128-499: Sir Charles Tupper, 1st Baronet (July 2, 1821 – October 30, 1915) was a Canadian Father of Confederation who served as the sixth prime minister of Canada from May 1 to July 8, 1896. As the premier of Nova Scotia from 1864 to 1867, he led Nova Scotia into Confederation . He briefly served as the Canadian prime minister, from seven days after parliament had been dissolved, until he resigned on July 8, 1896, following his party's loss in
256-681: A Maritime Union which would unite the Maritime provinces in advance of a projected future union with the Province of Canada. A conference to discuss the proposed union of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island was scheduled to be held in Charlottetown in September 1864. Tupper was pleasantly surprised when the Premier of the Province of Canada , John A. Macdonald , asked to be allowed to attend
384-602: A confidence vote later that year. Johnston asked the Governor of Nova Scotia , Lord Mulgrave , for dissolution , but Mulgrave refused and invited William Young to form a government. Tupper was outraged and petitioned the British government, asking them to recall Mulgrave. For the next three years, Tupper was ferocious in his denunciations of the Liberal government, first Young, and then Joseph Howe, who succeeded Young in 1860. This came to
512-522: A "three-column tariff", which added a new intermediate rate (a bargaining rate) alongside the existing British preferential rate and the general rate (which applied to all countries that Canada had no most-favoured-nation agreement with). The preferential and general rates remained unchanged, while the intermediate rates were slightly lower than the general rates. Also in 1907, Laurier's minister of finance , William Stevens Fielding , and minister of marine and fisheries , Louis-Philippe Brodeur , negotiated
640-537: A Liberal convention in Ottawa. The convention established that unrestricted reciprocity was intended to develop Canada's natural resources and that keeping a customs tariff was intended to generate revenue. Laurier subsequently undertook a series of speaking tours to campaign on the convention's results. Laurier visited Western Canada in September and October 1894, promising to relax the Conservatives' National Policy , open
768-517: A compromise between French and English Canada. The British government requested Canadian troops to fight in the Second Boer War and Canadian financial assistance for the Royal Navy , which divided the country as English Canadians supported both requests whereas French Canadians did not. Laurier's government sought a middle ground between the two groups, deciding to send a volunteer force to fight in
896-480: A compromise with Archbishop Connolly whereby Catholic-run schools could receive public funding, so long as they provided their religious instruction after hours. Making good on his promise for expanded railroad construction, in 1864 Tupper appointed Sandford Fleming as the chief engineer of the Nova Scotia Railway in order to expand the line from Truro to Pictou Landing . In January 1866 he awarded Fleming
1024-433: A contract to complete the line after local contractors proved too slow. Though this decision was controversial, it did result in the line's being completed by May 1867. A second proposed line, from Annapolis Royal to Windsor initially faltered, but was eventually completed in 1869 by the privately owned Windsor & Annapolis Railway . In the run-up to the 1859 Nova Scotia election, Tupper had been unwilling to commit to
1152-610: A deal with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company (subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway Company) to build the western section (from Winnipeg to the Pacific Ocean) while the government would build the eastern section (from Winnipeg to Moncton ). Once completed, Laurier's government would hand over the railway to the company for operation. Laurier's government gained criticism from the public due to
1280-531: A defeat for Laurier. Laurier decided to remain in Victoriaville. He slowly became well known across the town with a population of 730, and was even elected mayor not so long after he settled. In addition, he established a law practice which would span for three decades and have four different partners. He would make some money, but not enough to consider himself wealthy. During his period in Victoriaville, Laurier opted to accept Confederation and identify himself as
1408-426: A disastrous election campaign, Johnston decided to basically cede control of the party to Tupper, though Johnston remained the party's leader. During 1856 Tupper led Conservative attacks on the government, leading Joseph Howe to dub Tupper "the wicked wasp of Cumberland". In early 1857 Tupper convinced a number of Roman Catholic Liberal members to cross the floor to join the Conservatives, reducing Young's government to
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#17328773354341536-634: A falling-out with Macdonald, and by the early 1880s, he asked Macdonald to appoint him as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom . Tupper took up his post in London in 1883, and would remain High Commissioner until 1895, although in 1887–1888, he served as Minister of Finance without relinquishing the High Commissionership. In 1895, the government of Mackenzie Bowell floundered over
1664-672: A head in 1863 when the Liberals introduced legislation to restrict the Nova Scotia franchise , a move which Johnston and Tupper successfully blocked. Tupper continued practicing medicine during this period. He established a successful medical practice in Halifax, rising to become the city medical officer. In 1863 he was elected president of the Medical Society of Nova Scotia . In the June 1863 election,
1792-523: A joint Anglo-American commission that would study the differences and resolve the dispute . However, this commission was unsuccessful and came to an abrupt end on February 20, 1899. The dispute was then referred to an international judicial commission in 1903, which included three American politicians ( Elihu Root , Henry Cabot Lodge , and George Turner ), two Canadians ( Allen Bristol Aylesworth and Louis-Amable Jetté ) and one Briton ( Lord Alverstone , Lord Chief Justice of England ). On October 20, 1903,
1920-536: A landslide defeat. To win the provincial riding, Laurier campaigned on increasing funding for education, agriculture, and colonization. His career as a provincial politician was not noteworthy, and very few times would he make speeches in the legislature. Laurier resigned from the provincial legislature to enter federal politics as a Liberal . He was elected to the House of Commons in the January 22, 1874 election , representing
2048-498: A lawyer and journalist who staunchly opposed Confederation. The two experienced some success, but in late 1866, Laurier was invited by fellow Rouge Antoine-Aimé Dorion to replace his recently deceased brother to became editor and run the newspaper, Le Défricheur . Laurier moved to Victoriaville and began writing and controlling the newspaper from January 1, 1867. Laurier saw this as an opportunity to express his strong anti-Confederation views; in one instance he wrote, "Confederation
