A Liberal, he was Canada's fourth longest-serving Prime Minister, with the longest consecutive time in office (over fifteen years, from 1896 to 1911). He won four general elections and lost three. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Borden. He died in 1919, having been the Leader of the Official Opposition for eight years.
Summary
Laurier in 1891, the year he first led the Liberal Party in a general election.Laurier in later life.
Laurier was the fourth-longest serving Prime Minister, serving from 1896 to 1911. His term in office of 15 years and 86 days (July 11, 1896 to October 6, 1911) remains the longest unbroken term of a Canadian Prime Minister.[1]
He led the Liberals in seven general elections, winning four (1896, 1900, 1904, and 1908) and losing three (1891, 1911, 1917). He is in a three-way tie with Sir John A. Macdonald and Mackenzie King for the number of general elections he contested as leader of a party.
His streak of four consecutive majority governments (1896, 1900, 1904, and 1908) is tied with Macdonald's identical record as the longest streak of general election victories at the federal level.
Laurier stood for election to the House of Commons of Canada 20 times, in 1874, 1877 (twice), 1878, 1878, 1882, 1887, 1891 (twice), 1896 (three times), 1900, 1904 (twice), 1908 (twice), 1911 (twice), and 1917 (twice), although some of those were multiple elections in the same general election, as was permitted at that time. He won seventeen of the elections and was defeated three times.
Laurier was elected as a member of the House of Commons for six different constituencies, and at various times sat in the Commons for three different constituencies (Drummond—Arthabaska, Quebec East, Quebec; and Soulanges, Quebec. He served in the Commons for a total of 44 years, 10 months, 17 days, continuously from the 3rd Parliament, elected in 1874, to his death in 1919.[2]
Canada had seven provinces, one territory, and one semi-autonomous district in 1896, when Laurier was first elected Prime Minister.Canada had nine provinces and two territories in 1911, Laurier's last year as Prime Minister.
Federal General Elections, 1891 to 1917
Laurier led the Liberals in seven general elections, winning four (1896, 1900, 1904, and 1908) and losing three (1891, 1911, 1917).
The 1891 election was Laurier's first election as leader of the Liberals. His opponent in the 1891 election was Sir John A. Macdonald, in his last election. Macdonald, aged 76, again led the Conservatives to victory, albeit with a reduced majority. Laurier remained the Leader of the Official Opposition after the election.
Canadian Federal Election, 1891 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Acclaimed. 4 Election returns in 1887 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Many candidates did not list a party affiliation.
Laurier won his second general election, defeating the Conservatives led by Prime Minister Charles Tupper. The main issue was the Manitoba Schools Question, which had divided the country on linguistic and religious lines. Although Tupper and the Conservatives won the popular vote, Laurier and the Liberals won the majority of seats and formed the government, the first time at the federal level that the party with the greatest popular vote support did not form the government.
Canadian Federal Election, 1896 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Prime Minister shortly after election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Election returns in 1896 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Some candidates did not list a party affiliation.
Laurier again faced Tupper in the general election of 1900. Laurier and the Liberals increased both their popular vote and seats won. Tupper retired from public life, the last of the Fathers of Confederation to leave Canadian politics.
Canadian Federal Election, 1900 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Election returns in 1900 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Some candidates did not list a party affiliation. 4 "Unknown" candidates only received 27 votes nationally. 5 Rounding error.
Laurier again led the Liberals in the 1904 general election. His opponent this time was Robert Laird Borden, who had replaced Tupper as leader of the Conservatives. Laurier again won a majority government.
Canadian Federal Election, 1904 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Independent Liberal candidates received only 309 votes nationally. 4 Election returns in 1904 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Some candidates did not list a party affiliation. 5 Rounding error.
Laurier again led the Liberals in the 1908 general election. His opponent was again Robert Laird Borden, the leader of the Conservatives. Laurier again won a majority government, which would be his last of four victories.
Canadian Federal Election, 1908 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Prime Minister when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Election returns in 1908 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Some candidates did not list a party affiliation. 4 Rounding error.
Laurier again led the Liberals in the 1911 general election, which was fought on the issue of reciprocity (lowered trade barriers) with the United States. Naval policy was also an issue. Laurier lost to Robert Laird Borden, the leader of the Conservatives. The loss ended Laurier's streak of four electoral victories and fifteen years as prime minister. He became Leader of the Official Opposition.
Canadian Federal Election, 1911 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Prime Minister when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Election returns in 1911 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Some candidates did not list a party affiliation.
The 1917 election was Laurier's last election. The election was fought entirely on the issue of conscription and Canada's role in World War I. The Liberal Party split between those Liberals who supported the Borden government's policy of conscription, and the Liberals led by Laurier, who opposed it. The election badly divided the country between English-Canadians, who tended to support conscription, and French-Canadians, who opposed it. Laurier and the Laurier Liberals lost the election, with Borden winning office as the leader of a Unionist (coalition) government. Laurier remained as Leader of the Opposition, but died in 1919, ending one of the longest careers in the Parliament of Canada, almost 45 years since he was first elected in 1874.
Canadian Federal Election, 1917 – Parties, Leaders, Seats Won and Popular Vote
1 Leader of the Opposition when election was called; Prime Minister after the election. 2 Prime Minister when election was called; Leader of the Opposition after the election. 3 Election returns in 1911 did not require candidates to declare party affiliation. Some candidates did not list a party affiliation. 4 Rounding error.
