127 days ago, on 11 July 1896, Sir Wilfrid Laurier was sworn as the seventh prime minister of Canada, and the first French-Canadian prime minister. The McGill University educated lawyer is recognized as one of the greatest leaders Canada has ever enjoyed. Laurier’s unprecedented and unsurpassed tenure of 15 consecutive years as prime minister – from 1896 to 1911 – was marked by his sincere devotion to maintaining neutrality between English and French-speaking Canadians.