There were many reasons for the defeat of Sir Wilfred Laurier's Liberal government in 1911. Perhaps the main reason was the reciprocity issue which sought free trade between the United States and Canada. In addition Laurier's Roman Catholicism had become increasingly suspect in English Protestant Canada. Over his fifteen years in power Orangemen felt that Laurier had time and time again sided with Quebec at the expense of English Canada. His support for free trade with the United States was to many Orangemen the final act of disloyalty. If the free trade issue were successful it would have meant that Canada would have been drawn closer to the U.S. and this in turn would have undermined British influence in Canada.

The publication of Robert Sellar's book, 'The Tragedy of Quebec' dealt with the expulsion of Protestant farmers from the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Publication of this book in English Canada intensified fears that the French Canadians were controlling the country. In the minds of Canadian Orangemen the problems of the Empire were identical with those facing Canada. In Ireland, Roman Catholicism was in its support of Home Rule, promoting the break-up of the Empire. In England , proposed changes to the Coronation Oath symbolized the erosion of a Protestant monarchy . In Canada, the recent arrival of a Papal delegate made Orangemen see red. They asked how could a Canadian have a dual loyalty to both the Vatican and Canada at the same time. Laurier had supported the idea of publicly funded Roman Catholic schools in Alberta and Saskatchewan

In 1910 the Quebec Superior Court upheld an annulment by the Roman Catholic Church in the case where the marriage ceremony had been performed by a Protestant minister. "The marriage issue was an important milestone in twentieth-century Orangeism because it did much to unite both Orange and non-Orange Protestants in the belief that uncontrolled Romanism posed a threat to Canadian society."

When all of these issues were taken into account it was decided by Orangemen that Laurier had to go and there is every indication that a vast majority of Canadian Orangemen were willing to help him on his way. Ironically, it could be said of Laurier that as Orange power was a factor in electing him in 1896, it was also Orange power that played a role in his defeat in 1911.

In his retirement address of 1914, Grand Master Lieutenant Colonel Scott stated: "The Order today occupies throughout this country a power and influence equalled by no other fraternal association, and recognizing this fact, the members of this order can, if they will, largely control the direction of public legislation, both Federal and Provincial, especially as regards subjects which closely touch the principles of the Orange Order." Two hundred thousand Orangemen had obviously agreed with his statement.

The Sentinel

The Sentinel and Orange and Protestant Advocate was organized and first published in 1875. Its first editors and owner publishers were E.F. Clarke, a future mayor of Toronto, and John Hewitt. Both men were active trade unionists. Eventually their expanded press facilities at 37 and 39 Adelaide Street in Toronto took care of all the City of Toronto's printing.

E.F. Clarke died in 1905 and Horatio Clarence Hocken and John McMillan formed a limited company and gave the Sentinel new management. Hocken, who had a wide experience of newspaper knowledge, having worked at the Toronto Globe, Toronto Star, and Toronto News, made some radical changes to the paper that he was to be editor of until 1931. One of the changes that he made was to put editorials on the front page of the paper. The Sentinel at this time was not just a fraternal magazine for the Orange Lodge published six times a year. It was printed twice a week and took strong positions on political matters and spoke for many of the large Protestant and Orange population in Canada on a wide variety of issues.

At the outbreak of the First World War, circulation was 32,000 copies weekly. Hocken later became mayor of Toronto, a position that he retired from in 1917 to run successfully for the House of Commons. In 1928 the paper was taken over by the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada. Hocken remained as Managing Director of the British American Publishing Company of which a majority of stock was held by the Grand Lodge.

Circulation was then at 20,000. Leslie H. Saunders, also destined to become Mayor of Toronto in the 1950's became the Business Manager. H.C. Hocken at this time received an appointment to the Canadian Senate and withdrew from active participation in the running of the paper. The Sentinel by this time tended to be the voice of the Orange Order in Canada, and as early as 1920, John Easton, later Grand Master of Canada, described it as the Order's official organ.

