tell me everything you know about Sir Wilfred Laurier (Prime Minister of Canada)?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier,

baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier (November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from July 11, 1896, to October 7, 1911.

The second child of Carolus Laurier and Marcelle Martineau, Wilfrid Laurier was born in Saint-Lin (today called 'Saint-Lin-Laurentides') on November 20, 1841. He grew up in a family where politics was a staple of talk and debate. His father, an educated man having liberal ideas, enjoyed a certain degree of prestige about town. In addition to being a farmer and surveyor, he also occupied such sought-after positions as mayor, justice of the peace, militia lieutenant and school board member. At the age of 11, Wilfrid left home to study in New Glasgow, a neighbouring town largely inhabited by immigrants from the British Isles. Over the next two years, he had the opportunity of familiarizing himself with the mentality, language and culture of English-speakers.

In 1864, Laurier earned a Bachelor of Civil Law at McGill University's Faculty of Law in Montreal, Quebec. He graduated Valedictorian.

Often considered one of Canada's great statesmen and the first francophone prime minister, Laurier is well known for his policies of conciliation, nation building, and compromises between French and English Canada. He argued for an English-French partnership in Canada. "I have had before me as a pillar of fire," he said, "a policy of true Canadianism, of moderation, of reconciliation."

Laurier was also well regarded for his efforts to establish Canada as an autonomous country within the British Empire. His efforts were continued by his successor as Prime Minister, Robert Borden.

Laurier is the fourth-longest serving Prime Minister of Canada, behind William Lyon Mackenzie King, John A. Macdonald, and Pierre Trudeau. A Maclean's historical ranking of the Prime Ministers placed Laurier third behind King (first) and Macdonald. Laurier also holds the record for the most consecutive federal elections won , and his 15 year tenure remains the longest unbroken term of office among Prime Ministers. In addition, his nearly 45 years (1874-1919) of service in the House of Commons is an all-time record in Canadian politics, unmatched by any other politician.

One of Laurier's first acts as Prime Minister was to implement a solution to the Manitoba Schools Question, which had helped to bring down the Conservative government of Charles Tupper earlier in 1896. The Manitoba legislature had passed a law eliminating public funding for Catholic schooling. The Catholic minority asked the federal Government for support, and eventually the Conservatives proposed remedial legislation to override Manitoba's legislation. Laurier opposed the remedial legislation on the basis of provincial rights, and succeeded in blocking its passage by Parliament. Once elected, Laurier proposed a compromise stating that Catholics in Manitoba could have a Catholic education if there were enough students to warrant it, on a school-by-school basis. This was seen by many as the best possible solution in the circumstances, making both the French and English equally satisfied.