2176-551: A lawyer before being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in 1871 . He was then elected as a member of Parliament (MP) in the 1874 federal election . As an MP, Laurier gained a large personal following among French Canadians and the Québécois . He also came to be known as a great orator. After serving as minister of inland revenue under Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie from 1877 to 1878, Laurier became leader of
2304-607: A medical practice in Ottawa and was elected as the first president of the new Canadian Medical Association , a position he held until 1870. In the November 1867 provincial elections in Nova Scotia, the pro-Confederation Hiram Blanchard was defeated by the leader of the Anti-Confederation Party, William Annand . Given the unpopularity of Confederation within Nova Scotia, Joseph Howe traveled to London in 1868 to attempt to persuade
2432-668: A moderate liberal, as opposed to a radical liberal. While in Victoriaville, Laurier was an Ensign in the Arthabaskaville Infantry Company, serving from 1869 to 1878 during the Fenian Raids . A member of the Quebec Liberal Party , Laurier was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the riding of Drummond-Arthabaska in the 1871 Quebec general election , though the Liberal Party altogether suffered
2560-780: A physician in Amherst, Nova Scotia and opened a drugstore . The leader of the Conservative Party of Nova Scotia , James William Johnston , a fellow Baptist and family friend of the Tuppers, encouraged Charles Tupper to enter politics. In 1855 Tupper ran against the prominent Liberal politician Joseph Howe for the Cumberland County seat in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly . Joseph Howe would be Tupper's political opponent several times in years to come. Although Tupper won his seat,
2688-535: A position of strength. When Prime Minister Macdonald travelled to represent Canada's interests at the negotiations leading up to the Treaty of Washington (1871) , Tupper served as Macdonald's liaison with the federal cabinet. On January 19, 1872, Tupper's service as Privy Council president ended and he became Minister of Inland Revenue . Tupper led the Nova Scotia campaign for the Liberal-Conservative party during
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#17328773354342816-507: A pressing issue. The Klondike Gold Rush prompted Laurier to demand an all-Canadian route from the gold fields to a seaport. The region being a desirable place with lots of gold furthered Laurier's ambition of fixing an exact boundary. Laurier also wanted to establish who owned the Lynn Canal and who controlled maritime access to the Yukon. Laurier and US President William McKinley agreed to set up
2944-597: A proponent of the National Policy which became a part of the Conservative platform in 1876. The sincerity of Tupper's conversion to the protectionist cause was doubted at the time, however: according to one apocryphal story, when Tupper came to the 1876 debate on Finance Minister Richard John Cartwright 's budget, he was prepared to advocate free trade if Cartwright had announced that the Liberals had shifted their position and were now supporting protectionism. Tupper
3072-628: A second transcontinental railway , the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway . The first transcontinental railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway , had limitations and was not able to meet everyone's needs. In the West , the railway was not able to transport everything produced by farmers and in the East , the railway did not reach into Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec . Laurier was in favour of
3200-680: A significant part of the Liberal base. The Conservatives denounced the deal and played on long-standing fears that reciprocity could eventually lead to weakened ties with Britain and a Canadian economy dominated by the United States. They also campaigned on fears that this would lead to the Canadian identity being taken away by the US and 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
3328-544: A tariff rate of 12.5 percent for countries that imported Canadian goods at a rate equivalent to the minimum Canadian charge; rates for countries that imposed a protective duty against Canada remained the same. For the most part, the policy was supported by those for free trade (due to the preferential reduction) and those against free trade (due to elements of the National Policy remaining in place). Laurier's government again reformed tariffs in 1907. His government introduced
3456-485: A trade agreement with France which lowered import duties on some goods. In 1909, Fielding negotiated an agreement to promote trade with the British West Indies . Laurier led the Liberals to three re-elections in 1900 , 1904 , and 1908 . In the 1900 and 1904 elections, the Liberals' popular vote and seat share kept increasing whereas in the 1908 election, their popular vote and seat share went slightly down. By
3584-537: A transcontinental line built entirely on Canadian land by private enterprise. Laurier's government also constructed a third railway: the National Transcontinental Railway . It was made to provide Western Canada with direct rail connection to the Atlantic ports and to open up and develop Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec. Laurier believed that competition between the three railways would force one of
3712-526: A union of all the colonies of British North America . Believing that immediate union of all the colonies was impossible, in 1864, he proposed a Maritime Union . However, representatives of the Province of Canada asked to be allowed to attend the meeting in Charlottetown scheduled to discuss Maritime Union in order to present a proposal for a wider union, and the Charlottetown Conference thus became
3840-502: A united legislature would be dominated by the Province of Canada, Tupper pushed for regional representation in the upper house of the confederated colonies (a goal which would be achieved in the makeup of the Senate of Canada ). On the topic of which level of government would control customs in the union, Tupper ultimately agreed to accept the formula by which the federal government controlled customs in exchange for an annual subsidy of 80 cents
3968-561: A volunteer force, rather than the Canadian Militia as expected by Britain. Roughly 7,000 Canadian soldiers served in the force. Outspoken French Canadian nationalist and Liberal MP Henri Bourassa was an especially vocal opponent of any form of Canadian participation in the Boer War and thus resigned from the Liberal caucus in October 1899. On June 1, 1909, Laurier's government established
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4096-464: A whites-only policy. Although railways and large companies wanted to hire Asians, labour unions and the public at large stood opposed. Both major parties went along with public opinion, with Laurier taking the lead. Scholars have argued that Laurier acted in terms of his racist views in restricting immigration from China and India, as shown by his support for the Chinese head tax . In 1900, Laurier raised
