Chretien says goodbye

TORONTO - Prime Minister Jean Chretien bid farewell Thursday night to the Liberal party that no longer wanted him as their leader after delivering three successive majority governments and spending 40 years at the hub of Canadian politics. Full Story

http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/

:cry: Bye Jean...you were a good and funny Prime Minister.

http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/story.asp?id=FF622BE2-E7AD-4B83-BC71-5867F7E09F14

"While reflecting on his many accomplishments, Chretien also sent a subtle message to incoming prime minister Paul Martin, who has raised $12 million for his leadership campaign from corporations and wealthy Canadians." :eyes:

"But he warned Martin, 64, that he will fail if he abandons social Liberalism and dances to the tune of the rich and powerful who bankrolled his leadership bid."

That's it, I'm cancelling my subscription. I'm amazed that I lasted a whole week.

Chretien is retiring. He is not a candidate in the leadership race. If he was, I suspect he would win.

"the Liberal party that no longer wanted him as their leader" is a bareface lie typical of this newspaper.

That seemed a bit......FULL OF SHIT to me too

It doesn't even make good bird cage paper. It's so full of shit it won't absorb any more.

That's truly Satan's house newspaper. The Vancouver Sun is a little more respectable. The Calgary Herald gets a dishonourable mention too.

right wing source!....Sorry to say that, but it's been my observation.

There are two newspapers in this town....both are right wing. Both are owned by the same company. If I want local news...this is where I get it from. God knows the National Canadian papers won't give it to me.

So If I see a story like this I go to the web-site and post it.

The Toronto Star for one,is online....Or the CBC or CTV on line... if you were really interested in telling the truth....I have nothing else to say to you...

stay off my thread you crazy troublemaker I don't want anything to do with you.

You have no say in that...........

I wouldn't have to get upset... As I said this morning, I saw that, read it..and granted I didn't think to get it somewhere else. I just was thinking more along the lines of Chretien leaving as opposed to the article itself. Look I'd really like to make nice with you but you won't let that happen. Let's just agree to stay away from each othe.

I couldn't care less about "making nice with you."....But whenever I see you post something untrue I will post my opinion...I'm not interested in attacking you, as you put it...Others have corrected your misstatements in the past...You need to grow up perhaps???

So I'm wrong sometimes...if you can't admit that you are the one that needs to grow up. I don't care if you disagree with me, you could state it in a civil matter. Instead of tacking on a personal insult.

had more than one pointed reference to, not Martin, but Bush and the "rights'" agenda. He received a standing ovation when he spoke about the decision not to support Bush regarding the unilateral invasion of Iraq.

The journal's lying slam that Chretien was not wanted is typical of a right wing rag. They come from the heart of the marginal, regional headquarters of the Alliance, Canada's version of repugs.

"Clarity Bill."In my opinion the most important thing he did (which he stubbornly and courageously fought for. Even his own party didn't want to risk it) is the Clarity Bill...I really believe that because of this bill the Separatist nuts in Quebec, which are not a very large group really, will be forced to ask a question on a referendum which explains what they are really trying to do...After the last referendum polls in Quebec showed that most of the people who voted "oui" thought they would still be Canadian citizens afterwards, because of the tricky question... I think because of the Clarity Bill we will see NO MORE referendums...They know they can't win with an honest question!...We needed a stubborn, fearless person like him at the time we had him....I wish him well....:)

Includes many quotes from his farewell speech:


Click here

wish that was my leader instead of that worthless sack of sht in the whitehouse. CIC, here I come.

on right wing agendas, both Bush's and the Alliance's:

"Canadians should beware of those on the right who put the interests of Bay Street over the interests of Main Street," he said to applause. "Canadians should beware of those on the right who put profit ahead of community ... beware of those on the right who put the narrow bottom line ahead of everything else."



I will miss the "little guy from Shawinigan" very much. Martin has some BIG shoes to fill.

CREATIAN SNUBS HIM FOR THE IRAK WAR

Isn't that supposed to be the ultimate compliment? If you're invited to Crawford, you're in?....What a joke!

