Former Canada Prime Minister Gets Friendly Grilling from ABA Members

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By Ira Pilchen
American Bar Association
Aug. 6, 2011

TORONTO — Jean Chrétien, the former 10-year prime minister of Canada, lived up to his reputation as an entertaining speaker at an American Bar Association luncheon during the annual meeting on Aug. 5.

Inspired by Parliament’s grilling of the prime minister two or three times a week, the question-and-answer session, hosted by the Section of Litigation, was a familiar setting for Chrétien, who dubbed politics “the art of survival” and “the art of skating on thin ice.”

“The one thing I miss about politics is that you have to answer questions every day about everything,” said Chrétien, a French Quebec native who served as prime minister from 1993 to 2003 and in other government and opposition roles for the Liberal Party since 1963. “Because if you say you don’t know,” he quipped, “the press concludes you know nothing.”

In asking their questions, Litigation Section members were kind to Chrétien, who earned his law degree from Université Laval in Quebec and is now of counsel with Heenan Blaikie in the firm’s Ottawa and Montreal offices. The former minister of finance, justice and other portfolios weighed in on a range of issues. Here’s a sampling:

How would Chrétien fix America’s “dysfunctional” government?

The problem, he said, is the U.S. government structure. In a parliamentary system like Canada’s, the prime minister runs the legislative and executive branches, so conflict is minimized and the prime minister can more easily carry out his agenda. “If the House of Commons doesn’t back the prime minister,” he said, “we have an election.”

Chrétien maintained that even though many blame the president for America’s problems, “the president’s power is very small” because he has to work with Congress to get things done. The president always blames Congress, and Congress always blames the president, he observed.

“Can you change it?” Chrétien asked. “I don’t think you can. Trying to change the Constitution is a hell of a problem.” He once told voters in an election campaign, “If you want to change the Constitution, don’t vote for me.”

How would Chrétien have resolved the recent U.S. debt ceiling crisis?

Chrétien repeated that the president’s power is limited. “Of course,” he deadpanned to laughter, “he can push the button on the atomic bomb, but that will not solve the problem of debt.”

How did Chrétien balance the budget when he was prime minister?

After his first election in 1993, the government cut the budget by 20 percent. “No department was saved, because they all had a special case,” Chrétien said. “The only budget that was increased was the collector of taxes.” He also explained that the government started charging for services, such as national parks, that were once free. “Everybody had to contribute,” he said.

Chrétien also defended his use of tax increases. “You don’t have services if you don’t pay taxes,” he said. “You cannot only cut programs, because one day the society won’t function anymore.”

What was the greatest source of diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Canada during Chrétien’s tenure?

“We always have problems,” Chrétien observed, “but it’s normal when you have 5,000 miles of border, when you have trade to the tune of $1.5 to $2 billion a day—of course you have problems. But none of these problems were major problems.”

The former prime minister related a trade tussle in which the Americans were reluctant to purchase Canadian softwood for construction. Chrétien discussed the matter with then- President George W. Bush, to whom he argued that since the U.S. was also balking at purchasing Canadian oil, natural gas and electricity, “You will need a hell of a lot of softwood lumber to heat your homes.”

How did Chrétien reach the decision not to join the U.S. in the Iraq war?

“It was easy,” Chrétien deadpanned. “You were wrong, and I said so.” The former prime minister recalled that British Prime Minister Tony Blair told him, “You know, Saddam [Hussein] is a terrible dictator.” Replied Chrétien, “Of course he’s a terrible dictator, but if we get into the business of replacing those we don’t like, then who’s next?”

Chrétien told Blair, “Why don’t we solve a problem in the family,” pointing out that another Commonwealth nation, Zimbabwe, also was headed by a ruthless dictator. He said Blair replied, “[Robert] Mugabe and Saddam are not the same.” Replied Chrétien: “I know. Mugabe has no oil.”

Chrétien said his decision for Canada not to join the Iraq war had many detractors in his country, particularly in the business community, which was concerned about retaliation from U.S. consumers. Chrétien challenged business leaders, “Give me the list of all the goods and services that the Americans are buying from us that they don’t need. There was no list, because business is business.”

And a final observation about the prime minister’s role in a parliamentary system?

“If the government disagrees with you, you’re out, and you’re looking [to work] for a law firm.”