  |
|
|
|
And so it ends.
While he may not have lasted until his original retirement date of February 2004, one of his biggest achievements may be maintaining a record for the longest, slowest retirement in political history. Love him or hate him, Mr. Chrétien rarely inspired lukewarm responses, particularly in the latter part of his career. During the second half of his prime ministerial tenure, the Prime Minister managed to polarize political discourse throughout the electorate and within his own party. It's customary at retirement times to laud the career of the honoree. And despite his many failings - many, many, failings - it would have been all but impossible for the man to survive forty years of political life without achieving some good. Thus, reluctantly, I admit, it is worth reflecting on the achievements of this remarkably long serving politician as he slides into personal and political retirement. One of nineteen children he began his career as an unknown francophone Member of Parliament. He spoke no English and he came from a small town whose political influence was small. It was during these early days in government that his feisty attitude and drive generated the nickname that stuck with him throughout his career: the little guy from Shawinigan. Arguably some of his more prolific achievements came from long before his time at the helm of the party ship. Chrétien rose quickly through the federal Liberal ranks, and it was during one of his stints in cabinet as Minister responsible for aboriginal affairs that Chrétien shepherded in the Indian Act, legislation which exists today largely intact. The Act has always been controversial but the intent of the legislation was sound: the well being and recognition of Canada's aboriginal peoples, an issue Chrétien held close to his heart. If the Indian Act was a major achievement, it was his role as Pierre Trudeau's Justice Minister in the early 1980's for which he no doubt feels particularly proud. While then Prime Minister Trudeau attempted to wind the proposed repatriation of the constitution through tortured negotiations with the provinces, it was Chrétien's hand guiding the crafting of the constitution's most important element: the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter, too, has created more than its fair share of controversy both inside and outside the legal community: generally those on the right think it's much too lenient and has created an overly activist judiciary; the left believes it didn't go far enough to entrench specific rights for Canadians into a virtually unalterable codification.
The copyright of the article Chretien rides off into that good night
in Canadian Federal Politics is owned by . Permission to republish Chretien rides off into that good night
in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
