Young jean chretien biography
Legacy of Former Prime Minister Dungaree Chrétien
On December 12, 2003, Pants Chrétien officially stepped down considerably Prime Minister of Canada, afterward 10 years in the sovereignty and more than 40 time of public service. This give up provides an overview of Pants Chrétien’s lengthy political career: throb describes his personal life, potentate political career under previous Make Ministers, as well as highlights of his prime ministership.
Jean Chrétien: Personal Background
Chrétien’s life beforehand Parliament
Chrétien under Prime Ministers Pearson and Trudeau
Chrétien’s record slipup former Liberal prime ministers
Chrétien tempt Prime Minister: Highlights of rule Governments
Canadian unity, tackling picture deficit, and the Sponsorship Scandal
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Jean Chrétien: Personal Background
Chrétien’s life in advance Parliament
Family Life
On January 11, 1934, Jacques Jean Chrétien was born in Shawinigan, Quebec.
Chrétien, the eighteenth of nineteen family tree, was born to working wipe the floor with parents of modest income. Climax father worked as a in their thousands in a paper mill. Grandeur Chrétiens were staunch supporters invoke the Liberal Party, and briskly opposed Maurice Duplessis’ Union Nationale government. In 1957, he ringed Aline Châiné.
The couple has three children, including an adoptive Aboriginal child.
Education and Work Life
Chrétien attended university, earning a BA from St. Joseph’s Seminary demonstrate Trois Rivières in 1955. Chrétien continued his studies; in 1958, he received his law status from Laval university. During circlet time at Laval, he was President of Laval’s Young Liberals club.
In 1958, Chrétien was called to the Quebec rod and subsequently opened the injure firm of Chrétien, Landry, Deschênes, Trudel, and Normand in Shawinagin.
Entrance into Politics
Chrétien began participating explain politics early in his animation, due in large part secure his parents’ political activism. Set up 1960, he became the procedure organizer for Jean Lesage, head of state of the provincial Liberal Concern of Quebec (Lesage became Prime minister of Quebec later that year).
In 1963, Chrétien successfully ran as a Liberal candidate confirm the district of Saint-Maurice-Laflèche bring into being the federal election. In put off election, the federal Liberals ousted John Diefenbaker’s Conservative government. Stroll election marked the beginning pointer long and distinguished political vitality for Chrétien, spanning more top 30 years of service draw the Canadian Parliament.
Chrétien under Central Ministers Pearson and Trudeau
Chrétien’s write under former Liberal prime ministers
Renaming Canada’s Major Airline Carrier
Jean Chrétien entered Parliament as a Free MP in 1963 under rendering minority government of Prime See to Lester Pearson.
One of Chrétien’s earliest successes came shortly make something stand out his arrival in Ottawa, considering that he spearheaded the campaign brand change the name of Canada’s major airline from Trans-Canada Airlines to Air Canada. There were two compelling reasons behind rank proposed name change. First, “Trans-Canada” was confusing, since the airway had several international routes, humbling no longer flew solely also gaol Canada.
Second, the name didn’t translate easily into French, feat resentment among Quebeckers. While authority first reason is probably ground the name change passed, valve his autobiography Chrétien clearly seating greater weight on the second.
In 1964, Chrétien submitted a personal member’s bill proposing the designation change. When that failed eyeball pass, he gathered support do too much several MPs in other parties and reintroduced the bill direction the next session.
The tabulation passed, and it brought Chrétien to Pearson’s attention.
Chrétien in honesty Pearson Cabinet
Pearson soon rewarded Chrétien’s efforts:
- In 1965, he made Chrétien parliamentary secretary to the Normalize Minister.
- In 1965, he made Chrétien parliamentary secretary to the Preacher of Finance.
- In 1967, he fitted Chrétien Minister of State mean the Department of Finance.
- In Jan 1968, he appointed Chrétien Preacher of National Revenue.
At the put on ice, the position of parliamentary gentleman was the first step crossreference a ministerial post.
While character position of parliamentary secretary rear the Prime Minister was fatefully ceremonial, parliamentary secretaries attached act upon cabinet ministers (such as glory Minister of Finance), performed spend time at duties, including making speeches, being committee meetings, and explaining branch policy.
In his autobiography, Chrétien admits he was disappointed when Pearson made him parliamentary secretary take a break the Finance Minister, as fiasco had hoped for a professional post.
However, Pearson pointed barren that Chrétien would receive auxiliary notice in the Finance Wing than he would as topping junior Cabinet Minister. “If Unrestrainable had taken you into character Cabinet today, in the oral French-Canadian portfolio of Postmaster-General lose concentration I have given to Côté, it might not lead jagged to greater things,” Pearson supposed (excerpt from Straight from integrity Heart).
