Those who attended last May’s Liberal policy convention marvelled that Jean Chrétien and his Shawinigan colleague François-Philippe Champagne outshone the dynamic duo of Hillary Clinton and Chrystia Freeland in a fireside chat format where Chrétien stole the spotlight.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on January 15, 2024.

OTTAWA—Jean Chrétien celebrated the triple crown last week.

He fêted the 30th anniversary of his election as prime minister, the 60th anniversary of his arrival in parliament, and the 90th anniversary of his birth.

And what a celebration.

For the little guy from Shawinigan to reach the apex of political and personal achievements, there was only one person missing.

And that was his beautiful life partner Aline, who had been at his side for most of this incredible journey.

A full house was expected last Thursday evening at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, just across from his second home in Parliament.

And Chrétien wouldn’t disappoint. While some would fumble for words as they enter their ninth decade of life, Chrétien continues to astonish with his wit and wisdom.

Those who attended the Liberal policy convention last May marvelled at the fact that he and his Shawinigan colleague François-Philippe Champagne outshone the dynamic duo of Hillary Clinton and Chrystia Freeland in a fireside chat format where Chrétien stole the spotlight.

It isn’t just the wisdom of a nonagenarian that shines. It is also his incredible memory and terrific sense of humour.

Even in the midst of a referendum that almost cost the country, Chrétien was able to see the comical elements in the other side.

In a December pre-birthday interview for Canadian Politics and Public Policy by former journalist and retired Senator Jim Munson, Chrétien even found something funny to say about a separatist voter in his former constituency of Shawinigan.

As he recounted to Munson, “I was the object of some hate at some times because some separatists hated my guts in Quebec. But I didn’t pay much attention. I remember one day I was in a restaurant and a guy had had a few drinks and he said, ‘What the hell, Chrétien, you’re here! I never voted for you,’ and I said, ‘You have the right to be wrong, sir.’ And then he said, ‘I’m a separatist. But I want to tell you, you were a very good prime minister for Canada.’”

As Munson put it, “that about sums it up.”

Chrétien’s smile brightens up any room, and the stories he has gathered from a lifetime in public service can regale the toughest crowd.

One of the most difficult was the Bay Street annual fundraiser when Liberals were in government. Most titans of business were rabidly Conservative, and believed the trope that Liberals were the free spenders, including the ever-frugal Chrétien.

They attended the dinner because they had to. That didn’t stop Chrétien from using his “second language” English to his advantage.

When explaining how he got a fractious caucus to work together, Chrétien told the stiff-lipped audience that his command was to get all the “[h]oars rowing in the same direction.” Although today the mispronunciation—deliberate or not—would have been politically incorrect, in those days, the speech got even the tightest of Tories onside.

I had the privilege of joining him last spring at a Japanese embassy conferment ceremony of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. His Excellency Kanji Yamanouchi hosted the event, and Chrétien was at his absolute finest.

He went so far as to recall the time and date of a dinner hosted by a Japanese ministerial colleague who suggested that Chrétien should run for prime minister.

His Japanese counterpart may have been among the first foreign dignitaries to recognize potential leadership qualities in this rural Quebec politician, but he certainly wasn’t alone.

Mitchell Sharp, former finance minister and external affairs secretary under prime ministers Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Trudeau, was quick to spot the up-and-comer. He took Chrétien under his wing early on, helping pave his way to the top job in the land.

Sharp remained a close friend and political ally, participating in the vetting process when prime minister-elect Chrétien was about to name his first cabinet, and offering advice on how to balance the social needs of the country with the financial challenges of a heavy national debt load.

Chrétien became the 50/50 man, balancing his approach by promising to apply half of any savings to the debt, and half to social needs.

It was that balance, in politics and in life, that helped him reach the apex to be celebrated in the nation’s capital on Jan. 11.

Few politicians remain popular long after they leave political life.

In this regard, Chrétien is also exceptional.

Even the most hardened separatists understand why this man wears the triple crown.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

Jean Chrétien needs to write another book. This time he should focus on political lessons for the future. It could be a great road map for a future Canadian prime minister.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on January 16, 2023.

OTTAWA—Happy 89th Birthday, Jean Chrétien.

You have some wisdom to impart to the youngsters who are currently running or hoping to run the country.

As you celebrated on Jan. 11, you must have been reflecting on the current political climate in Canada and how it might be improved.

Going forward, you could provide some great advice for all political leaders, not just in your Liberal Party of choice.

After all, you managed to navigate a political trajectory that was unlike any other.

A unilingual francophone from Shawinigan, Que., you grew into one of the most popular prime ministers in Canadian history. You combined wisdom, humour and political street smarts in a way that made people get the message without feeling alienated or betrayed.

Your No. 1 asset was always at your side, a wonderful, loving partner in the person of your childhood sweetheart, Aline.

She also gave you her best advice, and her graceful demeanour was a fabulous foil to your Shawinigan handshakes.

Life is much harder without her, but as you enjoy another birthday celebration, please spend a few moments reflecting on how to heal our country.

No. 1 is humour. You were probably the best prime minister at getting out a clear, direct message without alienating the opposition.

Who could forget your comment on the pepper spray used on protesters at the APEC gathering in British Columbia. Quizzically you said, “For me, pepper, I put it on my plate.” That got everyone laughing, taking the temperature down on a tough situation, while still making the point.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre could use a birthday nugget on how to take the temperature down.

He always seems to be so angry at everything and it is hard to elicit empathy, and support from voters when the main message they hear is negative.

Poilievre’s own party has been asking him to be a little more positive, and a class in humour would probably help put a smile on his face.

