The Laurier Era: 'Canada's Century'

Active learning works especially well for the Laurier Era because it transforms abstract political debates into lived experiences. Students need to feel the tension between compromise and conviction that defined Laurier's leadership, and structured role play or debates make these historical choices tangible and memorable.

• Grade 8
• History & Geography
• 3 activities
• 40 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the competing interests of English-Canadian imperialists and French-Canadian nationalists during the Laurier Era.
2. Explain how Laurier's 'Sunny Ways' approach influenced the resolution of the Manitoba Schools Question.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of Laurier's economic policies in fostering national growth and industrialization.
4. Compare Laurier's diplomatic strategies with those of previous Canadian prime ministers in managing national unity.
5. Synthesize primary source documents to construct an argument about Laurier's vision for 'Canada's Century'.

Formal Debate

⏱ 50 min·Whole Class

Formal Debate: The Naval Service Act

Divide the class into three groups: Imperialists (who want to give money to the British Navy), Nationalists (who want no navy), and Laurier's supporters (who want a Canadian Navy). Students debate which path best serves Canada's future.

Prepare & details

Analyze how Laurier navigated tensions between English-Canadian imperialism and French-Canadian nationalism.

Facilitation Tip: For the Gallery Walk, curate artifacts that reveal contradictions in the era’s growth, such as newspaper clippings about immigration alongside ads for industrial machinery.

Setup: Two teams facing each other, audience seating for the rest

Materials: Debate proposition card, Research brief for each side, Judging rubric for audience, Timer

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Role Play

⏱ 45 min·Pairs

Role Play: The Manitoba Schools Question

Students act as Laurier and Premier Greenway of Manitoba. They must negotiate a 'Sunny Ways' compromise that addresses the rights of French Catholic students without alienating the Protestant majority in the West.

Prepare & details

Explain the impacts of the 'Sunny Ways' approach to the Manitoba Schools Question.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Canada's Century

Display posters and advertisements from the Laurier era promoting Canada's growth. Students analyze the imagery to identify who the 'vision' of Canada was intended for and who was excluded from this prosperity.

Prepare & details

Evaluate Laurier's economic policies and their contribution to national growth.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by focusing on the gap between Laurier's rhetoric and reality. Avoid framing his policies as successes or failures in isolation. Instead, help students analyze how compromise shaped Canada's development, using primary sources to show the human cost of political decisions. Research suggests that students retain more when they see history as a series of negotiated outcomes rather than inevitable progress.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students recognizing the complexity of Laurier's compromises, not just memorizing his policies. They should articulate how his 'Sunny Ways' often left stakeholders unsatisfied yet maintained national unity, and explain how economic and diplomatic decisions reflected Canada's evolving identity.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Structured Debate on the Naval Service Act, watch for students assuming Laurier's compromise fully satisfied either side.

What to Teach Instead

Use the debate's closing statements to highlight how Laurier's 'Sunny Ways' often left both imperialists and nationalists frustrated, not convinced. Ask students to reflect in writing on why compromise rarely leads to complete satisfaction.

Common Misconception

During the Role Play of the Manitoba Schools Question, watch for students believing the issue was resolved fairly for all groups.

What to Teach Instead

After the role play, have students review the actual outcomes of the Laurier compromise and write a short analysis of which communities gained or lost the most, using primary sources from the activity.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Structured Debate on the Naval Service Act, pose this to small groups: 'Imagine you are advisors to Prime Minister Laurier. Given the deep divisions over the Boer War, how would you advise him to use his 'Sunny Ways' to address both English-Canadian imperialist sentiments and French-Canadian nationalist concerns? What specific actions could he take?'

Quick Check

After the Role Play of the Manitoba Schools Question, provide students with a short excerpt from a speech by Laurier and another from a prominent nationalist or imperialist figure of the era. Ask students to identify one key argument from each excerpt and explain how Laurier might have responded to the nationalist/imperialist argument using his characteristic approach.

Exit Ticket

During the Gallery Walk, have students complete an exit ticket with: 1. One economic policy Laurier implemented. 2. One sentence explaining its intended impact on Canada's growth. 3. One potential challenge or criticism of that policy.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to draft a political cartoon that captures the tensions of one of the era's key debates, such as the Naval Service Act or the Manitoba Schools Question.
• For students who struggle, provide sentence starters for the role play activity, such as 'As a French-Canadian nationalist, I oppose... because...' or 'As an imperialist, I support... because...'.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research how Laurier's policies were received in Indigenous communities and compare these perspectives to the dominant narratives of the time.

Key Vocabulary

Sunny Ways	A political approach characterized by conciliation, compromise, and a gentle, persuasive manner, famously employed by Wilfrid Laurier to navigate difficult national issues.
Imperialism	A policy or ideology of extending a country's rule over foreign nations, often by military force or by gaining political and economic control. In this context, it refers to the desire for closer ties and loyalty to the British Empire.
Nationalism	Identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations. In this context, it refers to a strong sense of French-Canadian identity and desire for autonomy.
Manitoba Schools Question	A contentious political issue in Manitoba during the late 19th and early 20th centuries concerning the funding and nature of Catholic and Protestant separate schools, which Laurier sought to resolve through compromise.
Reciprocity	A mutual exchange of privileges or rights, especially between countries. Laurier pursued trade agreements, including reciprocity with the United States, as a means of economic growth.