However the paper was not always listened to by Orangemen and its views not always agreed to. Prior to the election of 1919 in Ontario it called on all Orangemen to vote for the Conservatives. Many voted for the United Farmer candidates. In 1936 Leslie Saunders founded a rival publication, Protestant Action. He did so because he did not believe that the Sentinel was taking a strong enough stand in regard to the separate schools controversy. Throughout its long history the Sentinel was a spokesman for the Orange Order, but it certainly has never spoken for all Orangemen.

Loyal True Blue and Orange Home "They stand straightest who stoop to help a little child"

I'm sure that many people have driven north on Yong Street [Hwy. 11] at one time or another and have passed through the town of Richmond Hill. How many, I wonder, have ever taken the time to stop and visit the Loyal True Blue and Orange Home. This landmark of Orangeism has identified the benevolent work of the Loyal True Blue and Orange Lodges since 1923. For over 100 years the Loyal True Blue Association in Canada has taken an active interest in children's welfare. It was in 1889 that Mrs Joseph Hilton, a member of Lady Verner True Blue Lodge in Toronto, became concerned that facilities for Protestant orphans were totally inadequate.

As a result she spearheaded a drive at the True Blue Grand Lodge in 1890 that resulted in the appointment of an orphanage board. The idea caught the imagination of True Blue members throughout the province of Ontario and through the initiative of the Picton Lodge property was obtained and on August 23, 1899, the orphanage was declared open at Picton, Ontario. It soon became apparent that accommodation was far less than required, but the project itself had met with great acceptance by lodge members. By 1916 the Provincial Grand Orange Lodges of Ontario East and West had shown their support and were added to the Board of Management and in 1919 the property at Richmond Hill was puchased.

In 1920 members of the Ladies Orange Benevolent Association in Ontario East and West joined in the project. On October 22, 1921, the cornerstone was laid for the Richmond Hill building by H.C. Hocken, the then Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada, and the unity of the Blue and Orange became visible in the spacious building which was officially opened on Dominion Day, 1923 with W.W. Fitzgerald presiding.

The dedicatory prayer was said by Reverend W.L.L. Lawrence, and giving Grand Lodge approval was the Grand Master of Canada, the Honourable W.D. McPherson K.C., accompanied by H.C. Hocken M.P. The True Blues were represented by George Farley, Grand Master, and the L.O.B.A. was honoured by the presence of Mary Cullum, their founder and first Grand Mistress. The event aroused interest throughout the entire country and to this day citizens of all denominations point with pride to the landmark at Richmond Hill. Each year the Home holds 'Open House', a special occasion when visitors and former residents are welcomed.

The Harvey Case

The Reverend J.M. Whitelaw, B.A., B.D., was born in Glasgow, Scotland and came to Canada as a child. At the age of thirteen he left school and went to work for a Henry Stafford of Almonte, Ontario, whose brother was a Roman Catholic priest in Lindsay. During the next three years he studied privately and succeeded in passing the Teachers Intermediate Examination, while through his association with the Staffords he received a deep insight into the Roman Catholic system. After attending the Perth Model School he taught for six years at Clayton, Lanark County, at at Douglas in Renfrew County. During these six years he prepared for matriculation and entered Morrin College, Quebec which was affiliated with McGill University. He received the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity.

Upon graduation he was called to the Leeds Presbyterian congregation in Megantic County, Quebec where he was to spend thirteen years and during this time he joined the Orange Order. It was quite a time to be an Orange clergyman in Eastern Quebec. Whitelaw was involved in what became known as the Harvey Case. The man Harvey was an Orangeman who had married a Roman Catholic, but his wife had stated her intentions to be confirmed in the Protestant faith. Before this took place Harvey died in Whitelaw's parish. At midnight and while he was unconscious and a few minutes before his death he was anointed by the parish priest. The Roman Catholics claimed the right to inter the body but Whitelaw secured the necessary certificates and said "No, we Protestants will inter the body."

At Whitelaw's suggestion a considerable quantity of dynamite was placed around the coffin so that no one could successfully disinter the body. Talk about fighting for converts! Whitlaw later moved to Ontario and became the County Master of Victoria and later still was elected as the Grand Chaplain of the G.O.L. of Ontario East. In 1906 he was appointed as a delegate from Ontario East to attend the Grand Orange Council of the World.