Queen Elizabeth II appointed former prime minister Jean Chretien to the Order of Merit yesterday for his outstanding and lengthy contribution to public service.
The esteemed Chretien is one of only 24 living members to receive the appointment. Here are the Top 10 reasons he was appointed to the Queen’s Order of Merit:
10. Buckingham Palace was very impressed with Chretien’s cultural sensitivities and his well-honed protocol skills in foreign countries. It was apparently one of the chief reasons for his appointment. Examples given included his 2001 trip to Shanghai, China, where Chretien boasted about having then-Liberal MP Rey Pagtakhan — who was born in the Philippines — on his team, saying Pagtakhan “look a bit like a Chinese.”
9. Royal officials like nothing better than a political leader with sound fiscal management skills. Chretien’s $2-billion long-gun registry, which forced duck hunters to register their firearms, underscored Chretien’s ability to manage tax dollars effectively and responsibly.
8. Ex-politicians are rarely added to the Order of Merit unless they’ve demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining order in society by strengthening the criminal justice system. Chretien’s enactment of both the Youth Criminal Justice Act and conditional sentences, also known as house arrest, were cited as two substantive policy changes that helped the former PM score big in that category.
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Both hillarious and brilliant.
Conrad and his fanboys must be turning in their uncomfortable beds. Jean didn’t even have to give up his citizenship for this trinket!
Apparently, the Order of Merit is not a popularity contest. Go figure. Great article!