4224-472: A year for each Nova Scotian. This deal was ultimately not good for Nova Scotia, which had historically received most of its government revenue from customs, and as a result, Nova Scotia entered Confederation with a deficit . Although Tupper had given up much at the Quebec Conference, he thought that he would be able to convince Nova Scotians that the deal he negotiated was in some good for Nova Scotia. He
4352-553: Is ranked among the top three of Canadian prime ministers. At 31 years and 8 months, Laurier is the longest-serving leader of a major Canadian political party. He is the fourth-longest serving prime minister of Canada, behind Pierre Trudeau , John A. Macdonald , and William Lyon Mackenzie King . The second child of Carolus Laurier and Marcelle Martineau, Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier was born in Saint-Lin, Canada East (modern-day Saint-Lin-Laurentides , Quebec), on November 20, 1841. He
4480-421: Is the best program of Christian education. However, many Protestants, particularly fellow Baptists, felt that Tupper had sold them out. To regain their trust he appointed Baptist educator Theodore Harding Rand as Nova Scotia's first superintendent of education . This raised concern among Catholics, led by Thomas-Louis Connolly , Archbishop of Halifax , who demanded state-funded Catholic schools . Tupper reached
4608-474: Is the second stage on the road to ‘anglification’ mapped out by Lord Durham ...We are being handed over to the English majority...[We must] use whatever influence we have left to demand and obtain a free and separate government." On March 21, Le Défricheur was forced to shut down, as a result of financial issues and opposition from the local clergy . On July 1, Confederation was officially proclaimed and recognized,
4736-633: The Naval Service Act 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 British navy. However, the idea faced opposition in both English and French Canada, especially in Quebec where Bourassa organized an anti-Laurier force. In 1897 and 1898, the Alaska -Canada border emerged as
4864-470: The 1891 federal election , Laurier faced Conservative Prime Minister John A. Macdonald . Laurier campaigned in favour of reciprocity , or free trade , with the United States , contrary to Macdonald's position on the matter, who claimed that reciprocity would lead to American annexation of Canada. On election day, March 5, the Liberals gained 10 seats. The Liberals also won a majority of seats in Quebec for
4992-600: The 1896 Canadian federal election . He is the only medical doctor to have ever held the office of prime minister of Canada and his 68-day tenure as prime minister is the shortest in Canadian history. Tupper was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia , to the Rev. Charles Tupper and Miriam Lockhart. He was educated at Horton Academy, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh Medical School , graduating MD in 1843. By
5120-576: The 1896 federal election . He led the Liberal Party to three more election victories afterwards. As prime minister, Laurier solved the Manitoba Schools Question by allowing Catholic students to have a Catholic education on a school-by-school basis. Despite his controversial handling of the dispute and criticism from some French Canadians who believed that the resolution was insufficient, he was nicknamed "the Great Conciliator" for offering
5248-705: The 1917 election , the Laurier Liberals were reduced to a mostly French Canadian rump . Laurier swept Quebec, winning 62 out of 65 of the province's seats, not least due to the French Canadians' overwhelming respect and support for Laurier as a result of his opposition to conscription. The Conscription Crisis once again revealed the divisions between French Canadians and English Canadians. Most English Canadians favoured conscription as they believed this would strengthen ties with Britain, whereas most French Canadians opposed conscription as they wanted nothing to do with
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5376-486: The Canadian federal election of 1872 . His efforts paid off when Nova Scotia returned not a single Anti-Confederate Member of Parliament to the 2nd Canadian Parliament , and 20 of Nova Scotia's 21 MPs were Liberal-Conservatives. (The Liberal-Conservative Party changed its name to the Conservative Party in 1873.) In February 1873, Tupper was shifted from Inland Revenue to become Minister of Customs , and in this position he
5504-399: The Charlottetown Conference . The Conference, which was co-chaired by Tupper and New Brunswick Premier Samuel Leonard Tilley , welcomed the Canadian delegation and asked them to join the conference. The conference proved to be a smashing success, and resulted in an agreement-in-principle to form a union of the four colonies. The Quebec Conference was held on October 10, as a follow-up to
5632-606: The Department of External Affairs for Canada to take greater control of its foreign policy. The Anglo-German naval arms race escalated in the early years of the 20th century. The British government requested financial and material resources to assist in expanding the Royal Navy , precipitating a heated political division in Canada. Many English Canadians wished to send as much as possible; many French Canadians and those against wished to send nothing. Aiming for compromise, Laurier advanced
5760-638: The Liberal Party in 1887, thus becoming leader of the Official Opposition . He lost the 1891 federal election to Prime Minister John A. Macdonald 's Conservatives . However, controversy surrounding the Conservative government's handling of the Manitoba Schools Question , which was triggered by the Manitoba government's elimination of funding for Catholic schools , gave Laurier a victory in
5888-532: The Manitoba Schools Question ; as a result, several leading members of the Conservative Party of Canada demanded the return of Tupper to serve as prime minister. Tupper accepted this invitation and returned to Canada, becoming prime minister in May 1896. Just before he was sworn in as prime minister, the 1896 federal election was called, in which his party lost to Wilfrid Laurier and the Liberals . Tupper served as leader of
6016-592: The Quebec Conference of 1864 (33 attendees), and the London Conference of 1866 (16 attendees), preceding Canadian Confederation . Only eleven people attended all three conferences. The following table lists the participants in the Charlottetown, Quebec, and London Conferences and their attendance at each stage. Four other individuals have been labelled as Fathers of Confederation. Hewitt Bernard , who
6144-450: The University of Edinburgh Medical School : he received his MD in 1843. During his time in Edinburgh , Tupper's commitment to his Baptist faith faltered, and he drank Scotch whisky for the first time. Returning to Nova Scotia in 1846, he broke off an engagement that he had contracted at age 17 with the daughter of a wealthy Halifax merchant, and instead married Frances Morse (1826–1912),
