A proud an undaunted Sir Wilfrid Laurier took to a stage in Montreal on this date in 1912 to deliver a speech before members of that city’s Reform Club. He had been defeated by Tory Robert Borden in the reciprocity campaign the previous fall. Despite this, the Liberal leader made it clear that his days in politics were far from over.
“You have referred, sir, a moment ago to the fact that we meet under the shadow of defeat, and perhaps had I been as wise as I might have been, and had I followed my own inclinations, on the morrow of the 21st of September, I should have gone back into private life, and handed over the reins to some younger and abler hands,” Laurier said. “But, sir, I am the servant of the people. And, since it was the wish of those with whom I was associated that I should retain the trust which had been placed in my hands, I repeat, I am the servant of the people.”
Laurier, who had held office as Prime Minister for 15 years, continued.
“It matters not to me whatever is the post assigned to me, I am ready to serve as captain of the forces, or to serve as a private in the ranks, and whatever position I am called to fill I shall in the future, as I have done in the past, give to it the best of my heart, of my life, and of my ability.”
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.