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Chrétien calls it quits

Broadcast Date: Feb. 27, 1986

Today, after almost a quarter century as its most faithful servant, Jean Chrétien drops a bombshell on the Liberal party. Chrétien hands a polite letter of resignation to leader John Turner, and drives home to Shawinigan a private citizen. He tells the CBC that he's quitting for "personal and family reasons" but there is little doubt that the irreparable rift between Chrétien and Turner plays a key role in the decision.

The timing could not be worse for Turner who, as leader of the Opposition, is poised to celebrate his party's inroads into Quebec. Now he must shoulder the blame for the departure of the popular Liberal member; the one that party president Iona Campagnolo described at the 1986 Liberal leadership convention as, "the man who came second, but first in our hearts." As Turner says in this clip, "there can only be one leader." Some Liberals still believe that one day, that man will be Jean Chrétien.

Chrétien calls it quits

• Chrétien's resignation letter and interviews that he gave upon retiring left the door open for a return to politics. He referred to his departure as a "sabbatical," and said he would return to help the Liberal party "if he was needed."
• From March 1986 to June 1990, Chrétien acted as counsel with the law firm of Lang Michener Lawrence and Shaw. He was also a senior adviser with Gordon Capital Corporation in Montreal.

• During his break from politics, Chrétien wrote his best-selling autobiography titled Straight from the Heart (1985).

• When John Turner resigned as Liberal party leader in 1989, Chrétien came out of retirement to announce that he would run for the party leadership at the June 1990 Liberal leadership convention in Calgary.

Chrétien calls it quits

Medium: Television

Program: The National

Broadcast Date: Feb. 27, 1986

Guest(s): Jean Chrétien

Reporter: Mike Duffy, Jason Moscovitz

Duration: 6:14

Last updated:
Aug. 14, 2006