David Laird Copyright

Laird was born in New Glasgow, Prince Edward Island, in 1833. He was Liberal leader in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island until elected to the federal government in 1873. He then became Minister of the Interior for three years.

In 1876, Laird was named as the first lieutenant-governor of the Northwest Territories, a position which he held for five years. He was largely responsible for the signing of Indian treaties 7 and 8. He was named Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the West in 1898, and ended his political career as adviser to the Department of Indian Affairs in Ottawa.