6272-529: The fisheries , which was going to be a joint federal-provincial responsibility under the Quebec agreement, became solely a federal concern. Following passage of the British North America Act in the wake of the London Conference, Tupper returned to Nova Scotia to undertake preparations for the union, which came into existence on July 1, 1867, and on July 4, Tupper turned over responsibility for
6400-582: The " Laurier Liberals ", a party composed of Liberals opposed to conscription. Laurier also rejected Prime Minister Borden's proposal to form a coalition government composed of both Conservatives and Liberals, arguing that there would be no "real" opposition to the government. He also argued that if the Liberals joined, Quebec would feel alienated and would lead to the province being heavily influenced by outspoken French-Canadian nationalist Henri Bourassa , and what Laurier called Bourassa's "dangerous nationalism" which might lead to Quebec seceding from Canada. In
6528-576: The 1855 election was an overall disaster for the Nova Scotia Conservatives, with the Liberals, led by William Young , winning a large majority. Young consequently became Premier of Nova Scotia . At a caucus meeting in January 1856, Tupper recommended a new direction for the Conservative party: they should begin actively courting Nova Scotia's Roman Catholic minority and should eagerly embrace railroad construction. Having just led his party into
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#17328773354346656-419: The American government refused to discuss the issue. Instead, he implemented a Liberal version of the Conservatives' nationalist and protectionist National Policy by maintaining high tariffs on goods from other countries that restricted Canadian goods. However, he lowered tariffs to the same level as countries that admitted Canadian goods. In 1897, Laurier's government impelemented a preferential reduction of
6784-418: The American market, and increase immigration . Macdonald died only three months after he defeated Laurier in the 1891 election. After Macdonald's death, the Conservatives went through a period of disorganization with four short-serving leaders. The fourth prime minister after Macdonald, Charles Tupper , became prime minister in May 1896 after Mackenzie Bowell resigned as a result of a leadership crisis that
6912-560: The Boer War and passing the 1910 Naval Service Act to create Canada's own navy . In addition, his government dramatically increased immigration , oversaw Alberta and Saskatchewan 's entry into Confederation , constructed the Grand Trunk Pacific and National Transcontinental railways, and put effort into establishing Canada as an autonomous country within the British Empire . Laurier's proposed reciprocity agreement with
7040-456: The British (with the Earl of Derby in his second term as Prime Minister ) were too absorbed in their own immediate interests. As such, nothing came of the 1858 discussions for an intercolonial railway. Sectarian conflict played a major role in the May 1859 elections, with Catholics largely supporting the Conservatives and Protestants shifting toward the Liberals. Tupper barely retained his seat. The Conservatives were barely re-elected and lost
7168-413: The British government (headed by the Earl of Derby, and then after February 1868 by Benjamin Disraeli ) to allow Nova Scotia to secede from Confederation. Tupper followed Howe to London where he successfully lobbied British politicians against allowing Nova Scotia to secede. Following his victory in London, Tupper proposed a reconciliation with Howe: in exchange for Howe's agreeing to stop fighting against
7296-416: The Charlottetown Conference, with Newfoundland only attending to observe. Tupper headed the Nova Scotia delegation to the Quebec Conference. He supported a legislative union of the colonies (which would mean that there would be only one legislature for the united colonies). However, the French Canadian delegates to the conference, notably George-Étienne Cartier and Hector-Louis Langevin , strongly opposed
7424-439: The Chinese head tax to $ 100. In 1903, this was further raised to $ 500, but when a few Chinese did pay the $ 500, he proposed raising the sum to $ 1,000. This was not the first time Laurier showed racially charged action, and over the course of his time as a politician, he had a history of racist views and actions. In 1886, Laurier told the House of Commons that it was moral for Canada to take lands from “savage nations” so long as
7552-460: The Conservative Party and was widely seen as Macdonald's heir apparent. He led Conservative attacks on the Mackenzie government throughout the 3rd Parliament. The Mackenzie government attempted to negotiate a new free trade agreement with the United States to replace the Canadian–American Reciprocity Treaty which the U.S. had abrogated in 1864. When Mackenzie proved unable to achieve reciprocity, Tupper began shifting toward protectionism and became
7680-475: The Conservative and Liberal parties' traditional colours). In 1911, 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 the free trade of natural products. The agreement would also lower tariffs . This had the strong support of agricultural interests, particularly in Western Canada, but it alienated many businessmen who formed
7808-438: The Conservative government's policies, though nothing notable came until 1885, when he spoke out against the execution of Métis activist Louis Riel , who was hung by Macdonald's government authorities after leading the North-West Rebellion . Edward Blake resigned as Liberal leader after leading them to back-to-back defeats in 1882 and 1887 . Blake urged Laurier to run for leadership of the party. At first, Laurier refused as he
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#17328773354347936-404: The Conservatives campaigned on a platform of railroad construction and expanded access to public education. The Conservatives won a large majority, taking 44 of the House of Assembly's 55 seats. Johnston resumed his duties as premier and Tupper again became provincial secretary. As a further sign of the Conservatives' commitment to non-sectarianism, in 1863, after a 20-year hiatus, Dalhousie College
8064-425: The House of Commons. He gained considerable attention when he delivered a speech on political liberalism on June 26, 1877, in front of about 2,000 people. He stated, "Liberal Catholicism is not political liberalism" and that the Liberal Party is not "a party composed of men holding perverse doctrines, with a dangerous tendency, and knowingly and deliberately progressing towards revolution." He also stated, "The policy of
8192-585: The Laurier-Greenway Compromise, the agreement did not allow separate Catholic schools to be re-established. However, religious instruction (Catholic education) would take place for 30 minutes at the end of each day, if requested by the parents of 10 children in rural areas or 25 in urban areas. Catholic teachers were allowed to be hired in the schools as long as there were at least 40 Catholic students in urban areas or 25 Catholic students in rural areas, and teachers could speak in French (or any other minority language) as long as there were enough Francophone students. This
