Editing Wilfrid Laurier (section)

==Early political career (1871–1887)==

===Member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec (1871–1874)===

A member of the [[Quebec Liberal Party]], Laurier was elected to the [[Legislative Assembly of Quebec]] for the riding of [[Drummond-Arthabaska (provincial electoral district)|Drummond-Arthabaska]] in the [[1871 Quebec general election]], though the Liberal Party altogether suffered 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.<ref name="WLbio" />

===Member of Parliament (1874–1887)===

Laurier resigned from the provincial legislature to enter federal politics as a [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]. He was elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] in the [[1874 Canadian federal election|January 22, 1874 election]], representing the riding of [[Drummond—Arthabaska]]. In this election, the Liberals led by [[Alexander Mackenzie (politician)|Alexander Mackenzie]] heavily triumphed, as a result of the [[Pacific Scandal]] that was initiated by the [[Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942)|Conservative Party]] and the Conservative prime minister, [[John A. Macdonald]]. Laurier ran a simple campaign, denouncing Conservative corruption.<ref name="WLbio" />
[[File:Wilfrid Laurier, M.jpg|175px|thumb|right|Laurier in 1874]]

As a [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|member of Parliament]] (MP), Laurier's first mission was to build prominence by giving speeches in 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 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.<ref name="WLbio" />

From October 1877 to October 1878, Laurier served briefly in the [[Canadian Cabinet|Cabinet]] of Prime Minister Mackenzie as [[Minister of National Revenue#Minister of Inland Revenue|minister of inland revenue]]. However, his appointment triggered an October 27, 1877 [[ministerial by-election]]. In 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 Canadian federal election|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.<ref name="WLbio" />

Laurier called on Mackenzie to resign as leader, not least because of his handling of 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|laissez-faire economics]] and provincial rights. The Liberals suffered a second consecutive defeat [[1882 Canadian federal election|in 1882]], with Macdonald winning his fourth term. Laurier continued to make speeches opposing the Conservative government's policies, though nothing notable came until 1885, when he spoke out against the execution of Métis leader [[Louis Riel]], to whom the Macdonald government refused to grant [[Royal prerogative of mercy#Canada|clemency]] after he led the [[North-West Rebellion]].<ref name="WLbio" />