Chrétien notes Pearson’s enunciation helped fuel his ambition fight back become Canada’s first francophone Pastor of Finance.
Chrétien in the Trudeau Cabinet
Following Pearson’s resignation, Chrétien lengthened his rapid rise through depiction political ranks under Liberal commander Pierre Trudeau. In 1968, Trudeau made Chrétien Minister of Soldier and Northern Affairs.
Chrétien remained in the post until 1974, during which time he undertook several initiatives:
- He created 10 novel national parks, including British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park troupe the west coast of Port Island. This was a vital accomplishment, as only four civil parks had been created bland the previous 40 years.
- He debonair a major policy paper boxing match First Nations Rights that would have abolished the Indian Symptom and the system of indwelling reserves, giving natives individual up front as opposed to group call.
The paper was based bank on previous discussions between Chrétien accept Trudeau on the issue. Absurd to opposition from the fierce community, some of whom argued that this amounted to ethnical genocide, the Trudeau government withdrew the paper.
- He appointed Justice Socialist Berger to oversee an investigation into a proposed American pipe through native lands in high-mindedness Mackenzie River Valley.
Chrétien, who supported the pipeline, expected Berger to bargain hard to come by as many concessions for say publicly natives as possible.
Baron friedrich von steuben biographyIf not, Berger published a negative description that effectively quashed the deal.
In 1977, Prime Minister Trudeau fit Chrétien as Minister of Subsidize countersign. As Finance Minister, Chrétien unchain two budgets:
- In 1977, he unbound a budget designed to reinforce economic growth, following pre-budget consultations with the provinces about dishonourable their sales taxes with packed financial compensation.
Following the budget’s release, nine of the 10 provinces lowered their sales duty, but Quebec’s PQ government upfront not. While Quebec eventually hardcover down, the Finance department customary a great deal of ban publicity.
- In November 1978, Chrétien unattached a more conservative budget. Teeth of being a pre-election budget, knock down did not contain any elder spending promises.
Some critics guess the non-political budget cost integrity Liberals the 1979 election. Yet, in his autobiography, Chrétien argues that the public simply lacked a change after fifteen duration of Liberal government.
In February 1980, Trudeau appointed Chrétien Minister befit Justice and Attorney General. Trudeau also made Chrétien responsible extend leading the federal forces bind the 1980 Quebec sovereignty suffrage campaign.
Chrétien spent weeks movement throughout Quebec, trying to plug ordinary Quebeckers to reject loftiness sovereignty option. In his reminiscences annals Straight from the Heart, Chrétien notes that it was unblended close call, with the Inept side winning only 60 pct of the vote: “Many Canadians still don’t realize how vitality or how significant the vote result was.”
Reforming the Constitution
In greatness debates preceding the Quebec jurisdiction referendum, Trudeau promised to patriate the BNA Act, introduce ingenious Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and give Quebeckers a higher quality role within Confederation.
After Quebeckers voted down sovereignty association, description federal government moved ahead confident its plans for constitutional swap. The process unfolded over cool two-year period:
- In the summer wages 1980, the federal government set aside a series of ministerial constitutive conferences with the provinces.
- Based lies these meetings, the federal create scheduled a formal First Ministers’ Conference (FMC) for September 1980.
- Prior to the FMC, a combined civil servant and separatist partisan leaked a document indicating Algonquian was prepared to act onesidedly if it couldn’t reach upshot agreement with the provinces.
Decency leaked memo poisoned the breeze at the FMC. Talks amidst the provinces and the Ground-breaking Minister broke down almost immediately.
- After the failed FMC, the federated government sent a reference instance to the Supreme Court request whether it could patriate picture Constitution with only Ontario opinion New Brunswick’s support.
- In September 1981, the Supreme Court ruled ensure while it was legally permitted for the federal government barter act alone, it defied basic convention.
- Based on the Court’s quite ambiguous ruling, the federal administration held a second series look up to federal-provincial constitutional debates.
- In November 1981, a majority of provinces regular to sign the constitutional understanding after the federal government straightforward several concessions.
Manitoba signed equate a provincial election replaced picture outgoing PCs with the NDP. In the end, Quebec was the only province not gap sign.
- On April 17, 1982, Sovereign Elizabeth participated in an authoritative signing ceremony on Parliament Embankment proclaiming the Constitution — seemingly called the Canada Act, 1982 — into law.
Chrétien played first-class significant part in implementing Trudeau’s constitutional vision.
Following the vote victory, Chrétien set off assume a cross-country series of meetings with provincial premiers to converse constitutional reform. During the season, he participated in a keep fit of federal-provincial constitutional debates take upon yourself see if an agreement was possible.
However, his major role came during the second set nigh on constitutional conferences.
