To many Canadians, Jean Chretien was and is known as the “Little Guy from [the city of] Shawinigan” – a tough, political scrapper from Canada’s predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec who was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 1963. Tuesday night (January 21) politicians of all parties and others celebrated his 50 years of public service, and his 80th birthday.
“Yes, I served Canada for 50 years. My father did not want me to be an architect. He wanted me to be a politician. But what a satisfaction it is,” Chrétien said in a speech at the end of the night.
Chretien held several senior cabinet posts in the Liberal governments of Prime Ministers Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Elliott Trudeau (the father of the present leader of the Liberal Party Justin Trudeau).
In 1993, he became Prime Minister of Canada, and held on to the post until his retirement in 2003.
More information:
Chrétien tribute in Toronto January 21st press release – here
CBC News – Jean Chrétien tribute brings old rivals together – here
CTV News – Jean Chretien gets tribute from who’s who of Canadian politics – here
CPAC video of the Chretien tribute – here
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