Jean Chrétien

The Right Honourable Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, PC , LL.D (born January 11, 1934) was the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada, serving from November 4, 1993, to December 12, 2003.

Early life

Born in Shawinigan, Quebec as the 18th of 19 children, Jean Chrétien (pronounced {{IPA|}}) studied law at Laval University. Chrétien would later make light of his humble origins, calling himself the "little guy from Shawinigan". In his youth, he suffered an attack of Bell's palsy, leaving the left side of his face permanently paralyzed. Political opponents, like former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, used this affliction as a basis for political attacks, accusing Chrétien of both figuratively and literally "talking out of the side of his mouth". This tactic was liable to backfire when made insensitively, as it did for the Campbell-led Progressive Conservatives in a 1993 attack ad.

Related Topics:
Shawinigan, Quebec - Pronounced - Laval University - Bell's palsy - Kim Campbell - Progressive Conservatives - 1993 attack ad

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On September 10, 1957, he married Aline Chainé. They have two sons and one daughter: France, Hubert, and Michel. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1963 federal election. After re-election in the 1965 election, he served as parliamentary secretary - first to Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson (1965) and then to Minister of Finance Mitchell Sharp (1966). Pearson later appointed him junior finance minister. He was appointed Minister of National Revenue in 1968 by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Related Topics:
September 10 - 1957 - Aline Chainé - France - Michel - Canadian House of Commons - 1963 federal election - 1965 election - Lester B. Pearson - Minister of Finance - Mitchell Sharp - 1966 - 1968 - Pierre Trudeau

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the June 1968 election, he was appointed Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. In 1974, he was appointed President of the Treasury Board; and beginning in 1976, he served as Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce. In 1977, he was named Minister of Finance. In 1980, he was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and served as Minister of State for Social Development and Minister Responsible for constitutional negotiations, playing a significant role in the patriation of the Constitution of Canada. In 1982, Chrétien was appointed Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources.

Related Topics:
June 1968 election - Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development - 1974 - 1976 - 1977 - Attorney General - Constitution of Canada - 1982

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After Trudeau announced his retirement in early 1984 as Liberal Party leader and prime minister, Chrétien sought the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. He lost on the second ballot to John Turner at the leadership convention that June. Turner appointed him Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs. Relations between the two were strained, and in 1986 Chrétien resigned his seat and left public life for a time. Now working in the private sector again, Chrétien sat on the boards of several corporations. These corporations included the Power Corporation of Canada subsidiary Consolidated Bathurst, the Toronto Dominion Bank, and the Brick Warehouse Corporation, among others.

Related Topics:
1984 - Liberal Party of Canada - John Turner - Leadership convention - Deputy Prime Minister - Secretary of State for External Affairs - 1986 - Power Corporation of Canada - Consolidated Bathurst - Toronto Dominion Bank - Brick Warehouse Corporation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After Turner's resignation as leader in 1989, Chrétien returned: he was elected Liberal Party leader at the June 1990 Liberal leadership convention in Calgary, Alberta, defeating Paul Martin on the first ballot. A by-election in the New Brunswick constituency of Beauséjour in December 1990 returned him to the House of Commons.

Related Topics:
1989 - 1990 - Liberal leadership convention - Calgary, Alberta - Paul Martin - By-election - New Brunswick - Beauséjour - House of Commons

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~