What were the main goals of Wilfrid Laurier’s national policy?

Wilfrid Laurier’s "national policy" was centered on fostering national unity and economic prosperity during his tenure as prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. His administration focused on three primary goals:1

• Protection for Canadian industries: His government implemented a protectionist policy that included the 1897 budget, which lowered certain tariffs while maintaining support for domestic manufacturing.1
• Settlement of the West: Laurier prioritized land and immigration policies that successfully encouraged over one million people to move into Manitoba and the western territories, leading to the creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905.1
• Development of transportation systems: To support the growth of the Prairie Provinces as a global agricultural hub, his government promoted the expansion of railroads, including the announcement of a second transcontinental rail system in 1903.1

These initiatives helped define a period of significant economic growth, famously characterized by Laurier’s slogan, "The Twentieth Century belongs to Canada."1