest statesmen. He is well known for his policies of conciliation, expanding Confederation, and compromise between French and English Canada. His vision for Canada was a land of individual liberty and decentralized federalism. He also argued for an English-French partnership in Canada. "I have had before me as a pillar of fire," he said, "a policy of true Canadianism, of moderation, of reconciliation." And he passionately defended individual liberty, "Canada is free and freedom is its nationality," and "Nothing will prevent me from continuing my task of preserving at all cost our civil liberty." Laurier was also well regarded for his efforts to establish Canada as an autonomous country within the British Empire, though he supported the continuation of the British Empire if it was based on "absolute liberty political and commercial".

Laurier is the fourth-longest serving Prime Minister of Canada, behind William Lyon Mackenzie King, John A. Macdonald, and Pierre Trudeau. A 2011 Maclean's historical ranking of the Prime Ministers placed Laurier first.^[1] Laurier also holds the record for the most consecutive federal elections won (4), and his 15 year tenure remains the longest unbroken term of office among Prime Ministers. In addition, his nearly 45 years (1874–1919) of service in the House of Commons is an all-time record for that house.^[2] Finally, at 31 years, 8 months, Laurier was the longest-serving leader of a major Canadian political party, surpassing King by over two years. Laurier's portrait is displayed on the Canadian five-dollar bill.

Early life[link]

Bedroom at Sir Wilfrid Laurier National Historic Site, Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Quebec

Laurier in 1869

The second child of Carolus Laurier and Marcelle Martineau, Wilfrid Laurier was born in Saint-Lin, Canada East (today called Saint-Lin-Laurentides, Quebec) on 20 November 1841. Laurier was the 7th generation of his family in Canada. His ancestor François Cottineau, dit Champlaurier came to Canada from Saint-Claud, France. He grew up in a family where politics was a staple of talk and debate. His father, an educated man having liberal ideas, enjoyed a certain degree of prestige about town. In addition to being a farmer and surveyor, he also occupied such sought-after positions as mayor, justice of the peace, militia lieutenant and school board member. At the age of 11, Wilfrid left home to study in New Glasgow, a neighbouring village largely inhabited by immigrants from Scotland. Over the next two years, he had the opportunity of familiarizing himself with the mentality, language and culture of British people. Laurier attended the College of L'Assomption and graduated in law from McGill University.

He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in the 1871 Quebec general election in Drummond-Arthabaska, but resigned on 19 January 1874 to enter federal politics.^[3] He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1874 election, serving briefly in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie as Minister of Inland Revenue.

Leadership[link]

Chosen as leader of the Liberal Party in 1887, he gradually built up his party's strength with his personal following in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. He led the Liberal Party to victory in the 1896 election, and remained prime minister until the party's defeat in the 1911 election.

Quebec stronghold[link]

Laurier was able to build the Liberal Party a base in Quebec, which had been a Conservative stronghold for decades due to the province's social conservatism and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, which distrusted the Liberals' anti-clericalism. He was aided by the growing alienation of French-Canadians from the Conservatives due to the national Tory party's links with anti-French, anti-Catholic Orangemen in English Canada.^[4] These factors combined with the collapse of the Conservative Party of Quebec gave Laurier an opportunity to build a stronghold in French Canada and among Catholics across Canada.

Because Laurier believed in a separation of church and state, Roman Catholic bishops in Quebec repeatedly warned their parishioners never to vote for the man. Journalist and author Laurier LaPierre wrote in his 1996 biography of Laurier: "children were made to kneel and beg God that their parents not be damned should they have the temerity to vote for the Liberal candidate. When electors asked directly whom they should vote for, the cagey priests contented themselves with informing them that le ciel est bleu, l'enfer est rouge – heaven is blue, hell is red."

However, Laurier had rather good relations with Pope Pius X himself, and had complimented him during a diplomatic meeting. In part, the tension of the time can be attributed to Pius's encyclical Vehementer Nos, which condemned strict Church-State separation in Émile Combes' secularist France.