Federal constituency elections, 1874 to 1917
Laurier stood for election to the House of Commons 20 times, in 1874, 1877 (twice), 1878, 1878, 1882, 1887, 1891 (twice), 1896 (three times), 1900, 1904 (twice), 1908 (twice), 1911 (twice), and 1917 (twice), although some of those were multiple elections in the same general election, as was permitted at that time. He won seventeen elections and was defeated three times.
In the 1891 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies as was permitted at that time: Quebec East and Richmond—Wolfe, both in Quebec. He was acclaimed in Quebec East but was defeated in Richmond–Wolfe.[2]
In the 1891 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Richmond—Wolfe and Quebec East, both in Quebec. He won Quebec East but lost Richmond–Wolfe.[2]
In the 1896 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Quebec East and Saskatchewan (Provisional District), North-West Territories. He won both ridings and chose to represent Quebec East in Parliament.[2]
1896 Federal Election: Saskatchewan (Provisional District)
In the 1896 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Saskatchewan (Provisional District), North-West Territories, and Quebec East, Quebec. He won both ridings and chose to represent Quebec East in Parliament.[2]
In the 1904 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Quebec East and Wright, both in Quebec. He won both ridings and chose to represent Quebec East in Parliament.[2]
In the 1904 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Wright and Quebec East, both in Quebec. He won both ridings and chose to represent Quebec East in Parliament.[2]
In the 1908 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Quebec East, Quebec, and Ottawa (City), Ontario. He won both ridings and chose to represent Quebec East in Parliament.[2]
In the 1908 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Ottawa (City), Ontario, and Quebec East, Quebec. He won both ridings and chose to represent Quebec East in Parliament.[2]
In the 1911 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Quebec East and Soulanges, both in Quebec. He won both ridings and represented both seats in the new Parliament.[2]
In the 1911 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Soulanges and Quebec East, both in Quebec. He won both ridings and represented both seats in the new Parliament.[2]
In the 1917 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Quebec East, Quebec, and Ottawa (City), Ontario. He won Quebec East but was defeated in Ottawa (City).[2]
In the 1917 general election, Laurier stood in two constituencies, as was permitted at that time: Ottawa (City), Ontario, and Quebec East, Quebec. He was defeated in Ottawa (City) but elected in Quebec East.[2]
Sir Charles Tupper, 1st Baronet, M.D. 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 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.
Sir Robert Laird Borden was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the eighth prime minister of Canada from 1911 to 1920. He is best known for his leadership of Canada during World War I.
Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, 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.
The 1921 Canadian federal election was held on December 6, 1921, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader William Lyon Mackenzie King. A new third party, the Progressive Party, won the second most seats in the election.
The 1896 Canadian federal election was held on June 23, 1896, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 8th Parliament of Canada. Though the Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Charles Tupper, won a plurality of the popular vote, the Liberal Party, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won the majority of seats to form the next government. The election ended 18 years of Conservative rule.
Prior to the 1917 federal election in Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two factions. To differentiate the groups, historians tend to use two retrospective names:
The 1917 Canadian federal election was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription. The election resulted in Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden's Unionist government elected with a strong majority and the largest percentage of the popular vote for any party in Canadian history.
Walter Humphries Montague, was a Canadian politician. He was a federal cabinet minister in the governments of Mackenzie Bowell and Charles Tupper, and subsequently a provincial cabinet minister in the Manitoba government of Rodmond Roblin. Montague was a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Arthur Meighen was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Canada from 1920 to 1921 and from June to September 1926. He led the Conservative Party from 1920 to 1926 and from 1941 to 1942.
This article is the Electoral history of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada.
This article is the Electoral history of Alexander Mackenzie, the second Prime Minister of Canada. A Liberal, he served one term as prime minister (1873–1878). He became prime minister after defeating the government of Sir John A. Macdonald on a non-confidence motion in 1873 and then winning the general election of 1874. He later lost the general election of 1878 and Macdonald returned to power.
This article is the Electoral history of Sir Charles Tupper, the sixth Prime Minister of Canada. A Conservative, he became prime minister upon the resignation of Prime Minister Sir Mackenzie Bowell over the Manitoba Schools Question in 1896. Tupper was the shortest-serving prime minister, with a term of only 69 days. He led his party in two general elections and lost both, to Sir Wilfrid Laurier
This article is the Electoral history of Robert Borden, the eighth Prime Minister of Canada (1911-1920).
The article is the electoral history of Arthur Meighen, the ninth prime minister of Canada.
This article is the electoral history of William Lyon Mackenzie King, the tenth Prime Minister of Canada. A Liberal, he was Canada's longest-serving prime minister, with three separate terms as prime minister, for a total of 21 years and 154 days. He defeated Prime Ministers Arthur Meighen and R.B. Bennett at different times, and was succeeded by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent in 1948.
This article is the Electoral history of Pierre Trudeau, the fifteenth Prime Minister of Canada.
This article is the Electoral history of John Turner, the seventeenth Prime Minister of Canada.
This article is the Electoral history of Jean Chrétien, the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada.
This article is the Electoral history of Justin Trudeau, the twenty-third and current Prime Minister of Canada. Trudeau has served as prime minister since November 5, 2015, having won three general elections.
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