The great Sir Wilfrid Laurier was in Edmonton on this date in 1905 to personally welcome Alberta into Confederation (note: Saskatchewan joined the same day). On those days, as on many others during Laurier’s 15-year premiership (1896-1911), the 20th century did indeed seem to belong to Canada.More than 10,000 Albertans gathered that day to hear Canada’s prime minister — along with Governor General Lord Grey — toast the future of Alberta. Equally impressive ceremonies featuring Laurier and Grey were later held in Saskatchewan on Sept. 4.Below is Sir Wilfrid’s speech to Albertans that historic day.Sir Wilfrid Laurier: It is many years since I was here before, so many years that probably you have forgotten it, but I have not. It is just 11 years this month of September. It was in 1894, when it was privilege for the first time to visit this immense portion of our common country, which extends from the western shore of the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, which was known as Rupert’s Land and the Northwest Territories, and which today is springing into existence to take its rank and stand in the Confederation of Canada as the two provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan…In 1894 expectations which you indulged in of rapid development for this new territory had not been realized. The sun shone, the rain fell, the soil responded generously to the efforts of the farmer, but markets were far, the means of access were few; the profits of the farmer were scanty and small. Agriculture, upon which all wealth is derived, was sorely depressed, and it being depressed, everything suffered in consequence.The city of Winnipeg, the pioneer city, after making a splendid start, had reached the rank of a provincial town and seemed to have reached its further possibility. The five cities which now adorn the new provinces, Regina, Moose Jaw, Calgary, Edmonton, and Prince Albert were nothing but struggling villages. You know as well as I do that at that time Regina had nothing royal but its name; Moose Jaw was not far removed from the primitive condition which its name implied; Calgary had made a splendid start but stood still.Of Edmonton what shall I say? I am sure I will not offend the pride of any citizen when I say I could count upon the fingers of my two hands all the buildings, public and private, which then constituted your town, now the capital of Alberta. But now everything is changed. Gigantic strides are made on all sides over these new provinces.Only eight years ago I had the honour of representing in Parliament the third largest city in Canada, the old City of Quebec, but now, I am sorry to say I have taken a back seat and that honour now belongs to the city of Winnipeg. But in the name of the people of Quebec let me say I am not jealous, and I may also say that the two largest cities of Canada, Toronto and Montreal, if they are going to keep their supremacy had better look out — or to use a western phrase, they had better hustle right away. Nor is this all.Sir, if I look about me in the vast sea of upturned faces, I see the determination of a young and vigorous people: I see the calm resolution, the courage, the enthusiasm to face all difficulties, to settle all the problems which may confront this new province. And, if it be true everywhere, it must be more true here in this bracing atmosphere of the prairie that “hope springs eternal in the human breast…” In order to bring out this new province to the standard which we expect it to attain it is necessary that we should have the hearty co-operation of all the people, of all the citizens of Alberta. We must have the co-operation of the old settlers, of the pioneers, the old pioneers chiefly from the province of Ontario who came here when the last was a desert and made the desert to smile.We must also have the co-operation of the new citizens who come from all parts of the world, to give to Canada, and to Alberta, the benefit of their individuality, of their energy and their enterprise, and since it happens that I have the honour of occupying the position of fist servant of the Crown of this country, let me say on behalf of the Crown and with the concurrence of His Excellency, that to these my fellow new countrymen, to these new subjects of the King, I offer the most cordial welcome.I welcome those of our kith and kin from the old land. I welcome those from the older portions of Europe. I welcome those who come from the neighbouring, the kindred republic on the other side of the line.Let me say to one and all, above all those newly our fellow countrymen, that the Dominion of Canada is in one respect like the Kingdom of Heaven, those who come at the eleventh hour will receive the same treatment as those who have been the filed for a long time. We want to share with them our lands, our laws, our civilization.Let them be British subjects, let them take their share in the life of this country, whether it be municipal, provincial or national. Let them be electors as well as citizens. We do not want nor wish that any individual should forget the land of his origin. Let them look to the past, but let them still more look to the future. Let them look to the land of their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children. Let them become Canadians … and give their heart, their soul, their energy and all their power to Canada.[caption id="attachment_1361" align="alignleft" width="491"] Sir Wilfrid Laurier, circa 1906.[/caption]Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.