8320-422: The Liberal Party as pro- conscription Liberals joined Borden's Unionist government . The anti-conscription faction of the Liberal Party, led by Laurier, became the Laurier Liberals , though the group would be heavily defeated by Borden's Unionists in the 1917 federal election . Laurier remained Opposition leader even after his 1917 defeat, but was not able to fight in another election as he died in 1919. Laurier
8448-451: The Liberal Party. Laurier died of a stroke on February 17, 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"." 50,000 to 100,000 people jammed the streets of Ottawa as his funeral procession marched to his final resting place at Notre-Dame Cemetery . His remains would eventually be placed in
8576-406: The Liberal Party. 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. However, Catholic priests in Quebec repeatedly warned their parishioners not to vote for Liberals. Their slogan was " le ciel est bleu, l'enfer est rouge " ("heaven is blue, hell is red", referring to
8704-538: The Liberal party is to protect [our] institutions, to defend them and spread them, and, under the sway of those institutions, to develop the country’s latent resources. That is the policy of the Liberal party and it has no other." The speech helped Laurier become a leader of the Quebec wing of the Liberal Party. From October 1877 to October 1878, Laurier served briefly in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Mackenzie as minister of inland revenue . However, his appointment triggered an October 27, 1877 ministerial by-election . In
8832-434: The Lord's Day Alliance. The act became effective on March 1, 1907. It prohibited business transactions from taking place on Sundays; it also restricted Sunday trade, labour, recreation, and newspapers. The act was supported by organized labour and the French Canadian Catholic hierarchy but was opposed by those who worked in the manufacturing and transportation sectors. It was also opposed by French Canadians due to them believing
8960-438: 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. Supporters of Catholic schools argued that the new statute was contrary to the provisions of the Manitoba Act, 1870 , which had a provision relating to school funding, but the courts rejected that argument and held that
9088-407: The Opposition from July 1896 until he resigned in February 1901, just months after his second defeat at the polls in 1900 . He returned to London, England, where he lived until his death in 1915 and was buried back in Halifax , Nova Scotia. He was the last surviving Canadian father of Confederation . In 2016, he was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame . Charles Tupper Jr.
9216-464: The Pacific Scandal, but he nevertheless continued to support Macdonald and his Conservative colleagues both before and after the 1874 election . The 1874 election was disastrous for the Conservatives, and in Nova Scotia, Tupper was one of only two Conservative MPs returned to the 3rd Canadian Parliament . Though Macdonald stayed on as Conservative leader, Tupper now assumed a more prominent role in
9344-608: The Royal Navy. Laurier argued that the bill threatened Canada's autonomy, and after six months of battling it, the bill was blocked by the Liberal-controlled Senate . Laurier led the opposition during World War I . He supported sending a volunteer force to fight in the war, arguing that an intense campaign for volunteers would produce enough troops. Borden initially had a volunteer military system in place, but when applications started to decline, he imposed conscription in
9472-645: The Syriac Version of the Scriptures . Beginning in 1837, at age 16, Tupper attended Horton Academy in Wolfville, Nova Scotia , where he learned Latin , Greek , and some French. After graduating in 1839, he spent a short time in New Brunswick working as a teacher, then moved to Windsor, Nova Scotia , to study medicine (1839–1840) with Dr. Ebenezer Fitch Harding. Borrowing money, he then moved to Scotland to study at
9600-465: The United Kingdom in 1902, taking part in the 1902 Colonial Conference and the coronation of King Edward VII on August 9, 1902. Laurier also took part in the 1907 and 1911 Imperial Conferences. In 1899, the British government requested Canadian troops to serve 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 Laurier eventually decided to send
9728-556: The United States to lower tariffs became a main issue in the 1911 federal election , in which the Liberals were defeated by the Conservatives led by Robert Borden , who claimed that the treaty would lead to the US influencing Canadian identity. Despite his defeat, Laurier stayed on as Liberal leader and once again became leader of the Opposition. During World War I and the Conscription Crisis of 1917 , Laurier faced divisions within
9856-673: The age of 22 he had handled 116 obstetric cases. He practiced medicine periodically throughout his political career (and served as the first president of the Canadian Medical Association ). He entered Nova Scotian politics in 1855 as a protégé of James William Johnston . During Johnston's tenure as premier of Nova Scotia in 1857–1859 and 1863–1864, Tupper served as provincial secretary . Tupper replaced Johnston as premier in 1864. As premier, he established public education in Nova Scotia and expanded Nova Scotia's railway network in order to promote industry. By 1860, Tupper supported
9984-642: The by-election, he lost his seat in Drummond—Arthabaska. On November 11, he ran for the seat of Quebec East , which he narrowly won. From November 11, 1877, to his death on February 17, 1919, Laurier's seat would be Quebec East. Laurier won reelection for Quebec East in the 1878 federal election , though the Liberals suffered a landslide defeat as a result of their mishandling of the Panic of 1873 . Macdonald returned as prime minister. Laurier called on Mackenzie to resign as leader, not least because of his handling of
10112-553: The central, or federal government, and the group believed that Confederation would lead to discrimination towards French Canadians. Laurier then practised law in Montreal , though he initially struggled as a lawyer. He opened his first practice on October 27, 1864, but closed it within a month. He established his second office, but that closed within three months, due to a lack of clients. In March 1865, nearly bankrupt, Laurier established his third law firm, partnering with Médéric Lanctot,
10240-488: The climate and requirements of Canada." The order was never called upon, as efforts by immigration officials had already reduced the number of Blacks migrating to Canada. The order was cancelled on October 5, 1911, the day before Laurier left office, by cabinet claiming that the minister of the interior was not present at the time of approval. In March 1906, Laurier's government introduced the Lord's Day Act after being persuaded by
