    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [April 8, 1997]
    [Pages 412-414]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a State Dinner Honoring Prime Minister Jean Chretien of
    Canada
    April 8, 1997

        Prime Minister and Mrs. Chretien, Ambassador and Mrs. Chretien,
    distinguished Canadian guests and my fellow Americans: It has been a
    real honor for me to welcome the Prime Minister and Mrs. Chretien to
    Washington and to do our best to return the warm hospitality that
    Hillary and I received in Ottawa 2 years ago.
        The whole state visit has gone exactly as planned, except we didn't
    get to play golf.

    [[Page 413]]

    [Laughter] Now, the last time the Prime Minister and I played, we played
    exactly to a tie. The press corps had a field day trying to figure out
    how long it took the Ambassadors to negotiate that result. [Laughter]
    But we wanted to give some truly symbolic, ego-overriding manifestation
    of the equal partnership between the United States and Canada.
        From the start of his career in public life--and for those of you
    who were not here earlier, Jean Chretien was elected to Parliament at
    the age of 29, exactly 34 years ago today. Throughout those years, he
    has brought passion and compassion to every endeavor. He has held almost
    every post in the Canadian Government at one time or another. As I said
    in Ottawa when I first read his resume, I wondered why he couldn't hold
    a job. [Laughter] Now as Prime Minister, he seems to be doing
    impressively well at that, leading his nation's remarkable economic
    success: his deficit down to balance this year, the lowest interest
    rates in four decades, growth rates near the top of those of the
    industrialized nations.
        Under his leadership, relations between our two nations are stronger
    and better than ever. Of course, close neighbors sometimes disagree.
    Family members sometimes disagree. But united by democratic values and
    our long border and rich friendship, we've always found a way to work
    through those disagreements with patience and mutual respect, even back
    in the War of 1812 when, as Ambassador Chretien admitted tonight when I
    showed him the burn marks that are still on the White House from that
    war, our people were officially on opposite sides. Nonetheless, the
    residents of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, actually lent gunpowder to
    their neighbors across the river in Calais, Maine, so they could
    celebrate the Fourth of July.
        Our relationship works. We measure its merit in the difference it
    makes in the daily lives of Americans and Canadians. Today we've worked
    to strengthen our law enforcement cooperation to protect our most
    vulnerable citizens. We've taken new action to protect our environment
    and the environment especially of the Great Lakes our two nations are
    blessed to share.
        We've made it even simpler to cross the borders so neighbors can
    visit each other with greater ease and traffic jams become a thing of
    the past. We've set our sights on new horizons in space. I thank the
    people of Canada for providing the special purpose dexterous
    manipulator, otherwise known as the Canada Hand--[laughter]--for the
    international space station. This 11-foot machine is so precise, it can
    pick up an egg without breaking it. And now, Mr. Prime Minister, if you
    could supply us sometime in the very near future a ``Canada knee,'' I
    for one would be very grateful. [Laughter]
        The Canada Hand is practical, sophisticated, smart, and strong.
    Therefore, it is a fitting symbol of the helping hand the people of
    Canada have always extended to the world. From the days you helped
    runaway slaves to freedom to the battles we've fought together in
    Europe, Korea, and the Persian Gulf in this century, to the hope your
    sons and daughters represent to the people of Bosnia and Haiti, Canada
    stands for the best of humanity. And every day, Canada leads by example.
        Prime Minister and Mrs. Chretien, we are proud to honor the great
    and good partnership between our nations. And let me also say on a
    personal note, I thank you for your friendship to Hillary and me, and we
    applaud your own remarkable partnership as you celebrate your 40th
    wedding anniversary this year.
        To you both, to your nation, to the people of Canada, long live our
    mutual friendship. Vive la Canada. I ask you to join me in a toast to
    the Prime Minister and Mrs. Chretien.

    [At this point, the President offered a toast.]

        Mr. Prime Minister.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:27 p.m. in the State Floor at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Chretien's wife,
    Aline; and Raymond Chretien, Canadian Ambassador to the United States,
    and his wife, Kay.

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