The present chaos in the Liberal party means that Chrétien is no longer first in the hearts of the party. Indeed, many Liberals say Jean Chrétien has shot himself straight through the heart.

Chrétien's departure has not been a graceful one. There are more than hints in the air that he’ll be spending the next 18 months planning his revenge on Paul Martin and the Martinites. In the same 18 months, Chrétien will be exalting his chosen favourites, like John Manley. Manley will be given 10 portfolios and perhaps a seat on the Supreme Court, all at the same time, just to make sure.

Of course, the prime minister will make certain that he leaves his successor with a Senate completely packed with his own loyal slavish admirers. The entire population of Shawinigan will be inducted into the Senate in the next 18 months.

Inside Zolf has always liked Jean Chrétien, le petit gars de Shawinigan. Demagogues and bullyboys, tough guys who always make a quick decision, were this reporter's role models in politics. Chrétien was among them.

Chrétien was a populist like Réal Caouette. Indeed, Chrétien beat a Creditiste to get into the House of Commons. Chrétien built his whole career on the trust of little people, small town people, simple people.

In this, Chrétien resembled John Diefenbaker. Like Diefenbaker, Chrétien believed he was the little people, the small town people incarnate. It was not so much that Chrétien did anything for them, it was enough that he spoke for them, that his presence was a lamp and a symbol unto them.

Chrétien's populism was a vital element in the Liberal party. That party was mostly full of the country's swells, the Beautiful People. Pearson and Trudeau, both academics, spoke for the affluent and chattering classes in the Liberal party. Chrétien was remarkable in that he managed to hang on to his populist base without completely turning off the well-off in his party.

Diefenbaker had similar problems, but in the end, the Tory well-off sent him packing. Still, Dief remained a populist until he died. Unlike Dief, Chrétien became more and more preoccupied with being the darling of the upwardly mobile in the Liberal party. Chrétien's daughter married the heir of Power Corporation, Canada's business mammoth. Chrétien began boasting that he had become a self-made millionaire.

Day by day, Chrétien's populist juices began to dry up. Day by day, populist Chrétien became corporate man, a corporate man like Brian Mulroney. Now, no longer a populist, Chrétien was a big boy playing poker with the big boys. He was now playing on a turf in which his deadly rival Paul Martin was more sure-footed and agile. Chrétien lost the rustics and then the ethnic groups who had once loved him.

In Quebec, the little people began to rally to Paul Martin as early as Election 2000. The Quebec professionals, the Outremont crowd, were already for Martin.

Out west, the common people were for the Alliance, the elites for Paul Martin. Even in rural Newfoundland and across the Maritimes, Chrétien was losing his populist grip.

It could be argued that Chrétien's abandonment of the little people in favour of the fat cats sealed his fate years ago. What is certain, as was certain with Diefenbaker, is that populist politics is a dangerous game with a basically urban, well-educated electorate. Chrétien's populism caused him the loss of the Liberal party shakers and movers. It ultimately caused Chrétien his present shove and push denouement.

The toppling of Chrétien will remain one of Canadian history's most dramatic moments. It may even write finis to Canadian populism for a long, long time to come, but life goes on. The country wanted political resolution and it got it from Chrétien. Now it wants peace and quiet from the Liberal party. The leadership review will be shelved; the first Liberal who says he wants to go on with it will be tarred and feathered.

A kind of dance will ensue in Ottawa. Chrétien will soon be seen cheered to the rafters in the House of Commons by the entire Liberal caucus. The words "Kim Campbell" will never be heard on any Liberal lips again.

Chrétien's sudden departure has made history. No other prime minister has been forced to shoot himself straight through the heart.