10368-458: The commission by a majority (Root, Lodge, Turner, and Alverstone) ruled to support the American government's claims. Canada only acquired two islands below the Portland Canal . The decision provoked a wave of anti-American and anti-British sentiment in Canada, which Laurier temporarily encouraged. Though supportive of free trade with the United States, Laurier did not pursue the idea because
10496-479: The conciliators’ report. In 1908, a system was introduced where by annuities may be purchased from the government, the aim of which was to encourage voluntary provision for old age. On June 22, 1897, Laurier attended the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria , which was the 60th anniversary of her accession. There, he was knighted, and was given several honours, honorary degrees, and medals. Laurier again visited
10624-486: The condition of British North America in the two decades following Lord Durham's famous report. Although Tupper was interested in the potential economic consequences of a union with the other colonies, the bulk of his lecture addressed the place of British North America within the wider British Empire . Having been convinced by his 1858 trip to London that British politicians were unwilling to pay attention to small colonies such as Nova Scotia, Tupper argued that Nova Scotia and
10752-468: The economy. Between 1897 and 1914, at least a million immigrants arrived in Canada, and Canada's population increased by 40 percent. Laurier's immigration policy targeted the Prairies as he argued that it would increase farming production and benefit the agriculture industry . The British Columbia electorate was alarmed at the arrival of people they considered "uncivilized" by Canadian standards, and adopted
10880-498: The economy. Mackenzie resigned as Liberal leader in 1880 and was succeeded by Edward Blake . Laurier, along with others, founded the Quebec newspaper, L’Électeur , to promote the Liberal Party. The Liberals were in opposition once again, and Laurier made use of that status, expressing his support for laissez-faire economics and provincial rights. The Liberals suffered a second consecutive defeat in 1882 , with Macdonald winning his fourth term. Laurier continued to make speeches opposing
11008-498: The federal government was interfering in a provincial matter; the Quebec government passed its own Lord’s Day Act that came into effect one day before the federal act did. In 1907, Laurier's government passed the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act , which mandated conciliation for employers and workers before any strike in public utilities or mines, but did not make it necessary for the groups to accept
11136-479: The first of the three conferences that secured Canadian Confederation. Tupper also represented Nova Scotia at the other two conferences, the Quebec Conference (1864) and the London Conference of 1866 . In Nova Scotia, Tupper organized a Confederation Party to combat the activities of the Anti-Confederation Party organized by Joseph Howe and successfully led Nova Scotia into Confederation. Following
11264-432: The first time since the 1874 election. Prime Minister Macdonald won his fourth consecutive federal election victory. The day after, Blake denounced the Liberal trade policy. Laurier remained disillusioned for some time after his defeat. Multiple times he suggested he resign as leader, though he was persuaded not to by other Liberals. Only in 1893 did Laurier become encouraged again. On June 20 and 21, 1893, Laurier convened
11392-623: The government of Nova Scotia to Hiram Blanchard . In honour of the role he had played in securing Confederation, Tupper was made a Companion in The Most Honourable Order of the Bath in 1867. He was now entitled to use the postnomial letters "CB". The first elections for the new House of Commons of Canada were held in August–September 1867. Tupper ran as a member for the new federal riding of Cumberland and won his seat. However, he
11520-560: The government paid adequate compensation. Laurier also negotiated a limit to Japanese emigration to Canada. In August 1911, Laurier approved the Order-in-Council P.C. 1911-1324 recommended by the minister of the interior , Frank Oliver . The order was approved by the cabinet on August 12, 1911. The order was intended to keep out Black Americans escaping segregation in the American south, stating that "the Negro race...is deemed unsuitable to
11648-585: The granddaughter of Colonel Joseph Morse, a founder of Amherst, Nova Scotia . The Tuppers had three sons (Orin Stewart, Charles Hibbert , and William Johnston ) and three daughters (Emma, Elizabeth Stewart (Lilly), and Sophy Almon). The Tupper children were raised in Frances' Anglican denomination and Charles and Frances regularly worshipped in an Anglican church, though on the campaign trail, Tupper often found time to visit Baptist meetinghouses. Tupper set himself up as
11776-575: The heavy cost to construct the railway. During his government dealing with railway contractors, Laurier became close friends with Canadian railway magnate Hugh Ryan and remained so until Ryan's death in 1899 — Laurier was the first person to send condolences to the family both publicly and privately. On September 1, 1905, through the Alberta Act and the Saskatchewan Act , Laurier oversaw Alberta and Saskatchewan 's entry into Confederation ,
11904-454: The idea of a legislative union. Tupper threw his weight behind Macdonald's proposal for a federal union, which would see each colony retain its own legislature, with a central legislature in charge of common interests. Tupper argued in favour of a strong central government as a second best to a pure legislative union. He felt, however, that the local legislatures should retain the ability to levy duties on their natural resources. Concerned that
12032-450: The idea of a union with the other British North American colonies. By 1860, however, he had reconsidered his position. Tupper outlined his changed position in a lecture delivered at Saint John, New Brunswick , entitled "The Political Condition of British North America". The title of the lecture was a homage to Lord Durham 's 1838 Report on the Affairs of British North America and assessed
12160-455: The ideology of liberalism , despite the school being heavily conservative . In September 1861, Laurier began studying law at McGill University . There, he met Zoé Lafontaine , who would later become his wife. Laurier also discovered that he had chronic bronchitis , an illness that would stick with him for the rest of his life. At McGill, Laurier joined the Parti Rouge , or Red Party, which
12288-450: The issue of reciprocity. The Conservatives were victorious and the Liberals lost over a third of their seats. The Conservatives' leader, Robert Laird Borden , succeeded Laurier as prime minister. Over 15 consecutive years of Liberal rule ended. Laurier stayed on as Liberal leader. In December 1912, he started leading the filibuster and fight against the Conservatives' own naval bill which would have allocated $ 35 million to be sent to assist
