Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Prime Minister Jean Chretien -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (427)	4/24/2003 9:39:50 PM
From: SofaSpud	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 443

What interesting changes should we expect? What changes did anyone notice going from Andropov to Chernyenko? In the most jaded sense, they're both apparatchik. In a less jaded sense, I think you can expect that Martin will present a more sophisticated image. Apart from a very token bit of practicing law, Chretien has always been a politician. He just marked the 40th anniversary of his first election to the House (and didn't speak English when he arrived in Ottawa -- very back-woods Quebec). He was out of politics for about 5 years, after he lost the leadership contest to Turner in '84, and came back in '90 after Turner resigned. Martin actually had a career in business, and until a couple of weeks ago owned a significant shipping company (he's thought to be worth a few hundred mil.). So a government of his would perhaps be reasonably business-friendly, and he'd very likely work hard to mend fences with the U.S. He was Minister of Finance from 1993 until last year, and (methods aside) the federal govt. deficit was eliminated on his watch. Although he's got the Liberal party apparatus sewn up, there is some question as to how much he'll have to kiss up to the left wing of the party, since (for a Liberal) he's thought to be somewhat right-wing. That said, people who have tried to dig can't figure out what, if anything, he really stands for. While he was in cabinet he toed the party line in cabinet solidarity, and since then he's been careful to not be perceived as undermining the government. As the front-runner in the leadership 'contest', he's been able to stand back and mouth platitudes. There is some hope that he can be drawn out during the race, but who knows. Bottom line for Canadians is that there will likely be little noticable change. Americans can probably look for a bit more maturity from the north.