Prime Minister[link]

Wilfrid Laurier with wife Zoé Laurier in 1907

Laurier led Canada during a period of rapid growth, industrialization and immigration. His long career straddles a period of major political and economic change. As Prime Minister he was instrumental in ushering Canada into the 20th century and in gaining greater autonomy from Britain for his country.

One of Laurier's first acts as Prime Minister was to implement a solution to the Manitoba Schools Question, which had helped to bring down the Conservative government of Charles Tupper earlier in 1896. The Manitoba legislature had passed a law eliminating public funding for Catholic schooling (thereby going against the federal constitutional Manitoba Act, 1870, which guaranteed Catholic and Protestant religious education rights). The Catholic minority asked the federal Government for support, and eventually the Conservatives proposed remedial legislation to override Manitoba's legislation. Laurier opposed the remedial legislation on the basis of provincial rights, and succeeded in blocking its passage by Parliament. Once elected, Laurier proposed a compromise stating that Catholics in Manitoba could have a Catholic education if there were enough students to warrant it, on a school-by-school basis. This was seen by many as the best possible solution in the circumstances, making both the French and English equally satisfied.

In 1899, the United Kingdom expected military support from Canada, as part of the British Empire, in the Second Boer War. Laurier was caught between demands for support for military action from English Canada, and a strong opposition from French Canada which saw the Boer War as an "English" war and to some degree appreciated the similar places that Boers and French Canadians held in the British Empire. Henri Bourassa was an especially vocal opponent. Laurier eventually decided to send a volunteer force, rather than the militia expected by Britain, but Bourassa continued to oppose any form of military involvement.

In 1905, Laurier oversaw Saskatchewan and Alberta's entry into Confederation, the last two provinces to be created out of the Northwest Territories.^[5] This followed the enactment of the Yukon Territory Act by the Laurier Government in 1898, separating the Yukon from the Northwest Territories.^[6]

On 29 July 1910, while in Saskatoon to attend the opening of the University of Saskatchewan, he bought a newspaper from a young John Diefenbaker, a future Conservative Prime Minister. The young Diefenbaker, recognizing the Prime Minister, shared his ideas for the country and amused him. He inquired about the young man's business and expressed the hope that he would be a great man someday. The boy ended the conversation by saying, "Well, Mr. Prime Minister, I can't waste any more time on you. I must get back to work."^[7]

Naval Bill[link]

The naval competition between the United Kingdom and the German Empire escalated in the early years of the 20th century. The British asked Canada for more money and resources for ship construction, precipitating a heated political division in Canada. The British supporters wished to send as much as possible, whereas those against wished to send nothing.

Aiming for compromise, Laurier advanced the Naval Service Bill of 1910 which created the Royal Canadian Navy. The navy would initially consist of five cruisers and six destroyers; in times of crisis, it could be made subordinate to the Royal Navy proper. The idea was lauded at the Imperial Conference on Defence in London, but it proved unpopular across the political spectrum in Canada, especially in Quebec as ex-Liberal Henri Bourassa organized an anti-Laurier force.

Reciprocity and defeat[link]

In 1911, another controversy arose regarding Laurier's support of trade reciprocity with the United States. His long serving Minister of Finance, William Stevens Fielding, reached an agreement allowing for free trade of natural products. This had the strong support of agricultural interests, but it alienated many businessmen who formed a significant part of the Liberals' support base. The Conservatives denounced the deal and played on long standing fears that reciprocity could eventually lead to the American annexation of Canada.

Contending with an unruly House of Commons, including vocal disapproval from Liberal MP Clifford Sifton, Laurier called an election to settle the issue of reciprocity. The Conservatives were victorious and Robert Laird Borden succeeded Laurier as Prime Minister.

