Wilfrid Laurier

Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier GCMG PC KC (20 November 1841 – 17 February 1919), known as Wilfrid Laurier (French: [wilfʁid loʁje]; English /ˈlɔːrieɪ/; lor-yay), was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada, in office 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." 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, and he supported the continuation of the Empire if it was based on "absolute liberty political and commercial". A 2011 Maclean's historical ranking of the Prime Ministers placed Laurier first.