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Foreign News
September 29, 1911
Wauwatosa News
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
What is this article about?
In the Canadian federal election, the Liberal government led by Sir Wilfrid Laurier suffered a major defeat on the issue of reciprocity with the US, resulting in a Conservative majority of over 50 seats. Robert L. Borden will become Prime Minister, and the trade agreement is scrapped.
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LAURIER
DEFEATED
CANADIAN
LIBERAL
MINISTRY
AND RECIPROCITY ARE BAD
LY BEATEN AT ELECTION.
BORDEN
WILL
BE
PREMIER
Opposition Will Have
Majority of
More Than 50 in New Parliament—
Seven Members of Privy Council
Are Ousted.
Montreal.—Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the
Liberal Government and reciprocity
with the United States suffered a most
disastrous defeat at the polls through-
out the Dominion of Canada. With
reciprocity the paramount issue of the
campaign the voting turned a Liberal
majority of 42 into a Conservative
majority of more than 50.
Seven cabinet ministers who
had
served with Premier Laurier
were
among the defeated candidates.
The Liberals lost ground in prac-
tically every province of the Dominion.
Where they won, their majorities
were small. Where the Conservatives
won their majorities were tremendous.
Ontario, the leading province of Can-
ada, declared almost unanimously
against the administration and reci-
procity.
Robert L. Borden, leader of the
Conservative party, will shortly be-
come the prime minister of Canada.
He will be supported in parliament by
a working majority of members far
more than ample for his purposes.
The government defeat means that
the Fielding-Knox reciprocity agree-
ment, ratified by the American con-
gress in extra session, will not be in-
troduced when the twelfth parliament
assembles next month, and that a re-
vised basis of trade with the United
-States looking to closer commercial
relations will not be possible in the
immediate future. The Conservatives
are committed to a policy of trade
expansion within the empire and a
closed door against the United States.
Although re-elected in two constitu-
encies in Quebec, the defeat of the
Liberal party also means the retire-
ment from public life of Sir Wilfrid
Laurier, who for nearly two decades
has directed the destinies of the Do-
minion. Several times during the bit-
ter campaign which preceded the
election the venerable premier said
defeat of his party at the polls meant
the end of his career: that he never
would consent to lead a minority in
opposition to a Conservative govern-
ment.
A Liberal membership of 53 from
Quebec was cut down to 36, which
taken alone, seriously threatened the
supremacy of the party.
But it was in Ontario that the Con-
servatives won their greatest vic-
tories. Spurred on by appeals to
patriotism and the cry that reciproc-
ity was the entering wedge for an-
nexation, the Conservatives swept
nearly everything before them. That
province, which in the last parliament
was represented by 35 Liberals and 51
Conservatives, will send a delegation
to the next composed of 13 Liberals
and 75 Conservatives. A notable fea-
ture of the defeat was the opposition's
capture of two hitherto liberal seats
in Saskatchewan
The returns show an opposition ma-
jority of 50, as follows: Opposition
members elected, 131; Liberal mem-
bers elected, 81. This is practically
complete, accounting for 212 out of
221 members.
The result comes as an unexpected
disaster in the face of the confident
hopes of the government that it
would be sustained on the paramount
issue it had made of reciprocity be-
tween Canada and the United States.
Seven members of the Laurier min-
istry were among the defeated mem-
bers reported, with other Liberal min-
isters still in doubt and the current
strong against them. Sir Wilfrid
Laurier is elected in Quebec East, as
the seat had not been contested.
Minister of Finance Fielding and
Minister of Customs Paterson, who
made the reciprocity bargain with the
United States, failed to win; Sir Fred-
erick Borden, minister of militia; Mac-
Kenzie King, minister of labor; Syd-
ey Fisher, minister of agriculture;
George P. Graham, minister of rail-
ways, and William Templeman, min-
ister of inland revenues, also went
down to defeat. The province of Que-
bec rejected one minister, British Co-
lumbia one, Nova Scotia two and On-
tario three.
Quebec province complete, except for
two deferred elections, gives the op-
position 26 seats and the government
37. The division in the last parliament
was: Opposition, 12; government, 53.
Kalamazoo, Mich.—President Taft
heard the news of the defeat of reci-
procity in the Canadian election while
at a banquet here. The intelligence
cast gloom over the presidential party
and caused the president intense dis-
appointment. "I am greatly disap-
pointed over the result of the reciproc-
ity election so far as the returns have
indicated," said the president.
DEFEATED
CANADIAN
LIBERAL
MINISTRY
AND RECIPROCITY ARE BAD
LY BEATEN AT ELECTION.
BORDEN
WILL
BE
PREMIER
Opposition Will Have
Majority of
More Than 50 in New Parliament—
Seven Members of Privy Council
Are Ousted.
