OTTAWA, Oct 2 (LSN) – Prime Minister Jean Chretien caused a stir inthe House of Commons by appointing Michel Bastarache to the Supreme Court of Canada. Bloc MP’s were enraged that Chretien had appointed a prominent federalist campaigner to the high court. Reform MP Jack Ramsey noted the appointment of the former law partner of Chretien’swas inappropriate. MP Bellehumeur charged that “The Prime Minister is using the Supreme Court for political purposes and he is damaging his credibility’‘.
But Chretien is no stanger to nepotistic appointments. His political manouvering of old friends and even relatives into positions of power is quite impressive and spans all three political parties as well as big business.
The PM’s nephew Raymond Chretien is Canada’s ambassador to the US and last October he was made a special UN envoy to Zaire. Chretien’s daughter France is married into likely the most powerful family in Canada the Desmarais clan being wedded to Andre son of Paul Desmarais the owner of Power Corporation. John Rae, brother of former Ontario Premier Bob Rae, who was the leading strategist for Prime Minister Chretien’s election campaign, was Executive Vice- President of Power Corp. and Paul Desmarais’ right-hand man. Paul Martin, our federal Finance Minister rose through the ranks at Power Corp., mentored by Paul Desmarais. Interestingly Daniel Johnson (former premier of Quebec) and Brian Mulroney (former conservative PM) have also worked directly of indirectly for Paul Desmarais.