Trudeau-era federal cabinet minister once routinely trotted out to prove Trudeau didn’t really have anything against the common people. Chretien evolved from being yesterday’s man during the Mulroney era to become closet-Conservative Party Prime Minister in 1993. Apparently a nice man who phones Queen Elizabeth for comfort when he’s upset, he was initially difficult to distinguish from Brian Mulroney save for a joual bark that convinced some Canadians he’s sincere and working class, and that either is worth the powder to blow it to hell. He was good at working small crowds, better at working over small people in crowds, even though he sent out his wife to foil would-be assassins. In his first years as prime minister he demonstrated few tangible qualities of leadership not evident in members of the weasel and swine families, and then suddenly morphed into the best prime minister the country has had in 50 years outside of Trudeau during the last years of his government.. There is a persistent rumour that when Chretien spoke in private to members of Cabinet or to the Queen, he had no perceptible accent.