Jean Chretien on his challenges as Prime Minister

Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien sits down with Allan Gregg for a wide-ranging interview. They discuss Chrétien's new memoir, My Years as Prime Minister, his views on the state of politics in Canada and his recent heart surgery.
Released earlier this fall, the book chronicles the high points and challenges of Chrétien's decade in office as Canada's twentieth prime minister - from eliminating the deficit to the 1995 cliffhanger Quebec referendum to his decision to keep Canada out of the Iraq war, as well as the rift between Chretien and his successor, Paul Martin. (Original broadcast Dec 2007)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• TVO
• TVOntario
• Allan
• Gregg
• Conversation
• authors
• author
• books
• literary
• literacy
• fiction
• literature
• poetry
• publishing
• novels
• novelists
• writers
• Jean
• Chretien
• Prime
• Minister
• Quebec
• Iraq
• Paul
• Martin
• Deficit

[Freethinker12341]

best prime minister we ever had

[Freethinker12341]

@MaaB102 yea i know, its a disaster now. Everything Harper is doing to the country. It's an absolute mess.

[ammarios]

I am a STAUNCH and hardcore left-wing NDP-er, but if Chretien ran again, I would ABSOLUTELY vote for him, whether he runs under the Liberal banner or heck, even as a Tory (lol I laugh 'coz I know that would never happen..thankfully...it just wouldn't make sense... he's no heartless right-wing Reformacon). My heroes: Pierre Trudeau, Jean Chretien, Tommy Douglas and now, Jack Layton...

[Mack7395]

Jean Chrétien was a great prime minister. He made our budgets he gave us rights. And he respected everyone, Steven Harper never does, he is the Canadian version of George W Bush!

[WinkyMaeve]

@Freethinker12341 yeah, he was awesome, to say the least.

[MaaB102]

@Freethinker12341 It was THE LAST REAL prime minister we had too.

[kentj21]

I was to young to understand politics when Chretien was in office. Now I see what the "Harper Government"C is doing and Im actually scared the direction he is taking my country in. Canada needs another Liberal leader like Mr. Chretien

[metyzermanfan19]

@Boomachucka nothing to do with the PCO or PMO. Not one MP or Cabinet minister or member of the government was charged with any wrongdoing whatsoever. The sponsorship scandal is a blip that was made into a blotch by the Reformers. Even PC'ers who wont vote for the Reform cons who are in power know that. You'll be hard pressed to find an EDUCATED PC'er who votes reform (or modern conservative) as they share almost no common ground. This is barely controversial or arguable.

[metyzermanfan19]

@Boomachucka Perhaps I was overzealous in my statement but that government did more for this country in the 90's and early 2000's than the Trudeau and Mackenzie governments did, COMBINED. They are honestly a marvel to Canadian history. They did everything a PC government promised to do and couldn't (balanced and grossly in debt budget) and united Canada during one of its darkest periods (referendum). The sponsorship scandal is meaningless and involved a insignificant amount of people who had

[Boomachucka]

@metyzermanfan19 Impeccable?

Hahahahahahaha.

[metyzermanfan19]

The Sponsorship Scandal was a sham perpetuated by the Cons and NDP to simply oust the Liberal Party that they knew they would never defeat because they were an impeccable party. The Scandal was a scandal to the people of Canada and a complete sham.