06.23.2015 09:37 AM

Twenty-five years ago today

  
Twenty five ‎years!

Twenty-five years ago today, Jean Chretien became the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. 

That’s a younger me, above, with my Dad, who was there as the Chretien campaign’s physician at the convention. We are waiting for the results of the vote, which our guy would win handily in our Calgary hometown. 

I’ve got crutches because I’d been hit by a car two days earlier. Eleanor McMahon and I were going to advance a meeting for The Boss, and a taxi driver got me. (“Was a Martin guy driving?” Chretien asked me that night, which made me laugh.)

It was a Day, and a Summer, of great change for me. A few days after his win, Chretien called me up to offer me the job of his Special Assistant. Against the advice of many – he’ll never be Prime Minister, they said! – I took the job. Nothing has been the same since. 

I’m on my way to Ottawa as I write this, but I won’t be seeing my former boss. He’s out of town today, unfortunately. 

If I’d seen him, here’s what I would have said: “You were the greatest leader. All your successors continue to make you look good!”

Twenty five years. Where does the time go?

9 Comments

  1. billg says:

    How did you get to that point? What fell into place that got you there. I’m guessing there’s a good story there and I’m guessing it’s interesting for us political junkies.

  2. Jim Curran says:

    And Eleanor is a fine MPP now for the Burlington riding which she so handily plucked away from a 50 year Conservative dynasty.

  3. cynical says:

    A good day for you, and for Canada.
    JC was a pretty damn good PM, even though he pissed me off from time to time.
    Makes the present occupant of the office look like a complete wanker.

  4. Ridiculosity says:

    It is absolutely breathtaking how much you look like your father.

    And you can take that as a compliment.

  5. Sheila Gervais says:

    We were so young, and such fun! But we were history-making in so many ways too! It’s wild to think of it that way.

  6. Priyesh says:

    It makes me really happy to see you with your dad.

  7. A Blanas says:

    Is that the late George Radwanski sitting behind you?

  8. Wolfer says:

    Is the moral of the story that after you got hit by the car you sued Paul Martin for it for 8 million?

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