fbpx

KidsKonnect

Louis Saint Laurent Facts & Worksheets

Louis Stephen Saint Laurent was a politician and lawyer from Canada who served as the country's 12th prime minister from 1948 to 1957.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Louis Saint Laurent Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Louis Stephen Saint Laurent was a politician and lawyer from Canada who served as the country’s 12th prime minister from 1948 to 1957. He worked to unite and improve the country by equalizing provincial income, boosting university education and social security, and establishing a council that promoted arts and letters.

See the fact file below for more information on Louis Saint Laurent, or you can download our 25-page Louis Saint Laurent worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

  •  Louis Saint Laurent was born on February 1, 1882, in the town of Compton, Quebec, a community in the Eastern Townships, to French-Canadian Jean-Baptiste-Mose Saint-Laurent and Irish-Canadian Mary Anne Broderick. 
  • He was raised bilingual. He grew up speaking French to his father and English to his mother. His English had an Irish accent, but his gestures (such as a hunch of the shoulders) were French.
  • Saint Laurent attended Laval University, earning his law degree after finishing six years of studies at the Collège Classique in Sherbrooke.
  • As a child, Louis Saint Laurent was already interested in English literature.
  • He married Jeanne Renault in 1908 and had two boys and three daughters.

LEGAL CAREER

  • In 1905, he was offered a Rhodes Scholarship upon graduating to study further but declined it. He joined a Quebec law firm and began his 25-year legal career.
  • From 1905 until 1914, Saint Laurent practiced as a lawyer before becoming a law professor at Laval University. In Québec, Saint Laurent practiced business and constitutional law and rose to become one of the province’s most respected lawyers. From 1930 to 1932, he was President of the Canadian Bar Association.
  • In 1907, Saint Laurent gained significant attention in Quebec after making an unprecedented move by summoning a priest and nuns as witnesses and cross-examining them.
  • This happened during his involvement in a case involving a woman who had left all of what she owned to her parish priest.
  • Louis Saint Laurent won a dispute against Canadian Pacific Railway in 1912. He was one of the defenders of Harry Kendall Thaw, who was trying to avoid extradition from Quebec in 1913.
  • Louis Saint Laurent established his legal firm in 1923. In 1926, he fought for religious minority (non-Christian) rights before the Supreme Court in a test case. He supported Jewish demands for representation on Montreal’s Protestant Board of School Commissioners and an independent Jewish school system.
  • Though Saint Laurent’s petition for Jewish representation on the school board was unsuccessful, Quebec province acknowledged the rights of non-Christians to establish separate schools.
  • He rose to become one of Quebec’s leading attorneys and was so well-regarded that he was twice offered a position on the Supreme Court of Canada, both of which he refused.

FEDERAL POLITICS

  • Louis Saint Laurent did not agree to enter politics until he was over 60 after Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King appealed to his sense of responsibility in late 1941.
  • Following the death of his Quebec lieutenant, Ernest Lapointe, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King appointed Saint Laurent to his wartime Cabinet as Minister of Justice.
  • Louis Saint Laurent became King’s most trusted minister and natural successor. He persuaded Saint Laurent that it was his responsibility to stay in government after the war to assist in building a postwar international order, and he appointed him Minister of State for External Affairs in 1945. In this position, he represented Canada during the Dumbarton Oaks Conference and the San Francisco Conference, which resulted in the establishment of the United Nations (UN).
  • Saint Laurent’s political retirement was long overdue by 1948, and he considered resigning. However, King and the Liberal Party believed no one was more fit to replace King as Prime Minister. 
  • In 1948, King retired and discreetly convinced his senior ministers to support Saint Laurent’s election as the new Liberal leader at the August 1948 Liberal leadership convention. Saint Laurent won, becoming the Liberal Party’s leader and Canada’s Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA (1948-1957)