Just this month, former Senator and prime ministerial adviser Marjorie LeBreton stated publicly that Poilievre’s anger quotient was turning off women voters.

You might not get Poilievre laughing, but at least you could help him understand that a happy face gets more votes.

As for the prime minister, he might take a page from your time management book.

You made it a point to stay in the background on many ministerial announcements. That achieved two purposes: your ministers were happy that they got to bask in the glory of their own departmental work, and you avoided the political problem of overexposure.

By letting your caucus members absorb the spotlight, your own face wasn’t on television every night. That approach allowed you to lead three majority governments without being a victim of political overexposure.

It doesn’t matter how good a job a leader is doing. If he or she dwarfs the rest of the team, people get sick of seeing the leader.

The other advantage you incurred by staying in the background was that when you stepped in to manage a situation, it upped the gravitas of the moment.

You got involved in ministerial files only when there was a huge internal division. The war in Iraq was one example of such a split.

The denial of bank mergers was another. You had to fight the finance minister on that one.

Your embrace of the Kyoto Protocol was a third example of how decisions could be made when there was deep disagreement in cabinet.

Your third winning quality was understanding the street-fighting involved in realpolitik.

In that sense, you might give some advice to New Democratic leader Jagmeet Singh.

Don’t play footsie with the Liberals. It might even cost you your job.

At this point, the message may be too late. But you always understood that the job of the Opposition was to oppose.

By co-signing an agreement to work in tandem with the government, the New Democrats may risk being relegated to irrelevance.

As for a piece of advice regarding the co-managed Green Party: be nice to everyone, especially Elizabeth May. She presents no threat to the government and any attempt to attack her could simply cost the attacker more.

Mr. Chrétien, you have ably chronicled the many stories of your life.

But you need to write another book. This time focus on political lessons for the future. It could be a great road map for a future Canadian prime minister.

Happy Birthday, to “the little guy from Shawinigan.”

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

She was the half that made Jean Chrétien whole.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on September 21, 2020.

OTTAWA—The passing of Aline Chrétien is more than just a political story. It is a love story of epic proportions.

Madame, as everyone affectionately called her, was more than a wise counsel for her husband.

She was the half that made him whole.

It goes without saying that Jean Chrétien would likely never have become prime minister without the advice, support and love of his lifelong partner.

Her passing was only two days after their 63rd wedding anniversary and they had been together for 68 years.

Madame was the partner who shaped a rebellious young man into a future Member of Parliament and prime minister.

While everyone thought of Chrétien as the “Little guy from Shawinigan” it was Aline who put the polish on the pair.

I was lucky enough to attend her funeral in Shawinigan and it was an incredible reflection of her life’s passions.

The service was held in a unique Québécois church that carries a national historic site designation because of the artist who painted incredible murals on the walls. The famed muralist Ozias Leduc was part of a Quebec religious painting mural movement and he spent the last 13 years of his life painting the walls in Notre-Dame-de-la-Presentation church. It was his chef d’oeuvre and a great illustration of the Symbolist movement.

The walls were literally a story of the community, including paintings of Indigenous persons, coureurs de bois, and the choppers of wood, and hewers of water who built Shawinigan.

Aline Chrétien’s private funeral was a blend of hometown roots with the classic touch that so epitomized her.

Even the music was reminiscent of her life as a small-town girl who rose to the highest heights of the land.

Gregory Charles, a famous Quebec musician, played and sang at the ceremony and his mix was truly unique.

The choices ranged from Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah to Panis Angelicus, a funeral hymn associated with most Catholic funerals.

The final tribute was from Felix Leclerc, his famous folksong, Moi, mes souliers, which could have been written for Aline Chrétien. The opening, “Me, my shoes have travelled far” was an allegory for her life.

Her daughter, France, delivered an allocution that was a perfect tribute to her mother’s private and public accomplishments.

Her love of music and language was present throughout. France said that when her father asked her mother about the value of establishing a Millennium Scholarship Fund, she thought it was a wonderful idea. She told her husband that if such financial help had been available when she was young, she might have gone to university.

Instead, she followed the path of many young women into secretarial school. But one of her proudest accomplishments was the recognition she received with multiple honorary degrees, and her ultimate appointment as chancellor of Laurentian, one of Canada’s few bilingual universities.

France also referenced her mother’s love of family and her fair-minded approach to life. On her deathbed, Aline Chrétien was visiting with grandchildren, and said to each, in French “Oh, how handsome you are.” One of the mischievous ones asked her directly, grandma, tell the truth, who is the most handsome.

She laughed and weakly retorted, oh you are bad. But she would not pick one over the others.

Madame was also a very religious person and the archbishop gave a wonderful homily in recognition of her values. She was a Chretien and a strong Christian.

Attendance at the funeral was limited by COVID distancing rules. Pews were roped off and attendees were also separated by the two-metre distance.

The attendance included close family, childhood friends and political allies through the years. One leadership organizer came all the way from Vancouver. Two current ministers were in attendance, Minister of Veterans Affairs and longtime friend Lawrence MacAulay and Foreign Affairs Minister and local Liberal Member of Parliament François-Philippe Champagne.

The former mayor of Shawinigan was there to pay her respects along with several Liberal political organizers who began and ended their lives in politics at the Chrétien’s side.

Aline Chrétien’s siblings were there as well as the family’s extensive clan on Chrétien’s side.

Jean Chrétien’s nephew participated in readings on the altar.

Because of COVID-19, there was no reception after the mass, but friends gathered on the front steps of the church to pay their respects to the family.

The family is planning a celebration of Aline Chrétien’s life in Ottawa once pandemic restrictions are lifted.

Jean Chrétien plans to take time with family and then get right back to work.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.