12416-681: The land's natural resources . He argued that with Nova Scotia's "inexhaustible mines", it could become "a vast manufacturing mart" for the east coast of North America. He quickly persuaded Johnston to end the General Mining Association's monopoly over Nova Scotia minerals. In June 1857, Tupper initiated discussions with New Brunswick and the Province of Canada concerning an intercolonial railway . He traveled to London in 1858 to attempt to secure imperial backing for this project. During these discussions, Tupper realized that Canadians were more interested in discussing federal union, while
12544-843: The last two provinces to be created out of the Northwest Territories . Laurier decided to create two provinces, arguing that one large province would be too difficult to govern. This followed the enactment of the Yukon Territory Act by the Laurier Government in 1898, separating the Yukon from the Northwest Territories. Also in 1898, Quebec was enlarged through the Quebec Boundary Extension Act . Laurier's government dramatically increased immigration to grow
12672-624: The late 1800s, Laurier had been able to build the Liberal Party a base in Quebec, which had remained a Conservative stronghold for decades due to the province's social conservatism and to the influence of the Roman Catholic Church , which distrusted the Liberals' anti-clericalism . The growing alienation of French Canadians from the Conservative Party due to its links with anti-French, anti-Catholic Orangemen in English Canada aided
12800-496: The new statute was constitutional. The Catholic minority in Manitoba then 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 reached a compromise with the provincial premier, Thomas Greenway . Known as
12928-480: The other Maritime colonies "could never hope to occupy a position of influence or importance except in connection with their larger sister Canada". Tupper therefore proposed to create a "British America", which "stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific , would in a few years exhibit to the world a great and powerful organization, with British Institutions, British sympathies, and British feelings, bound indissolubly to
13056-562: The passage of the British North America Act in 1867, Tupper resigned as premier of Nova Scotia and began a career in federal politics. He held multiple cabinet positions under Prime Minister John A. Macdonald , including President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada (1870–1872), Minister of Inland Revenue (1872–1873), Minister of Customs (1873–1874), Minister of Public Works (1878–1879), and Minister of Railways and Canals (1879–1884). Initially groomed as Macdonald's successor, Tupper had
13184-629: 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 familiarized himself with the mentality, language and culture of English Canada , in addition to learning English. In 1854, Laurier attended the Collège de L'Assomption, an institution that staunchly followed Roman Catholicism . There, he started to develop an interest in politics, and began to endorse
13312-468: The proposed union. Therefore, when Tupper arrived in the UK, he immediately initiated a campaign of pamphlets and letters to the editor designed to refute Howe's assertions. Although Tupper did attempt to renegotiate the 72 Resolutions as he had promised, he was ineffective in securing any major changes. The only major change agreed to at the London Conference arguably did not benefit Nova Scotia – responsibility for
13440-554: The question of Confederation for a full year. Tupper now organized supporters of Confederation into a Confederation Party to push for the union. In April 1866, Tupper secured a motion of the Nova Scotia legislature in favour of union by promising that he would renegotiate the Seventy-two Resolutions at the upcoming conference in London . Joseph Howe had begun a pamphlet campaign in the UK to turn British public opinion against
13568-493: The rebels. He rushed to the northwest to rescue his son-in-law. When Howe's health declined the next year, Tupper finally entered the 1st Canadian Ministry by becoming Privy Council president in June 1870. The next year was dominated by a dispute with the United States regarding US access to the Atlantic fisheries . Tupper thought that the British should restrict American access to these fisheries so that they could negotiate from
13696-488: The riding of Drummond—Arthabaska . In this election, the Liberals led by Alexander Mackenzie heavily triumphed, as a result of the Pacific Scandal that was initiated by the Conservative Party and the Conservative prime minister, John A. Macdonald . Laurier ran a simple campaign, denouncing Conservative corruption. As a member of Parliament (MP), Laurier's first mission was to build prominence by giving speeches in
13824-634: The status of a minority government . As a result, Young was forced to resign in February 1857, and the Conservatives formed a government with Johnston as premier. Tupper became the provincial secretary . In Tupper's first speech to the House of Assembly as provincial secretary, he set forth an ambitious plan of railroad construction. Tupper had thus embarked on the major theme of his political life: that Nova Scotians (and later Canadians) should downplay their ethnic and religious differences, focusing instead on developing
13952-524: The summer of 1917, which led to the Conscription Crisis of 1917 . Laurier was an influential opponent of conscription , and his position on the matter was applauded by French Canadians, who were generally anti-conscription. Pro-conscription Liberals, particularly from English Canada, joined Borden as Liberal-Unionists to form the Union government . Laurier refused to join the Unionist Party, and instead created
14080-595: The three, the Canadian Pacific Railway, to lower freight rates and thus please Western shippers who would contribute to the competition between the railways. Laurier initially reached out to Grand Trunk Railway and Canadian Northern Railway to build the National Transcontinental railway, but after disagreements emerged between the two companies, Laurier's government opted to build part of the railway itself. However, Laurier's government soon struck
14208-621: The throne of England ". With the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Tupper worried that a victorious North would turn northward and conquer the British North American provinces. This caused him to redouble his commitment to union, which he now saw as essential to protecting the British colonies against American aggression. Since he thought that full union among the British North American colonies would be unachievable for many years, on March 28, 1864, Tupper instead proposed
14336-531: The union, Tupper and Howe would be allies in the fight to protect Nova Scotia's interests within Confederation. Howe agreed to Tupper's proposal and in January 1869 entered the Canadian cabinet as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada . With the outbreak of the Red River Rebellion in 1869, Tupper was distressed to find that his daughter Emma's husband was being held hostage by Louis Riel and
