“Our object is, when there is a Liberal Administration at Ottawa, to offer to the United States the free entrance of our territory to all American products, whether natural or manufactured, provided the United States extends the same privileges to the products of Canada,” he said. “This involves that we would offer to the American nation advantages denied to the rest of the world.”

You can read further portions of the Leader of the Opposition’s address below.

Hon. Wilfrid Laurier: In my opinion the conduct of England, of Canada, towards the United States during the war, was a disgrace to the civilization of England, of Canada. The American people could fight their own battles; they required no help, but when they were engaged in a supreme struggle for the life or death of this great nation, when they were fighting for a cause as great, as holy as ever engaged the devotion of men; when they had reason to expect the outspoken sympathy of those nearest to them, it was galling that Southern privateers could be built, manned and equipped in England, with the passive connivance of the British Government, to destroy American commerce on the high seas; it was galling that rebel refugees could find shelter in Canada, and there with impunity and without provoking condemnation, plot abominable crimes to help secession. (Applause)...

Canada is still a colony; it is still the destiny of colonies to become independent nations. The tie which now binds Canada to the mother land is Canada's own will, and it is with pride that I say it, though still a colony, yet Canada is free. (Applause.) Of course, light as is the dependence, it cannot last forever. Even at this day Canada and England have interests totally apart, and the time will come when, in the very nature of things, separation will take place …

Our object is, when there is a Liberal Administration at Ottawa, to offer to the United States the free entrance of our territory to all American products, whether natural or manufactured, provided the United States extends the same privileges to the products of Canada. This involves that we would offer to the American nation advantages denied to the rest of the world.

This is not a question of sentiment, and for my part, I am firmly convinced that the economic interests of Canada lie with this continent, and it is on the broad basis of continental freedom of trade that I place the question. (Applause.)

The great, the fatal, the mistake of that idea (Imperial preference) is the attempt to make allegiance, British allegiance, a basis of trade. Trade knows but one law—profit—and will move for and seek profit within or beyond allegiance, without any regard to it...

The proposition which we make involves the position that we would offer to the American people that which is denied to the rest of the world. In so saying I do not forget that I am a subject of the British crown.