Jean Chrétien

Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (born January 11, 1934 in Shawinigan, Quebec) is the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada, serving from November 4, 1993 to the present.

In general Chrétien supports Trudeau's ideals of bilingualism, multiculturalism and the welfare state, although in recent years he has lowered transfer payments to the provinces for health care. In the late 90s he and then-Finance Minister Paul Martin balanced the Canadian budget for the first time in decades. Chrétien has been attacked in the media for failing to live up to certain election promises, such as eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He has also come under fire for delaying on a military helicopter purchase. In 2002, Chrétien promoted a plan to help Africa financially. Some point to the "Non" result of the 1995 separation vote in Quebec as a political victory for Chrétien. It is not completely clear (as of August 2002) what he will be most remembered for.

Jean Chrétien studied law at Laval University. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1963 and after re-election in 1965 served as parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister (1965) and the Minister of Finance (1966). He was appointed Minister of National Revenue in 1968 and after the election in June of that year was sworn in as Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. In 1974, he was appointed President of the Treasury Board; 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 also served as Minister of State for Social Development and Minister Responsible for constitutional negotiations, playing a significant role in the repatriation of the Canadian constitution. In 1982 Chrétien was appointed Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and in 1984 became Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs.

In 1986 Jean Chrétien left public life, returning after his election as Liberal Party leader in 1990 and his re-election to the House in a December by-election in Beausejour, taking his seat as leader of the Official Opposition. In the federal election in October of 1993, Jean Chretien became Prime Minister of Canada by leading his party to a majority victory.

In August 2002, to quell internecine strife in the party primarily between his supporters and those of ex-Finance Minister Paul Martin, Prime Minister Chrétien announced that he would not run for an additional term and would leave office by 2004.