Montreal.—Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the
Liberal Government and reciprocity
with the United States suffered a most
disastrous defeat at the polls through-
out the Dominion of Canada. With
reciprocity the paramount issue of the
campaign the voting turned a Liberal
majority of 42 into a Conservative
majority of more than 50.
Seven cabinet ministers who
had
served with Premier Laurier
were
among the defeated candidates.
The Liberals lost ground in prac-
tically every province of the Dominion.
Where they won, their majorities
were small. Where the Conservatives
won their majorities were tremendous.
Ontario, the leading province of Can-
ada, declared almost unanimously
against the administration and reci-
procity.
Robert L. Borden, leader of the
Conservative party, will shortly be-
come the prime minister of Canada.
He will be supported in parliament by
a working majority of members far
more than ample for his purposes.
The government defeat means that
the Fielding-Knox reciprocity agree-
ment, ratified by the American con-
gress in extra session, will not be in-
troduced when the twelfth parliament
assembles next month, and that a re-
vised basis of trade with the United
-States looking to closer commercial
relations will not be possible in the
immediate future. The Conservatives
are committed to a policy of trade
expansion within the empire and a
closed door against the United States.
Although re-elected in two constitu-
encies in Quebec, the defeat of the
Liberal party also means the retire-
ment from public life of Sir Wilfrid
Laurier, who for nearly two decades
has directed the destinies of the Do-
minion. Several times during the bit-
ter campaign which preceded the
election the venerable premier said
defeat of his party at the polls meant
the end of his career: that he never
would consent to lead a minority in
opposition to a Conservative govern-
ment.
A Liberal membership of 53 from
Quebec was cut down to 36, which
taken alone, seriously threatened the
supremacy of the party.
But it was in Ontario that the Con-
servatives won their greatest vic-
tories. Spurred on by appeals to
patriotism and the cry that reciproc-
ity was the entering wedge for an-
nexation, the Conservatives swept
nearly everything before them. That
province, which in the last parliament
was represented by 35 Liberals and 51
Conservatives, will send a delegation
to the next composed of 13 Liberals
and 75 Conservatives. A notable fea-
ture of the defeat was the opposition's
capture of two hitherto liberal seats
in Saskatchewan
The returns show an opposition ma-
jority of 50, as follows: Opposition
members elected, 131; Liberal mem-
bers elected, 81. This is practically
complete, accounting for 212 out of
221 members.
The result comes as an unexpected
disaster in the face of the confident
hopes of the government that it
would be sustained on the paramount
issue it had made of reciprocity be-
tween Canada and the United States.
Seven members of the Laurier min-
istry were among the defeated mem-
bers reported, with other Liberal min-
isters still in doubt and the current
strong against them. Sir Wilfrid
Laurier is elected in Quebec East, as
the seat had not been contested.
Minister of Finance Fielding and
Minister of Customs Paterson, who
made the reciprocity bargain with the
United States, failed to win; Sir Fred-
erick Borden, minister of militia; Mac-
Kenzie King, minister of labor; Syd-
ey Fisher, minister of agriculture;
George P. Graham, minister of rail-
ways, and William Templeman, min-
ister of inland revenues, also went
down to defeat. The province of Que-
bec rejected one minister, British Co-
lumbia one, Nova Scotia two and On-
tario three.
Quebec province complete, except for
two deferred elections, gives the op-
position 26 seats and the government
37. The division in the last parliament
was: Opposition, 12; government, 53.
Kalamazoo, Mich.—President Taft
heard the news of the defeat of reci-
procity in the Canadian election while
at a banquet here. The intelligence
cast gloom over the presidential party
and caused the president intense dis-
appointment. "I am greatly disap-
pointed over the result of the reciproc-
ity election so far as the returns have
indicated," said the president.
What sub-type of article is it?
Political
Economic
What keywords are associated?
Canadian Election
Liberal Defeat
Conservative Victory
Reciprocity Agreement
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Robert Borden
Us Trade Relations
What entities or persons were involved?
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Robert L. Borden
Fielding
Paterson
Sir Frederick Borden
Mackenzie King
Sydney Fisher
George P. Graham
William Templeman
President Taft
Where did it happen?
Canada
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Canada
Key Persons
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Robert L. Borden
Fielding
Paterson
Sir Frederick Borden
Mackenzie King
Sydney Fisher
George P. Graham
William Templeman
President Taft
Outcome
conservative majority of more than 50 in parliament (131 conservatives, 81 liberals); seven liberal cabinet ministers defeated; reciprocity agreement with us not introduced.
Event Details
The Liberal government under Sir Wilfrid Laurier was defeated in the Canadian election primarily due to opposition to reciprocity with the United States, flipping a Liberal majority of 42 to a Conservative majority of over 50. Robert L. Borden will become Prime Minister. Liberals lost ground in most provinces, especially Ontario and Quebec. The defeat leads to the end of the Fielding-Knox reciprocity agreement and Laurier's retirement from public life.