Former PM Chretien on inflation concerns, current affairs
Former prime minister Jean Chretien says he is concerned about the future of Canada’s economy, with inflation at a near 20-year high, saying that Canada is “moving into a dark alley.”
In an interview with Evan Solomon, host of CTV’s Question Period, Chretien said that while he thinks the federal government “had no choice” when it came to going deep into deficit to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, there “will be difficult circumstances coming.”
“We’re printing money like crazy,” he said. Asked if that worried him, he said “yes.”
“We’re moving into a dark alley, but we’ll have to go to the end of the alley.”
Speaking about inflation concerns—the annual rate hit 4.4 per cent last month— Chretien reflected on his own experience dealing with economic challenges as prime minister.
With the economy and rising cost of living top of mind for many Canadians, Chretien said Canada will “have to face it.”
“With the pandemic… it was so unusual that they have done something that is unusual,” he said. “The reality will hit and we'll face it, but they had no other choice.”
In the wide-ranging interview, Chretien spoke about his new book: ‘My Stories, My Times, Volume 2’—which he describes as offering readers a peek “behind the curtain” of his life—but also weighed in on current affairs.
ON EQUALIZATION
Speaking about Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s referendum question on federal equalization payments, Chretien called it “a waste of time completely.”
“Because you need a change in the Constitution, and to do that you need seven provinces to agree. Good luck,” he said.
Chretien said that prime ministers have to deal with provinces “complaining,” as part of the nature of the federation.
“If you’re a mayor and you have a problem, what do you do? You blame the provincial government. If you're a provincial government and you have a problem, what do you do? You blame the federal government. We cannot blame the Queen and so once in a while we blame the Americans. You know if you can pass the buck, it's not bad,” he said.
ON CHINA
Speaking about the state of Canada-China relations, he said that the federal government needs to deal with the reality that China is a superpower like the Americans, and that the Canadian government shouldn’t think they could tell them what to do.
In Chretien’s view, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government handled the matter of formerly detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor differently than he would have, saying they “were the victim of the government of America.”
“The United States forced us, and the government decided to go along with it, because they thought that they had no choice. I thought they had a choice,” he said, referencing the proposal of a prisoner exchange, which the government has said would have been rewarding hostage diplomacy.
ON RECONCILIATION
Chretien—who was the minister of Indian affairs under former prime minister Pierre Trudeau—was asked whether he takes some responsibility in light of the continued discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential school sites.
“They were there since a long time, and you know the last one was closed by me when I was prime minister. We had to manage the problem at that time,” he said.
Asked if he would apologize for his role in Canada’s residential school legacy— which included proposing a highly controversial and ultimately withdrawn ‘white paper’ that was viewed by Indigenous people as assimilationist as it proposed among other things to eliminate 'Indian status'— Chretien said his focus was on looking forward.
He also declined to “Monday morning quarterback” on Trudeau’s trip and subsequent apology for spending the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Tofino.
ON CANADA'S 'GOOD RECIPE'
Chretien was asked what his biggest worry is about Canada right now, and offered an optimistic response.
“I think we're still in the best position than anybody else, you know. Why? It is because we have a good system of governance… We have changed governments here peacefully… we have a country where there is a lot of understanding… We don't have a very high level of discrimination. There is some, no doubt about it, we try to fight all the time to make sure there is not,” he said.
“When you're 38 million people, there’s always problems. But… We’re prosperous, we have a lot of resources, we have probably one of the best educated populations in the world, we have the benefit of having two official languages, we have citizens that come from all over the world, we don't pay much attention to the colour of the skin, the religion, the language. We tell everybody be comfortable with what you are.”
“I think we have a good recipe, and if that recipe was to apply everywhere in the world, the world would be better,” he continued.
Chretien also said that while “of course” he still loves being engaged in politics, “I don't want to practice it anymore.”
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE Federal government to announce funding to help Toronto host six 2026 World Cup games
The federal government is set to announce funding to help Toronto host six matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians feel their right to freedom of speech is in danger.
NEW Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Tiger Woods gets special exemption to U.S. Open at Pinehurst
Tiger Woods accepted a special exemption for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, the first time the three-time champion has needed an exemption to play.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'
Is your password 123456? Here's why you should make it stronger
With the sheer number of passwords needed today, it may come as no surprise that over 60 per cent of Canadians feel overwhelmed, and over a third reportedly forget their passwords monthly.
Maple Leafs down Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7
William Nylander scored twice and Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Local Spotlight
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
Here's how one of Sask.'s largest power plants was knocked out for 73 days, and what it took to fix it
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
Quebec police officer anonymously donates kidney, changes schoolteacher's life
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Road closed in Oak Bay, B.C., so elephant seal can cross
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
B.C. breweries take home awards at World Beer Cup
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Haida Elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.