News

Like a political superstar, Jean Chrétien rocked a high school gymnasium full of 1,500 Liberals in Brampton, Ont., on Friday night, coming back after a five-year political hiatus to launch a blistering attack on Stephen Harper.

“I don't make any personal attacks. It's not my trait,” the former Liberal Prime Minister told the crowd packed into the gym along with local Liberal candidates. “But I can talk about judgment about the health of our country today.”

He then proceeded to challenge the Conservative Leader's judgment on everything from the war in Iraq to the way he treats his ministers to managing the economy.

His best line of the night came when he criticized Mr. Harper for encouraging Canadians to hunt for bargains on the falling market.

“He told Canadians in the midst of a market meltdown that it is time for Canadians to invest their remaining savings in the market,” said Mr. Chrétien. “Since he said that the market has plunged another 1,000 points.

“That's right. He said it was a good time to buy. On Tuesday Canadians will say ‘bye, bye Steve.'”

It was like an old-time political rally – a packed house, political signs, drums, whistles, music and huge Canadian flags attached to the walls. The backdrop was a cheering section of local Liberal candidates, including deputy leader Michael Ignatieff, Ken Dryden, Gerard Kennedy and Ruby Dhalla.

To cheers and chants of “Chrétien, Chrétien”, the 74-year-old former Prime Minister – who won three majority governments from 1993 to 2003 – cameout of political retirement to help out his successor Stéphane Dion.

“It is the first time that I am participating in a political rally in a riding since the year 2000,” said Mr. Chrétien. That was his last election.

“But I thought it was important to come because it is a very critical moment for all Canadians,” he said. “I have been around for a few years and I remember when I was young – younger I mean – I heard in the ‘30s and in the ‘60s and the ‘90s there was a word in the land. It was ‘Tory Times are Bad Times.' It is still true today,” he said.

Mr. Chrétien emphasized the need for better and more experienced leadership, saying that is what Mr. Dion offers Canadians. He even mentioned previous Liberal ministers who were part of his team, including Paul Martin, his biggest rival. Mr. Martin's name barely passes Mr. Chrétien's lips but it did for the sake of Liberal solidarity Friday night.

Then Mr. Chrétien took apart Mr. Harper's judgment, noting that Mr. Harper had said he was “ashamed to be a Canadian” when Mr. Chrétien “decided to say ‘No' to the war in Iraq.”

That drew chants of “Chrétien, Chrétien” from the crowd.

Mr. Chrétien went on to criticize Mr. Harper for rejecting Kyoto, the climate change agreement. And Mr. Chrétien accused Mr. Harper of destroying “50 years of good relations with China.”

“So much for judgment,” said Mr. Chrétien, who said he has met with the Chinese president 18 times. “He never refused to see me.”

He called Mr. Harper's first two foreign affairs ministers – Peter MacKay and Maxime Bernier – “disasters.”

And he spoke about the fact that Mr. Harper is a one-man show, keeping a close watch on his ministers. There are reports that he does not allow some of them to speak to reporters.

“If Trudeau had treated me the way Harper treats his ministers, I would have resigned,” he said.

About Mr. Dion, Mr. Chrétien said he took a chance by plucking him from a university in Quebec at a critical time in Canadian history when the “separatists were on the march.”

Mr. Chrétien said he needed someone by his side to fight for Canada: “Someone with the toughness to put up with the meanest, the dirtiest and the most personal attack and that happened not later than last night again,” he said, referring to the attack by Mr. Harper on Mr. Dion after he appeared confused and unable to answer a reporter's question during a television interview.

Taking over the podium from Mr. Chrétien – it took him eight minutes to get through the crowd; Mr. Chrétien used that time to sign autographs – Mr. Dion urged progressive Canadians to vote together on Tuesday for the Liberals. And he praised Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who is running to beat Defence Minister Peter MacKay in the Nova Scotia riding of Central Nova.

The Liberals are not running a candidate against her.

And Mr. Dion told Canadians to enjoy their Thanksgiving, but to take the opportunity over dinner to discuss the choice they have to make on Tuesday.

Week 5 of the campaign

• For a more detailed view, click on the link above labelled "view larger map."
• Click on placemarkers to learn more about each campaign stop and what happened (all times are local).
• Navigate with the arrow buttons, or zoom in and out with the + or - buttons.
• MAP ARCHIVES: Days 1-3, Days 4-7, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4.