This book details the life of William Stevens Fielding (1848-1929), Canada’s minister of finance for nineteen years and one of its most eminent and influential statesmen. After a successful career as a journalist in Halifax during which he rose from office boy to editor of Atlantic Canada’s leading daily newspaper, he entered provincial politics. Becoming premier of Nova Scotia in 1884, he served for twelve years, during which he established a Liberal Party ascendancy which lasted for four decades. In 1896 he was recruited by Wilfrid Laurier to be minister of finance in the new Liberal government, serving continuously until the defeat of the Liberals in the federal election of 1911. He was Laurier’s number two, English-Canadian lieutenant and heir apparent. Having nearly replaced Laurier as prime minister in 1908, he is best known for the 1911 free trade agreement with the United States, which he negotiated. He narrowly failed to succeed Laurier as Liberal leader in 1919, but became again minister of finance in the Liberal government of Prime Minister Mackenzie King which assumed office in December 1921.
