THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JEAN CHRÉTIEN— A SPECIAL TWO-HOUR
INSIDE LOOK AT THE LIFE AND CAREER OF THE PRIME MINISTER

“I am what I am…and I survived!” – Jean Chrétien

After 40 years in public life, a decade as prime minister and three successive majority governments, Jean Chrétien is preparing to leave 24 Sussex Drive. Featuring interviews with former U.S. president Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and Chrétien’s wife Aline, The Life and Times of Jean Chrétien takes viewers on an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at Chrétien’s 40-year career in public life, Monday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. on CBC Television.

CBC reporter Terence McKenna had exclusive access to Jean Chrétien. The biography opens with rare footage aboard the prime ministerial jet, and follows Chrétien as he prepares for his final G8 Summit amid the tensions over war with Iraq. Chrétien takes viewers to his birthplace of Shawinigan, Quebec—a hardscrabble pulp and paper town where he grew up the 18th of 19 children and learned to use his fists to survive. In an emotional scene, he visits the town cemetery where 10 of his siblings are buried—they all died in infancy.

At age five, Chrétien was sent away to Catholic boarding school where he was constantly getting into trouble. At 15, he faked appendicitis to escape school, and even submitted to surgery rather than admit his ruse. But when he fell in love with the studious Aline Chaîné, the fiery streetfighter began to find his direction.

The Life and Times of Jean Chrétien follows the trajectory of Chrétien’s career—from his days as one of Canada’s youngest MPs, through many cabinet portfolios and finally, to the highest office in the land. The documentary chronicles his many political battles—negotiating a new constitutional deal, fighting separatism, standing-up to George W. Bush on Iraq—and explores the toll they’ve taken. When the country was facing disintegration during the 1995 Quebec referendum, Chrétien broke down and wept at a meeting with his Liberal caucus. He feared he had waited too long to champion the federalist cause.

The Life and Times of Jean Chrétien is written, directed and produced by Terence McKenna. Mark Starowicz is executive producer; Susan Dando is senior producer. It is a production of CBC Worldwide. Michael Claydon is senior producer of LIFE AND TIMES.

Original Air Date: December 1, 2003 at 8 p.m.; re-broadcast on CBC Newsworld December 7, 2003 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and December 12, 2003 at 10 p.m.

photo credit, above: Jean-Marc Carisse