  • From the campaign trail, Saint Laurent’s image developed into something of a “character,” and it is said to be the first “media image” used in Canadian politics. Saint Laurent interacted with children, delivered speeches in his shirt sleeves, and had a common touch that appealed to voters. His relationship with children was especially appealing, and he was labeled “Uncle Louis.”
  • Saint Laurent was the first Prime Minister of Canada to live in the official house of the Prime Minister of Canada, 24 Sussex Drive (formerly known as 24 Sussex Street).
  • As Prime Minister, he had a strong reputation. He wanted his Parliamentarians and Ministers to work hard, and he worked hard himself. To that end, Saint Laurent’s Cabinet minister Jack Pickersgill remarked that Saint Laurent had “as good an intelligence as was ever devoted to the problems of governance in Canada, and he left it a wealthier, more generous, and more unified country than it had before he became prime minister.”
  • The government also invested heavily in public works and infrastructure projects, including the Trans-Canada Highway (1949), the St. Lawrence Seaway (1954), and the Trans-Canada Pipeline.
  • His administration significantly boosted immigration in 1948 to broaden Canada’s labor base. Saint Laurent saw immigration as essential to postwar economic progress. 
  • He also believed that immigration would provide a sufficient revenue base to pay for social welfare programs at the end of World War II. Around 125,000 immigrants arrived in Canada alone in 1948, which doubled to 282,000 in 1957.
  • As Prime Minister, Saint Laurent oversaw Newfoundland’s admission to the Confederation as Canada’s tenth province in 1949. 
  • Despite significant opposition, he provided equalization payments to the provinces. The Liberals continued their social reform agenda by increasing pensions and health insurance.
  • Canada helped resolve the Suez Crisis in 1956 and contributed to the United Nations forces in the Korean War. During Saint Laurent’s tenure, wartime debts were paid, and Canada experienced economic success.
  • The Canadian public initially applauded Saint Laurent, but by 1957, “Uncle Louis” and his administration appeared worn, old, and out of touch. The administration was considered too faithful to business interests. When the government used closure on multiple occasions to reduce debate and guarantee that the Pipeline Bill passed by a particular date during the 1956 Pipeline Debate, it gave the public perception that the Liberals in power had become arrogant.
  • Saint Laurent’s government established the Canada Council to support research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences during his final term as Prime Minister, using $100 million in death taxes.

RETIREMENT AND DEATH

  • Saint Laurent’s administration was defeated in June 1957 by John Diefenbaker’s Progressive Conservatives. 
  • He retired from politics in January 1958 and returned to his law practice living privately and quietly with his family in Quebec.
  • During his retirement, he came under the public eye for the final time in 1967, when he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honor for which Canadians are eligible.
  • Louis Stephen Saint Laurent died of heart failure on July 25, 1973, in Quebec City, Quebec, at 91. He was buried next to his wife in his hometown in Compton, Quebec, in Saint Thomas d’Aquin Cemetery. 

LEGACY

  • Saint Laurent was ranked fourth in a survey of Canada’s first 20 prime ministers conducted by Canadian historians and cited by J.L. Granatstein and Norman Hillmer in their book Prime Ministers: Ranking Canada’s Leaders.
  • He ruled over a new era in Canadian history, post-World War II.  This time it was dubbed “Canada’s Golden Age” by many. Saint Laurent’s government was somewhat progressive, economically responsible, and efficient.
  • Saint Laurent’s birthplace in Compton was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1973. The residence of Saint Laurent in 201 Grande-Allée Est in Quebec City is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building.

Louis Saint Laurent Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Louis Saint Laurent across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Louis Saint Laurent, a politician, and lawyer from Canada who served as the country’s 12th prime minister from 1948 to 1957.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Louis Saint Laurent Facts 
  2. Tell Me, Who am I?
  3. Looking Back
  4. Road to Politics
  5. Power in Effect
  6. Being a Leader
  7. Is It True, Uncle Louis?
  8. Canada’s Great Leaders
  9. What if?
  10. Odd One Out
  11. Letter from the Future

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Louis Saint Laurent?

Louis Stephen St. Laurent, commonly known as Louis St. Laurent, was a Canadian statesman and politician. He served as the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 1948 to 1957. He was a key figure in shaping Canada’s post-World War II policies and played a significant role in the country’s economic and social development during his tenure.

When did Louis St. Laurent serve as Prime Minister?

Louis St. Laurent served as Prime Minister of Canada from November 15, 1948, to June 21, 1957. He led the Liberal Party during a crucial period in Canadian history, dealing with issues such as the post-war reconstruction, economic growth, and Canada’s evolving role on the international stage.

What were some of Louis St. Laurent’s accomplishments as Prime Minister?

St. Laurent’s tenure as Prime Minister was marked by several notable accomplishments. He played a key role in the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, which was a significant step in strengthening Canada’s ties with its Western allies. His government also initiated the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Trans-Canada Highway, both of which had a transformative impact on Canada’s infrastructure and economy.

What was Louis St. Laurent’s approach to foreign policy?

Louis St. Laurent adopted a pragmatic and moderate approach to foreign policy. He sought to maintain close relations with both the United States and the United Kingdom while pursuing an independent foreign policy stance for Canada. His government’s involvement in the creation of NATO and its support for the United Nations reflected his commitment to international cooperation and peacekeeping.

What legacy did Louis St. Laurent leave behind?

Louis St. Laurent is remembered for his contributions to Canada’s economic and social development during the post-war era. His policies focused on fostering economic growth, expanding social programs, and improving infrastructure. His emphasis on building relationships with international allies also left a lasting impact on Canada’s foreign policy. He is often admired for his leadership during a time of significant change and transition in Canadian society.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Louis Saint Laurent Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 22, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources