Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003.
Born and raised in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law graduate from Université Laval. A Liberal, he was first elected to the House of Commons in 1963. He served in various cabinet posts under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, most prominently as minister of Indian affairs and northern development, president of the Treasury Board, minister of finance, and minister of justice. He ran unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1984, losing to John Turner. Chrétien served as the second deputy prime minister of Canada in Turner's short-lived government which would be defeated in the 1984 federal election. After Turner led the Liberals to their second defeat at the polls in 1988, Chrétien became leader of the Liberals and leader of the Opposition in 1990, returning to politics after briefly working in the private sector. In the 1993 federal election, Chrétien led the Liberals to a strong majority government before leading the party to two additional majorities in 1997 and 2000.
Chrétien was strongly opposed to the Quebec sovereignty movement. He won a narrow victory as leader of the federalist camp in the 1995 Quebec referendum, and then pioneered the Clarity Act to avoid ambiguity in future referendum questions. His government also established the long-gun registry, advanced the Youth Criminal Justice Act, laid the groundwork to legalize same-sex marriage, and eliminated the nearly-30-year old budget deficit. He implemented several major environmental laws, including an updated Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Pest Control Products Act, and the Species At Risk Act. In foreign policy, Chrétien ordered Canadian military intervention during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the War in Afghanistan but opposed participation in the Iraq War. Although his popularity and that of the Liberal Party were seemingly unchallenged for three consecutive federal elections, he became subject to various political controversies. He was accused of inappropriate behaviour in the Shawinigate and sponsorship scandals, although he has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He also became embroiled in a protracted leadership struggle within the Liberal Party against his finance minister and long-time political rival Paul Martin. In December 2003, as a result of the threat of losing a leadership review and pressure from the pro-Martin faction of the party, Chrétien resigned as prime minister and retired from politics. Chrétien places highly in rankings of Canadian prime ministers. At age 88, Chrétien is the oldest living former Canadian prime minister.
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Some of their strengths
Jean Chrétien has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Generous, Intuitive, Smart, Hardworking, Loyal, Passionate, and Adventurous.
Smart and Hardworking
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Jean Chrétien is someone who is a smart, hardworking, reliable, and loyal person, who is detail-oriented and orderly, but also generous and optimistic. A person who is known for being a good communicator.
Adventurous and Free
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Jean Chrétien well know them as someone who can be talented, wayward and free, like a big river or the ocean.
Courteous and Easygoing
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Jean Chrétien as someone who is polite, modest, and diplomatic.
A person who tends to be socially popular, who loves intellectual or creative activities, who has a talent for communicating with and understanding the needs of others, and who seems to have a knack for getting recognized for their efforts.
Emotionally Intelligent and Intuitive
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Jean Chrétien is someone who tends to have strong emotional intelligence and intuition, and who can be a catalyst of change for others.
They are also someone who is calm, comforting, and stable, and who loves stability and being a good friend and loyal partner.
Patient and Perseverent
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Jean Chrétien tends to be someone who is patient, faithful, hardworking and persistent, and who wants to achieve a lot in life. Who tends to be rather private when it comes to expressing feelings, enjoys being independent and self-sufficient, and who is not afraid of any obstacle.
Some of Jean Chrétien's challenges
While Jean Chrétien has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Jean Chrétien can be Materialistic, Selfish, Suspicious, Stubborn, Complicated, Brusque, and Indecisive.
Suspicious and Stubborn
One of Jean Chrétien's key challenges is that they are someone who can be suspicious and stubborn.
Jean Chrétien must also exercise caution as they can be excessive and unrealistic.
Indecisive and Materialistic
Jean Chrétien is someone who can be indecisive, indulgent, and materialistic, who can have difficulty focusing on a single career or profession, have difficulty following orders or respecting authority, and who can suffer from "analysis paralysis".
Callous and Stubborn
Finally, Jean Chrétien also can come across as cold and unemotional, be too dismissive of others' opinions, and be overly suspicious, selfish and crafty.
