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Chrétien later defended these actions, stating: "some people came my way... and I had to go, so if you're in my way...." He also blamed the RCMP for allowing
Clennett to obtain such close proximity to the Prime Minister, though the RCMP said they saw no breach of security. Chrétien also demonstrated
211:. Poet Stuart Ross arranged the text of Chrétien's comments on the incident into the form of a poem, "Minor Altercation", published the day after the event. It has since been often reprinted, both in its original leaflet form as well as in books, newspapers and magazines.
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at the cessation of the ceremonies, Chrétien was confronted by
Clennett. At that moment, Chrétien grabbed Clennett by the back of the neck and chin, forcing Clennett to the ground and breaking one of his teeth. Another protester who then blocked Chrétien's passage had his
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In his 2007 autobiography, Chrétien described his reaction to
Clennett's approach as stemming in part from the trauma of the assassination attempt: "my reaction was instinctive and probably angrier than it would have been otherwise".
250:'s bodyguard. In addition to supposedly putting a protester into the famous chokehold, he was also described as carrying a riot baton, crushing a rock into dust, and threatening to attack a protester "like I did with
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While
Clennett did not press charges against the Prime Minister, another person, Kenneth Russell, did accuse Chrétien of assault on March 28, and the Prime Minister was formally charged by a judge in the
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Shawinigan microbrewery Trou du Diable has released an award-winning beer named "Shawinigan
Handshake" with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien strangling Cherry on its label, in honour of the local lore.
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Since the incident, many celebrities and politicians have been jokingly held by Chrétien in the famous chokehold, when visiting him in
Shawinigan. These include Cherry, politician
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subsequently nicknamed Chrétien "The
Shawinigan Strangler". This sobriquet was later used by other opposition MPs as well; in a member's statement on February 12, 1997,
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a casual attitude towards the affair, later joking that he had used the
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commented that he liked politicians being direct in this manner, and the performance of Chrétien in particular.
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The epithet and incident remain enduring popular local lore in
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Political tensions had been high in Canada since the result of the
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article, which (humorously) claimed that Chrétien, then age 87, had been hired as
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knocked away by the Prime Minister, and was promptly pushed to the ground by
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Bill Clennett has since run for provincial office, standing as a
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Following the incident, popular Canadian TV sports personality
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provincial elections, ranking third in 2008 after the
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sarcastically nominated Chrétien for a "Parliamentary
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298:"Prescott not the first to pack a punch"
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412:. The Toronto Star. The Canadian Press.
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430:(in French). Le Droit. Archived from
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426:Justine Mercier (12 February 2016).
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139:for voting against the 1996 budget.
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456:(in French). Trou du Diable. 2016.
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454:"Shawinigan Handshake"
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