[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.

[[Page 414]]