Reunited two liberal prime ministers of Canada

During recent walks through two of Canada’s most historic cemeteries—Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto and Notre-Dame Cemetery in Ottawa—I came across the final resting places of two towering figures in Canadian political history: William Lyon Mackenzie King and Sir Wilfrid Laurier, both long-serving Liberal Prime Ministers.

William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874–1950)

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto

King was Canada’s 10th Prime Minister, and holds the record as the longest-serving Prime Minister in Canadian history, with a total of 21 years and 154 days in office, served across three non-consecutive terms (1921–1926, 1926–1930, 1935–1948).

Though often viewed as enigmatic and reserved, King was a master of compromise and political longevity, steering Canada through both the Great Depression and the Second World War.

He died on July 22, 1950, in Chelsea, Quebec, at the age of 75.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1841–1919)

Notre-Dame Cemetery, Ottawa

Laurier served as Canada’s 7th Prime Minister from 1896 to 1911, becoming the first French Canadian to hold the office. A gifted orator and champion of national unity, Laurier sought to balance the interests of English and French Canadians while promoting economic growth and national development.

Laurier and Tariff Reform:

• In 1897, Laurier’s government introduced a preferential tariff system that reduced duties by 12.5% for countries offering Canadian goods equivalent access.

• In 1907, he implemented the “three-column tariff”, adding an intermediate bargaining rate to the existing British preferential and general rates—reflecting an early move toward more nuanced international trade relationships.

• Though he supported free trade with the United States, he did not pursue it, as the U.S. government showed no reciprocal interest.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier died in Ottawa on February 17, 1919, at the age of 77.

Walking through these cemeteries and standing beside the graves of two former leaders offers a quiet moment of reflection—not only on their legacies, but on how the shape of modern Canada was formed under their leadership.