.... when the PM mentioned our decision against sending troops to Iraq.

Even Peter Mansbridge was surprised by the noise from the crowd!

He certainly showed guts against Bush and that is appreciated!

.

Chretien had that slightly rough around the edges, slightly awkward quality that I think resonated with the Canadian people (the worst thing you can be in this country is "stuck up").

Well, he played that "Little guy from Shawinigan" role to the hilt, but at bottom it was true--that's where he originated, from a lower-middle-class big Catholic family (eleven children). He slugged his way up from there, and never forgot it.

He did some things I didn't agree with, mostly having to do with the treatment of anti-globalization demonstrators, but he was pretty darn good on holding the line against the privatizers, the big-money boys, the USA-wannabes, and the fat cats. He knew what those people are all about and he knew how dangerous they are.

He's pretty unique--really one of the last truly idiosyncratic politicians. I wish him well.

:toast: :hi: :hug: :cry: :yourock:

The CBC biography of him mentioned that 9 of his siblings didn't make it past infancy. It was a different world back then -- before the Quiet Revolution, and Medicare, and the changes ushered in by Pearson/Trudeau. The things this man has seen!

we could use someone like him

In my twisted US mind, he'll always be associated with the Poutine sucker joke played on Bush in March 2000 by Rick Mercer:

<snip>
BUSH FALLS PREY TO PRANKSTER

OTTAWA -- Stung by a pop quiz about foreign leaders earlier in his
campaign, Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush now has fallen victim to a foreign affairs prank.

Canadians are chuckling over his on-air answer when a comic posing as a
reporter made up a story that Canadian Prime Minister "Jean Poutine" had endorsed him. "I appreciate his strong statement, he understands I believe in free trade," Bush replied.

"He understands I want to make sure our relations with our most important neighbor to the north of us, the Canadians, is strong and we'll work closely together," he continued.

Canada's prime minister is Jean Chretien, not Poutine, and he has endorsed no one in U.S. politics. Poutine is a fast food meal of french fries, gravy and cheese curd popular in French-speaking Quebec.

source: http://projects.is.asu.edu/pipermail/hpn/2000-March/000303.html

Are you getting a george bush? or another Chretien?

Paul Martin....He (Bono) spoke of how Martin has promised Canada will help in the aids fight in Africa etc....He was INVITED by Martin and says he will hold him to his word and says that Martin (as finance minister) kept his word already so I feel very good about Martin right now.....

I listened to Martin's speech and I am more reassured than before for sure. When he spoke strongly against "trickle-down economics" and the need to ensure the least fortunate are looked after, I damn near broke down in tears. Geez, George Bush has made me so cynical, I am not sure who to trust anymore so it was so good to hear what Martin had to say tonight. He also genuinely praised Chretien, it was a class act.

I feel so reassured by what Martin said, but I know what you mean...Watching Bush with his phony glad handing and saying one thing and doing another....Maybe we should stop watching CNN...hahah...I did have tears...My son said he thinks the thing is that Chretien and Martin are both strong, determined men who wanted to be P.M at the same time and yet they managed to work together for the good of Canada...Now that it's Martin's time I feel he will do us proud....I feel GREAT TONIGHT!!!:)

I feel great about Canada. I think that it's our time in history to make a difference. Bono was inspiring....when he asked if we're ready to lay down in front of that train..wow. I really believe that Martin will be a great PM. Under Martin more free votes..yah! That's democracy.

feelings....He made me proud to be Canadian too and he was generous in giving Chretien credit for his accomplishments....He really surprised me by being the one who invited Bono to speak...He's committed to the aid Bono mentioned now....I think we have the right man at the right time in Martin!!!

I was lucky enough to catch this on c-span. I was really impressed and deeply touched. All I could think as I listened to him speak was where or where is our "liberal" democratic party here in the U.S.
It was a wonderful, principled, coherent speech. It makes me proud to have Canada as our neighbor. I only wish our government would learn a bit more from the Canadians.

Thank you Canada.

We have our fingers and toes crossed for you guys in 2004, Bush CAN be beaten!