Portrait of Jean Chrétien
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Jean Chrétien on Justin Trudeau

Constructive elder counsel (moderate)

TL;DR

Jean Chrétien advises Justin Trudeau to seek guidance from experienced party members, noting the current government often sidelines the old guard.

Key Points

  • In 2021, he stated Justin Trudeau would have been better served by seeking guidance from older, experienced party members for his cabinet.

  • He noted that the current Liberal identity includes sidelining the old guard, a sharp contrast to his own political mentorship under former leaders.

  • Regarding whether Trudeau should run again, the former prime minister stated in January 2024 that the decision is very personal and up to him to decide.

Summary

Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has expressed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would have been better served by seeking counsel from the Liberal Party's experienced elder statesmen, though he affirmed he is fine with the current government not consulting him. Chrétien suggested in a book that the younger Liberals, in their identity as reformists, have often sidelined the old guard, a contrasting approach to his own political upbringing where he benefited from mentorship. He has not passed explicit judgment on specific policy decisions, but did note the importance of demonstrating Canadian independence from the United States, referencing his decision to oppose the Iraq War.

He has also commented on the personal nature of deciding when to step down from politics, stating the choice is for Trudeau to make based on what is best for himself, the party, and the country, while noting Trudeau has indicated plans to run again. Despite the perceived distance in approach, Chrétien previously campaigned with the current Prime Minister, showing a degree of ongoing party support and recognizing the difficulty in crafting a cabinet with all of Canada's regional and demographic constraints in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Jean Chrétien suggested that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would have been better served by incorporating more advice from experienced elder statesmen within the Liberal Party when crafting cabinets, according to a 2021 interview. He noted that the current government has not sought out his advice, which he accepts as his role is no longer current. The former Prime Minister recognized the difficulty of balancing regional and demographic constraints during cabinet selection.

The former prime minister commented in January 2024 that the decision for Justin Trudeau to seek another term is very personal and entirely up to him to decide. Jean Chrétien stated that while many will try to sway the choice, the ultimate consideration must be what is best for the individual, the party, and the country. He also mentioned that if the current Prime Minister sought his advice on stepping down, he would likely not be asked.

Jean Chrétien wrote that Justin Trudeau and his team's lack of experience is increasingly apparent when succeeding in their grand reformist goals, as noted in his 2021 book. He observed that the current Liberals embrace sidelining the old guard as part of their identity, which differs from how he was mentored by previous leaders like Lester B. Pearson. Despite this difference, Chrétien has also previously campaigned alongside the current Prime Minister.