Extraordinary Canadians Wilfrid Laurier

by André Pratte

Wilfrid Laurier is acknowledged as a great prime minister, a superb orator, and a survivor. But he has become more myth than man. André Pratte, chief editorial writer of Quebec’s La Presse, uncovers Laurier’s complexity amid the charged political circumstances of the early 20th century. Laurier tried to unite a newborn country that found itself grappling with the thorny questions of minority rights, regional tensions, and its role in the world. Pratte skilfully reveals a Laurier who did not have to create a special political strategy in order to deal with the realities of Canada. Growing up in French- and English-Canadian cultures, he himself was a mirror of that complexity. Pratte’s Laurier affirms our long and stable history, while recognizing that events are never predictable, and that dialogue, tolerance, and compromise are always necessary.

Genres: Canada, Biography, History, Politics

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2011

Reviews

[Andrew Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

My biggest gripe with this book is the author's position that Laurier was just walking an editorial line when he was an anti-confederate before confederation. His evidence is first that Laurier declared that there was no longer a hatred between the races in Canada. Of course, being anti-confederation would mean that one necessarily hates the other race, there is no possibility that Laurier might have not hated the English but did not prefer political union. Second, the author argues that Laurier's explicit admiration for British institutions shows that he must have favoured confederation. But just a few pages earlier he likened Laurier's favour for British institutions to Papineau's favour for those same institutions. Would we then use this as evidence for Papineau's preference for union with Upper Canada (or for Confederation twenty-seven years later)?

There were two other hot takes from the author that I found funny. First, it's the author's view that the separate schools issue was just a case of Anglos wanting to assimilate non-French and non-English immigrants and that French-Canadians were just "collateral damage". Second, the author says that Laurier was wrong about the twentieth century being Canada's century. A fair position but not something I expected in a biography of Laurier when the author was otherwise very sympathetic to the subject.

Also, two editorial decisions that killed me were, first, the decision to put scare-quotes around the word "race" which I am almost certain was a last-second decision made as to not offend a contemporary audience. Interestingly, there is one instance in the book in which the author refers to 'racist comments' without scare quotes suggesting that French and English aren't really "races" but hatred between the two really constitutes racism. Although, I think this is just evidence that the decision to use scare quotes was not well thought out and this instance got missed in editing. Second, the author thinks that the reader won't know what Lincoln's Gettysburg address was and uses brackets to tell the reader, "ya know, the one that goes, 'Four score and seven years ago'."

One great thing I will say about this book is that Pratte really does draw out this continuous struggle in Laurier career between two nationalisms, Quebecois and Canadian, and pro-British sentiments which he always shows Laurier as being sympathetic to the nationalists while skillfully toeing the line between the two ideological camps both in his speeches and in his politics. It does draw up his image as the silver-tongued great compromiser of the North.

[Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, brief review of Laurier's life, times, and influence on the issues facing Canada in his day. Readable. Pratte presents positions on the key interpretive conflicts while stating the questions that remain where he cannot answer.

As an immigrant to Canada, I found it fascinating to learn more about the history of issues facing us today. Five stars.

[Warren Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very good primer despite my low rating. Short and introductory; exactly what I was looking for.

[Marc Therrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un bon regard sur le tout premier Premier ministre francophone du Canada, qui a tenté d’unifier le Canada, avec plus ou moins de succès à long terme selon le point de vue.

[Jeffrey Sylvester · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having read the majority of this series, I found this book a little bland. I think much of it can be attributed to the author's style which I found a generically straight-forward account of the historic tensions between Canadian Anglo and Francophones tinged with interjections of Ralston Saul's social democratic views, of what he believes, constitutes the legacy of Extraordinary Canadians. Not a bad read, but not near as interesting as Big Bear, Rene Levesque or LaFontaine and Baldwin, for example, and in my opinion.

[GregCarey10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andre Pratte's short biography of Wilfrid Lauier, part of the series, Extraordinary Canadians, was close to that. An excellent insight into a mostly forgotten Prime Minister of Canada, albeit the first French-Canadian PM. Overshadowed by Macdonald and Trudeau, Laurier is an exceptionally fascinating PM. Great read for any interested in Canadian history.

[Raimo Wirkkala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done short bio of an important figure in Canadians history. The books in this series are perfect for those who would like a "bare bones" look at the lives in question. For me, a few of these books have piqued my curiosity and led me to research more expansive works on the subject.

[James Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pedestrian but reliable thematic biography of the French Canadian Prime Minister who was instrumental in forging the idea that is "Canada." Could have been subtitled: "A Career in Compromise." Fascinating to read this immediately after Ignatieff's memoir.

[Francois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une courte biographie de Laurier, agréable et facile à lire. André Pratte réussit à livrer l'essence du caractère de cet illustre Canadien français, le premier à être Premier ministre du Canada.

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

As insightful as a wikipedia article.