Jean Chrétien

Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian prime minister, born in 1934 in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec. He studied law at Université Laval and was first elected to the House of Commons in 1963. Under Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau he held several senior portfolios, including Indian affairs, finance and justice, where he helped negotiate the 1982 patriation of the constitution. He became Liberal leader in 1990 and won three consecutive majority governments from 1993. He retired in 2003 and has held no elected office since.

Supporters credit Chrétien with restoring the federal finances, holding the country together after the near-loss of the 1995 Quebec referendum and making the principled decision to stay out of Iraq. His populist 'little guy from Shawinigan' style helped him win three majorities. Critics argue that his spending cuts strained the provinces' ability to pay for health care and social programs. His government's sponsorship program to promote federalism in Quebec became a scandal in which millions of dollars were misused; the Gomery inquiry found he shared some responsibility, though the Federal Court struck down that finding in 2008 for apparent bias. Indigenous leaders still criticise the 1969 White Paper, and police use of pepper spray on protesters at the 1997 APEC summit led to an inquiry that found his office had improperly pressured the RCMP, while clearing him personally.