14464-553: The war. Laurier was now seen as a "traitor" to English Canadians and English Canadian Liberals, whereas he was seen as a "hero" for French Canadians. Laurier's protégé and successor as party leader, William Lyon Mackenzie King , unified the English and French factions of the Liberal Party, leading it to victory over the Conservatives in the 1921 federal election . After the election, Laurier still stayed on as Liberal and Opposition leader. When World War I came to an end on November 11, 1918, he focused on his efforts to rebuild and reunify
14592-713: Was a centre-left political party that contested elections in Canada East. In 1864, Laurier graduated from McGill. Laurier would continue being active within the Parti Rouge, and from May 1864 to fall 1866, was vice president of the Institut canadien de Montréal , a literary society with ties to the Rouge. In August 1864, Laurier joined the Liberals of Lower Canada, an anti- Confederation group composed of both moderates and radicals. The group argued that Confederation would give too much power to
14720-492: Was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime minister, his 15-year tenure remains the longest uninterrupted term of office among Canadian prime ministers and his nearly 45 years of service in the House of Commons is a record for the House. Laurier is best known for his compromises between English and French Canada. Laurier studied law at McGill University and practised as
14848-425: Was a sixth-generation French Canadian . His ancestor François Cottineau, dit Champlaurier, came to Canada from Saint-Claud , France. Laurier 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
14976-558: Was active in practicing medicine during the 1874–78 stint in Opposition, though he was dedicating less and less of his time to medicine during this period. Tupper was a councillor of the Oxford Military College in Cowley and Oxford , Oxfordshire from 1876 to 1896. Fathers of Confederation The Fathers of Confederation are the 36 people who attended at least one of the Charlottetown Conference of 1864 (23 attendees),
15104-422: Was also deeply critical of Mackenzie's approach to railways, arguing that completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway , which would link British Columbia (which entered Confederation in 1871) with the rest of Canada, should be a stronger government priority than it was for Mackenzie. This position also became an integral part of the Conservative platform. As on previous occasions when he was not in cabinet, Tupper
15232-577: Was born on July 2, 1821, in Amherst, Nova Scotia , to Charles Tupper Sr. and Miriam Lowe, née Lockhart. He was a descendant of Richard Warren , a Mayflower Pilgrim who signed the Mayflower Compact . Charles Tupper Sr. (1794–1881) was the co-pastor of the local Baptist church . He had been ordained as a Baptist minister in 1817, and was editor of Baptist Magazine 1832–1836. He was an accomplished Biblical scholar, and published Scriptural Baptism (Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1850) and Expository Notes on
15360-514: Was not keen to take such a powerful position, but later on accepted. After 13 and a half years, Laurier had already established his reputation. He was now a prominent politician who was known for leading the Quebec branch of the Liberal Party, known for defending French Canadian rights, and known for being a great orator who was a fierce parliamentary speaker. Over the next nine years, Laurier gradually built up his party's strength through his personal following both in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. In
15488-597: Was re-opened as a non-denominational institution of higher learning. Johnston retired from politics in May 1864 when he was appointed as a judge, and Tupper was chosen as his successor as premier of Nova Scotia. Tupper introduced ambitious education legislation in 1864 creating a system of state-subsidized common schools . In 1865 he introduced a bill providing for compulsory local taxation to fund these schools. Although these public schools were non-denominational (which resulted in Protestants sharply criticizing Tupper), Joshua
15616-405: Was seen by many as the best possible solution in the circumstances, however, some French Canadians criticized this move as it was done on an individual basis, and did not protect Catholic or French rights in all schools. Laurier called his effort to lessen the tinder in this issue "sunny ways" (French: voies ensoleillées ). Laurier's government introduced and initiated the idea of constructing
15744-430: Was successful in having British weights and measures adopted as the uniform standard for the united colonies. He would not hold this post for long, however, as Macdonald's government was rocked by the Pacific Scandal throughout 1873. In November 1873, the 1st Canadian Ministry was forced to resign and was replaced by the 2nd Canadian Ministry headed by Liberal Alexander Mackenzie . Tupper had not been involved in
15872-609: Was the only pro-Confederation candidate to win a seat from Nova Scotia in the 1st Canadian Parliament , with Joseph Howe and the Anti-Confederates winning every other seat. As an ally of John A. Macdonald and the Liberal-Conservative Party , it was widely believed that Tupper would have a place in the first Cabinet of Canada . However, when Macdonald ran into difficulties in organizing this cabinet, Tupper stepped aside in favour of Edward Kenny . Instead, Tupper set up
16000-528: Was the recording secretary at the Charlottetown Conference, is considered by some to be a Father of Confederation. The leaders most responsible for bringing three specific provinces into Confederation after 1867 are also referred to as Fathers of Confederation. Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier ( / ˈ l ɒr i eɪ / LORR -ee-ay ; French: [wilfʁid loʁje] ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919)
16128-485: Was therefore surprised when the deal he had negotiated at Quebec was roundly criticized by Nova Scotians: the Opposition Leader Adams George Archibald was the only member of the Liberal caucus to support Confederation. Former premier Joseph Howe now organized an Anti-Confederation Party and anti-Confederation sentiments were so strong that Tupper decided to postpone a vote of the legislature on
16256-454: Was triggered by his attempts to offer a compromise for the Manitoba Schools Question , a dispute which emerged after the provincial government ended funding for Catholic schools in 1890. Tupper faced Laurier in the 1896 federal election , in which the schools dispute was a key issue. While Tupper supported overriding the provincial legislation to reinstate funding for the Catholic schools, Laurier
16384-403: Was vague when giving his position on the matter, proposing an investigation of the issue first and then conciliation, a method he famously called, "sunny ways". On June 23, Laurier led the Liberals to their first victory in 22 years, despite losing the popular vote. Laurier's win was made possible by his sweep in Quebec. One of Laurier's first acts as prime minister was to implement a solution to
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