Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the Romance of Canada

David A. Lenarcic is an assistant professor of history at Wilfrid
Laurier University.

This is a very readable but somewhat fawning biography of one of
Canada’s most prominent prime ministers. Although there are no
footnotes, the author has clearly mined the relevant archival material.

LaPierre’s Laurier is a heroic figure who correctly reasoned that the
only way to hold the diverse elements of Canada together was through
compromise and accommodation. Unfortunately, the section that examines
Laurier’s time in power—less than one-third of the book—does not
offer any fresh insights into his politics and policies. The connections
between Laurier’s public and private lives are also left unexplained.
What we are left with is some good storytelling but less than rigorous
history.