Sir Wilfrid Laurier

Spanning half a century, this portrait follows the remarkable journey of a man who rose from a modest Quebec hamlet to become a central figure on Canada’s political stage. Born in 1841 to a family of French settlers, his upbringing was shaped by a lineage of inventive, hard‑working ancestors who prized education, language, and practical skill. Encouraged by his father—a farmer‑surveyor who introduced the colony’s first threshing machine—the young Laurier received a rigorous classical education that prepared him for a life of public service.

As he entered the world of politics, his keen intellect and bilingual fluency allowed him to navigate the shifting tides of a young nation. Over decades he witnessed the birth and growth of Canada, the rise and fall of empires abroad, and the evolution of global leaders, all while steadily climbing the ranks of the Liberal Party. Listeners will discover how his early experiences and family values forged the steady hand that guided Canada through formative years, setting the stage for his eventual tenure as prime minister.