Opposition and war[link]

Laurier led the opposition during World War I. He led the filibuster to the Conservatives' own Naval Bill which would have sent contributions directly to the Royal Navy; the bill was later blocked by the Liberal-controlled Senate. He was an influential opponent of conscription, which led to the Conscription Crisis of 1917 and the formation of a Union government, which Laurier refused to join for fear of having Quebec fall in the hands of nationalist Henri Bourassa. However, many Liberals, particularly in English Canada, joined Borden as Liberal-Unionists and the "Laurier Liberals" were reduced to a mostly French-Canadian rump as a result of the 1917 election. However, Laurier's last policies and efforts had not been in vain. As a result of Laurier's opposition of conscription in 1917, Quebec and its French-Canadian voters voted overwhelmingly to support the Liberal party starting in 1917. Despite one notable exception in 1958, the Liberal party continued to dominate federal politics in Quebec until 1984. His protege and successor as party leader William Lyon Mackenzie King led the Liberals to a landslide victory over the Conservatives in the 1921 election.

Family[link]

Lady Zoé Laurier by William James Topley

Wilfrid Laurier married Zoé Lafontaine in Montreal on 13 May 1868. She was the daughter of G.N.R. Lafontaine and his first wife, Zoé Lavinge dit Tessier. Laurier's wife Zoé was born in Montreal and educated there at the School of the Bon Pasteur, and at the Convent of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, St. Vincent de Paul. The couple lived at Arthabaskaville until they moved to Ottawa in 1896. She served as one of the Vice-Presidents on the formation of the National Council of Women and was Honorary Vice-President of the Victorian Order of Nurses.^[8] The couple had no children. Beginning in 1878 and for some twenty years while married to Zoé, Laurier had an "ambiguous relationship" with another married woman, Émilie Lavergne,^[9] with whom he fell in love. Where Zoé loved plants, animals and home life, she was not an intellectual. Émilie was, and relished literature and politics like Wilfrid, whose heart she won. Rumour had it he fathered a son with her, yet Zoé remained with him until his death.

Death[link]

Wilfrid Laurier's grave, sculpted by Alfred Laliberté, Notre Dame Cemetery, Ottawa

Laurier died of a stroke on 17 February 1919, while still in office as Leader of the Opposition. Though he had lost a bitter election two years earlier, he was loved nationwide for his "warm smile, his sense of style, and his "sunny ways"."^[10] Some 50,000 people jammed the streets of Ottawa as his funeral procession marched to Notre Dame Cemetery. His remains would eventually be placed in a stone sarcophagus, adorned by sculptures of nine mourning female figures, representing each of the provinces in the union. His wife, Zoé Laurier, died in 1921 and was placed in the same tomb.

National Historic Sites[link]

Laurier Museum, Victoriaville, QC

Laurier is commemorated by three National Historic Sites of Canada.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier National Historic Site is in his birthplace, Saint-Lin-Laurentides, a town 60 km north of Montreal. Its establishment reflected an early desire to not only mark his birthplace (a plaque in 1925 and a monument in 1927), but to create a shrine to Laurier in the 1930s. Despite early doubts and later confirmation that the house designated as the birthplace was neither Laurier's nor on its original site, its development, and the building of a museum, satisfied the goal of honoring the man and reflecting his early life.^[11]

His handsome brick residence in Ottawa is known as Laurier House National Historic Site, at the corner of what is now Laurier Avenue and Chapel Street. In their will, the Lauriers left the house to Prime Minister Mackenzie King, who in turn donated it to Canada upon his death. Both sites are administered by Parks Canada as part of the national park system.

The 1876 Italianate residence of the Lauriers during his years as a lawyer and Member of Parliament, in Victoriaville, Quebec, is designated Wilfrid Laurier House National Historic Site, and is a privately owned museum operated as the Laurier Museum.^[12][13]

Recognition[link]

Joseph-Émile Brunet's statue of Wilfrid Laurier behind the East Block on Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Joseph-Émile Brunet's Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1953) in Square Dorchester Montreal, Quebec

Laurier had titular honours including:

• the prenomial "The Honourable" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on 8 October 1877.^[14]
• His prenomial was upgraded to "The Right Honourable" when he was made a member of the Imperial Privy Council of the United Kingdom.
• the prenomial "Sir" and postnomial "GCMG" as a knight grand cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day is observed each year on 20 November, his birth date^[15]
• Laurier is depicted on several banknotes issued by the Bank of Canada:

The $1,000 note in the 1935 Series and 1937 Series

The $5 note in the Scenes of Canada series, 1972 and 1979, Birds of Canada series, 1986, Journey series, 2002 and is scheduled to appear in the Frontier series, 2013

• Laurier has appeared on at least three postage stamps, issued in 1927 (two) and 1973

Many sites and landmarks were named to honor Wilfrid Laurier. They include:

• Mount Sir Wilfrid Laurier in British Columbia's Premier Range
• Laurier Avenue, located in Milton, Ontario
• Avenue Laurier, located in Shawinigan, Quebec
• Avenue Laurier, located in Montreal, Quebec
• Boulevard Laurier, located in Quebec City, Quebec
• Laurier Avenue, located in Ottawa, Ontario
• Laurier Avenue, located in Deep River, Ontario
• Laurier Drive, located in Saskatoon, SK
• Rue Laurier, located in Casselman, Ontario
• The Laurier Heights neighbourhood, including Laurier Drive, in Edmonton, Alberta
• Laurier Drive, located in Saskatoon's Confederation Park neighborhood, where the majority of the streets are named after former Canadian prime ministers
• The provincial electoral district of Laurier-Dorion (an honor shared with Canadian politician Antoine-Aimé Dorion)
• The federal electoral district of Laurier—Sainte-Marie
• On 1 November 1973, Waterloo Lutheran University, one of Ontario's publicly funded universities, located in Waterloo, Ontario, was renamed Wilfrid Laurier University; the university has since added a campus in Brantford, Ontario
• A Montreal Metro station, Laurier (Montreal Metro)
• CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier
• Chateau Laurier, a downtown Ottawa hotel of high reputation and a national historic site
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School in Markham, Ontario
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, an English school board located in Quebec; the school board serves the Laval, Laurentides, Lanaudière regions in Quebec
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in London, Ontario
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in Ottawa, Ontario
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, Ontario
• Laurier is also the personal hero of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien who saw in Laurier's abilities at conciliation and at winning majority governments an ideal model to follow.^{[citation needed]}
• Laurier was ranked #3 of the Prime Ministers of Canada (out of the 20 through Jean Chrétien) in the survey by Canadian historians included in Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada's Leaders by J.L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer.

Supreme Court appointments[link]

Laurier chose the following jurists to be appointed as justices of the Supreme Court of Canada by the Governor General:

• Sir Louis Henry Davies (25 September 1901 – 1 May 1924)
• David Mills (8 February 1902 – 8 May 1903)
• Sir Henri Elzear Taschereau (as Chief Justice 21 November 1902 – 2 May 1906; appointed a Puisne Justice under Prime Minister Mackenzie, 7 October 1878)
• John Douglas Armour (21 November 1902 – 11 July 1903)
• Wallace Nesbitt (16 May 1903 – 4 October 1905)
• Albert Clements Killam (8 August 1903 – 6 February 1905)
• John Idington (10 February 1905 – 31 March 1927)
• James Maclennan (5 October 1905 – 13 February 1909)
• Sir Charles Fitzpatrick (as Chief Justice, 4 June 1906 – 21 November 1918)
• Sir Lyman Poore Duff (27 September 1906 – 2 January 1944)
• Francis Alexander Anglin (23 February 1909 – 28 February 1933)
• Louis-Philippe Brodeur (11 August 1911 – 10 October 1923)

See also[link]

Canadian politics portal

• List of Canadian Prime Ministers

References[link]

Further reading[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wilfrid Laurier

• "Wilfrid Laurier". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2005. 
• Wilfrid Laurier - Parliament of Canada biography
• Wilfrid Laurier on the platform; collection of the principal speeches made in Parliament or before the people, since his entry into active politics in 1871; by Wilfrid Laurier at archive.org
• Life and letters of Sir Wilfrid Laurier vol 1. at archive.org
• Life and letters of Sir Wilfrid Laurier vol 2. at archive.org
• Article on Sir Wilfrid Laurier from The Canadian Encyclopedia

Links to related articles Party political offices Preceded by Edward Blake Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada 1887–1919 Succeeded by Daniel McKenzie Interim Parliament of Canada Preceded by Joseph Édouard Cauchon Minister of Inland Revenue 1877–1878 Succeeded by Louis François Georges Baby Preceded by Edward Blake Leader of the Opposition 1887–1896 Succeeded by Sir Charles Tupper Preceded by Sir Charles Tupper Prime Minister of Canada 1896–1911 Succeeded by Sir Robert Borden Preceded by Auguste Réal Angers President of the Privy Council 1896 – 1911 Succeeded by Robert Laird Borden Preceded by Clifford Sifton Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs 1905 Succeeded by Frank Oliver Minister of the Interior 1905 Preceded by Joseph Raymond Fournier Préfontaine Minister of Marine and Fisheries 1906 Succeeded by Louis-Philippe Brodeur Preceded by Sir Robert Borden Leader of the Opposition 1911–1919 Succeeded by Daniel McKenzie Preceded by Pierre-Nérée Dorion Member of Parliament Drummond—Arthabaska 1874–1877 Succeeded by Désiré-Olivier Bourbeau Preceded by Isidore Thibaudeau Member of Parliament for Quebec East 1877–1919 Succeeded by Ernest Lapointe Preceded by Day Hort MacDowall Member of Parliament Saskatchewan (Provisional District) 1896 Succeeded by Thomas Osborne Davis Preceded by Louis Champagne Member of Parliament Wright 1904 Succeeded by Emmanuel Devlin Preceded by Jean-Baptiste Thomas Caron Member of Parliament Ottawa with Harold B. McGiverin 1908-1910 Succeeded by Albert Allard Preceded by Joseph-Arthur Lortie Member of Parliament Soulanges 1911-1917 Succeeded by district abolished v t e   Prime Ministers of Canada Macdonald Mackenzie Macdonald Abbott Thompson Bowell Tupper Laurier Borden Meighen King Meighen King Bennett King St. Laurent Diefenbaker Pearson Trudeau Clark Trudeau Turner Mulroney Campbell Chrétien Martin Harper Book Category Portal v t e Liberal Party of Canada Provincial wings Affiliated provincial parties Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island Formerly affiliated parties Alberta (1905-1976) British Columbia (1903-late 1980s) Northwest Territories (1898-1905) Ontario Quebec (1867-1955) Saskatchewan (1905-2009) National leaders Leaders Brown Mackenzie Blake Laurier King St. Laurent Pearson Trudeau Turner Chrétien Martin Graham Dion Ignatieff Rae Deputy Leaders Copps Gray Manley McLellan Robillard Ignatieff Goodale Leadership elections 1919 1948 1958 1968 1984 1990 2003 2006 2009 2013 Parliamentary election candidates 1867 1878 1887 1891 1896 1900 1904 1908 1911 1917 1921 1925 1926 1930 1935 1940 1945 1949 1957 1958 1962 1963 1965 1968 1972 1974 1979 1980 1984 1988 1993 1997 2000 2004 2006 2008 2011 See also History v t e Ministers of the Interior Secretaries of State for the Provinces (1867-1873) Archibald Howe Aikins (acting) Gibbs Ministers of the Interior of Canada (1873-1936) Campbell Laird Scott (acting) Mills J. Macdonald Macpherson White J. Macdonald (acting) Dewdney Daly H. Macdonald Scott (acting) Sifton Laurier (acting) Oliver Rogers Roche Meighen Lougheed Stewart Stevens (acting) Bennett Stewart Murphy Crerar v t e Ministers of Fisheries and Oceans Ministers of Marine and Fisheries (1867–1930)1 Mitchell Smith Pope McLelan Foster Tupper Costigan Davies Sutherland Préfontaine Laurier (acting) Brodeur Lemieux Hazen Ballantyne Lapointe Cardin Black (acting) Patenaude (acting) Cardin (acting) Ministers of Marine (1930–1936)2 Cardin Duranleau Gendron Howe Ministers of Fisheries (1930–1969) Macmillan Rhodes Duranleau (acting) Stirling (acting) Ernst Michaud Bertrand Bridges Bertrand (acting) Gregg MacKinnon Mayhew Sinclair MacLean Robichaud Davis Minister of Fisheries and Forestry (1969–1971) Davis Ministers of the Environment (1971–1976)3 Davis Sauvé LeBlanc (acting) Marchand LeBlanc (acting) Ministers of State (Fisheries) (1974–1976) LeBlanc Minister of Fisheries and the Environment (1976–1979) LeBlanc Ministers of Fisheries and Oceans (1979–) LeBlanc McGrath LeBlanc de Bané Breau Fraser Nielsen Siddon Valcourt Crosbie Reid Tobin Dingwall (acting) Mifflin Anderson Dhaliwal Thibault Regan Hearn Shea Ashfield 1The office of Minister of Marine and Fisheries was abolished and the offices of Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Marine were created in 1930 2The offices of Minister of Marine and Minister of Railways and Canals were abolished and the office of Minister of Transport was created in 1936 3From 1971 to 1976 the Minister of the Environment was also the Minister of Fisheries. v t e Ministers of Inland Revenue Ministers of Inland Revenue (1867-1892) Howland Campbell (acting) Morris Tupper O'Connor Gibbs Fournier Geoffrion Laflamme Cauchon Laurier Baby Aikins Costigan Controllers of Inland Revenue (1892-1897) Wood Prior de Lotbinière Ministers of Inland Revenue (1897-1918) de Lotbinière Bernier Brodeur Templeman Nantel Blondin Patenaude Sévigny Sifton† †The offices of Minister of Customs and Minister of Inland Revenue were amalgamated by Order in Council dated May 18, 1918. v t e Superintendents-General of Indian Affairs Langevin Howe Aikins (acting) Gibbs Campbell Laird Scott (acting) Mills Macdonald White Macdonald (acting) Dewdney Daly H. Macdonald Scott (acting) Sifton Laurier (acting) Oliver Rogers Roche Meighen Lougheed Stewart Stevens (acting) Bennett (acting) Stewart Mackenzie Murphy Crerar1 1The offices of Minister of Immigration and Colonization, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Mines and Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs were abolished and the office of Minister of Mines and Resources was created and came in force on December 1, 1936. v t e   Presidents of the Privy Council Blair Howe Kenny Tupper O'Connor McDonald Huntington Cauchon Blake O'Connor Masson Mousseau McLelan Macdonald Colby Abbott Ives Bowell Angers Laurier Borden Rowell Calder Normand King Meighen King Bennett King St-Laurent Chevrier Dorion Diefenbaker Lamontagne McIlraith Favreau Gordon Trudeau (acting) MacEachen (acting) D. Macdonald MacEachen Sharp MacEachen Baker Pinard Ouellet Nielsen Hnatyshyn Mazankowski Clark Blais Massé Dion Coderre Robillard Chong Van Loan Ambrose Verner Penashue v t e   Leaders of the Official Opposition in Canada Mackenzie Macdonald Mackenzie Blake Laurier Tupper Borden Laurier McKenzie King Meighen King Guthrie Bennett King Bennett Manion Hanson Graydon Bracken Drew Rowe Drew Rowe Diefenbaker St. Laurent Pearson Diefenbaker Starr Stanfield Clark Trudeau Clark Nielsen Mulroney Turner Gray Chrétien Bouchard Duceppe Gauthier Duceppe Manning Grey Day Reynolds Harper Hill Harper Graham Dion Ignatieff Layton Turmel Mulcair v t e   Dean of the House John Costigan John Haggart Wilfrid Laurier John Reid William MacLean Rodolphe Lemieux Charles Marcil Ernest Lapointe Arthur Cardin Charles Power William Rowe Azellus Denis Paul Martin Sr. John Diefenbaker Walter Dinsdale Robert Coates Herb Gray Charles Caccia Bill Blaikie Louis Plamondon