Jean Chrétien
(Featured March 2003)
Prime Minister Chrétien is a lawyer by trade, having acquired his degree from Laval University in Quebec. He initially practiced law with the firm of Chrétien, Landry, Deschênes, Trudel and Normand in Shawinigan.
In 1963 Chrétien was elected for the first time to the House of Commons and held many positions within the Canadian Government.
Political Career Timeline:
Prior to the 1997 election a Globe & Mail biographer wrote the following about Chrétien:
"Jean Chrétien in youth is small, skinny, deaf in one ear, deformed at the mouth, slightly dyslexic, poor of pocket and intellectually unadorned."
Appears as though 'le petit gars de Shawinigan' didn't let anything stop him from achieving his dreams.
Trivia Eh?
Born January 11, 1934 in Shawinigan, Quebec as Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien
Parents are Wellie & Marie.
Father was a Liberal organizer and young Chretien helped hand out flyers and attended rallies
Married to Aline Chaîné since 1957
He has three children (2 sons, 1 daughter) and four grandchildren.
First French Canadian Finance Minister
Has been attacked with a pie in the face, a separate incident resulted in the PM putting the attacker in a choke hold, his home has been broken into. Chrétien and his wife were prepared to protect themselves with an Inuit statue
Is referred to as le petit gars de Shawinigan which means the little guy from Shawinigan
Canuck Quotes
"A prime minister has a unique duty to preserve the integrity of the office. It is not about power. It is about responsibility."
"The art of politics is learning to walk with your back to the wall, your elbows high, and a smile on your face. It's a survival game played under the glare of lights. If you don't learn that you're quickly finished. It's damn tough and you can't complain; you just have to take it and give it back. The press wants to get you. The opposition wants to get you. Even some of the bureaucrats want to get you. They all may have an interest in making you look bad and they all have ambitions of their own."
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