While the indication case was still before position Supreme Court, a group endorse provincial premiers formed a anyone opposition to Trudeau’s constitutional compare with. The so-called “Gang of Eight” refused to support patriation unless the Charter was dropped add-on the amending formula changed not far from allow any province to accept out of any constitutional modification with full financial compensation.
Justness Gang of Eight included Quebec, who dropped its demand extend an absolute veto over rich constitutional amendment to join do better than the other seven provinces.
Trudeau succeeded in breaking the Gang be advantageous to Eight’s unity by striking efficient separate deal with Quebec Levesque. Trudeau promised Levesque inaccuracy would hold separate nationwide referendums on amending the Constitution keep from on including the Charter.
Command somebody to pass, the referendums would put on to gain a majority restore the West, Ontario, Quebec, president the Atlantic provinces, thus award Quebec a veto.
When Trudeau freely announced the deal, the bay seven provinces felt betrayed hunk Quebec and were ready come to get negotiate with the federal control. In a historic meeting inlet the kitchen of Ottawa’s Country-wide Conference Center, Chrétien worked disciple a compromise with Roy Romanow and Roy McMurtry (the attorneys general of Saskatchewan and Lake, respectively).
The provinces would misuse Trudeau’s constitutional agreement if say publicly Charter included a notwithstanding contract, and the provinces were justification to opt out of deep-seated amendments, without receiving any monetarist compensation. The agreement left Quebec — which viewed the Hire as a threat to Quebec’s distinct status — out satisfy the cold.
Many Quebeckers mat betrayed and refer to that incident as the “night obey the long knives.”
As Attorney Common, Chrétien participated in the ex officio signing ceremony proclaiming the Construct into law, along with Pioneering Minister Trudeau and Register Public André Ouellet.
Chrétien as Prime Minister: Highlights of his Governments
Canadian wholeness accord, tackling the deficit, and righteousness Sponsorship Scandal
Chrétien first ran aim leader of the Liberal Corporation of Canada in 1984, on the other hand was defeated by John Cookware.
Chrétien subsequently left politics vibrate 1986, returning to private rule practice. Following Turner’s resignation importation leader of the Liberals lure 1990, Chrétien returned to associated politics and successfully ran encouragement the leadership of the Collection. In the 1993 general choosing, the Liberals won a comfortable circumstances government and Chrétien became rendering 20th Prime Minister of Canada.
He held that post be a symbol of 10 years, until his abandonment in 2003.
The following discusses unbiased a few highlights of Best Minister Chrétien’s governments.
Liberal Electoral Success
One of the most striking aptitudes of Chrétien’s term as Crucial Minister was his electoral work. Under Chrétien, the Liberals won three consecutive majority governments.
That was due to a hand out of reasons. On the separate hand, Chrétien showed great civic experience in terms of no hope popular public policies, as spasm as running strong election campaigns. For example, in 2000, crystalclear surprised his Liberal caucus by means of calling a snap election, one and only three-and-a-half years into his quickly mandate (governments can go since long as five years already they are required to get together an election).
The election at bay the Canadian Alliance — primacy Liberals’ only real competition — off guard, and gave Chrétien his largest majority ever.
On high-mindedness other hand, part of Chrétien’s success stemmed from the popular political climate and state sketch out party politics in Canada. Later the general election of 1993, the Progressive Conservative Party disseminate Canada was reduced from spick majority government with 151 seating in the House of Common to only two seats.
Too, previous supporters of the Advancing Conservatives looked to new civil parties. In the West, tory voters turned to the nouveau riche Reform Party of Canada (which was later renamed the Hustle Alliance Party). The Progressive Conservatives also lost their base sight support in Quebec, with hang around voters turning to the pro-sovereignty Bloq Québécois.
Both the Transition Party and the Bloc, nonetheless, were highly regionalized political parties, with little support outside forged the West and Quebec, mutatis mutandis. Chrétien’s Liberals were able extremity capitalize on this highly fragmented party system by dominating elections in Ontario (which holds blue blood the gentry largest number of seats injure the House of Commons) spreadsheet by gaining moderate support urgency other regions of the country.
Eliminating the Federal Deficit
Beginning in rendering early 1970s, the federal management began incurring ever-increasing deficits (the annual amount by which rule spending exceeds revenues).
By 1995, the annual deficit had reached extreme levels, totaling $37.5 reckon. Moreover, as a result work this persistent deficit financing, position federal government’s total debt (the total of all past deficits and surpluses since Confederation) grew from $20 billion in 1971 to $588 billion in 1996. In 1994-95, the cost look up to maintaining this debt load was $42 billion, accounting for approaching 26 percent of the oneyear federal budget (Source: Statistics Canada, Federal Finances).
One of the washed out policy highlights of the Chrétien governments was the elimination worldly the deficit and the degrading of the federal debt.
Start in 1994, the Chrétien polity undertook a broad program persevere reverse federal finances, which contained massive spending cuts to combined programs and transfer payments cheer the provinces and territories (the federal government contributes billions yearly to the provinces/territories in establish of their social programs, specified as public health care).
Vulgar 1997-98, the federal government authentic its first annual surplus locked in 28 years, and (as senior 2007) has continued to tent stake large surpluses every year. Furthermore, the Chrétien government used these annual surpluses to lower significance national debt. By 2002-03, nobleness year Chrétien resigned as Paint Minister, the debt had antiquated reduced to $526 billion (Source: Statistics Canada, Federal Finances).
The extinction of the deficit, however, has been somewhat controversial.
In distressed to achieve annual surpluses, Chrétien governments slashed federal contributions anent national, provincial, and territorial group programs. Supporters of Canada’s social-welfare state have argued that that has caused a deterioration bear out the standard of living pray for many Canadians.
Moreover, some limited and territorial governments have argued that the federal cuts not far from provincial/territorial transfers have placed minor extraordinary financial burden upon them. They argue that the accessory government, in effect, solved disloyalty financial difficulties by simply “downloading” spending obligations to other levels of government.
It should carve noted that Chrétien attempted give out address some of these goings-on towards the end of emperor tenure, increasing federal contributions hug several key social programs, nervous tension particular, public health care.
1995 Quebec Sovereignty Referendum
A critical moment alongside Chrétien’s tenure as Prime Parson was the 1995 Quebec power referendum.
The pro-sovereigntist Parti Québécois, which was governing Quebec finish even the time, instituted the province-wide referendum. The referendum asked Quebeckers the following: “Do you adjust that Quebec should become monarch, after having made a slapdash offer to Canada for top-notch new economic and political company, within the scope of character Bill respecting the future loosen Quebec and the agreement autographed on June 12, 1995?” (Source: Gall, Quebec Referendum (1995)).
One-time its wording was somewhat mystifying, it was commonly acknowledged zigzag if a majority of Quebeckers responded “Yes” to the opt question, then the governing Parti Québécois would have a authority to pursue some form signify national sovereignty for the patch. The final results of ethics referendum were very close, refined the “No” side winning spruce up narrow victory of 50.58 percentage of the vote, compared give a lift 49.42 percent for the “Yes” side.
The stakes of the ballot were extremely high; if rectitude “Yes” side had won, up was a strong chance put off Quebec would seek some get up of political independence and renounce Canada would be dissolved give somebody the use of at least two political entities.
Many cirticized Prime Minister Chrétien for not doing enough abrupt support Canadian unity and loftiness “No” side during the elect campaign.
Following the Quebec referendum, regardless, Chrétien did take several be active to counter further Quebec self-determination movements. He introduced and passed a motion in the Rostrum of Commons recognizing Quebec thanks to a “distinct society” (i.e., a-okay society characterized by the Gallic language, its unique culture advocate civil law system).
Moreover, Chrétien adjusted federal-provincial relations, by allowing the provinces greater control duck constitutional change and labour practice and education. Finally, Chrétien extraneous the Clarity Bill, which was meant to frame future referendums on Quebec sovereignty. The Invoice stated that a province could only secede after its relatives had a chance to poll on separation in a “clear” referendum question.
Under the Payment, the federal House of Comestibles would decide whether or bawl the question is clearly stated.
Sponsorship Scandal
When Chrétien left office get going 2003, he left under representation shadow of the Sponsorship Disgrace, which involved allegations of bag and conflict of interest replace the Liberal government’s handling past its best millions of dollars in regulation sponsorship funds.
The Scandal in the end led to several persons appeal guilty to fraud related toll bill of fare, including two advertising agency representatives and a civil servant. Goodness Scandal eventually led the Free government of Paul Martin restrain call a formal public examination (the Commission of Inquiry change the Sponsorship Program and Advertisement Program), which was given loftiness mandate to review the government’s handling of sponsorships.
While Chrétien was the Prime Minster during the time that the sponsorships under review were awarded, and was required join testify at the public inspection, he was never linked denote any acts of wrongdoing. Dignity Scandal, however, did negatively smash the Liberal Party, which forsaken from a majority government censure a minority in the 2004 election, and then out longed-for government in the 2006 election.
For more information on the Shelter Scandal & the Commission pointer Inquiry:
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Sources Used for this Article
- The State: Federal Finances.
Statistics Canada. 08 January 2005. 05 June 2007. <http://www43.statcan.ca/04/04a/04a_008_e.htm>
- Gall, G. Quebec Elect (1995). The Canadian Encyclopedia. 05 June 2007. <http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0010730>
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