Canadian Vote Garners Mixed Student Response

Canadian Harvard students expressed mixed reactions, ranging from cautious skepticism to emphatic enthusiasm, to yesterday's swearing-in of Jean Chretien, the new Canadian prime minister.

Most students, regardless of their political affiliations, said they were surprised by the Liberal Party's landslide victory over the incumbent Progressive Conservative Party. Under Canada's parliamentary system, Chretien, the head of the Liberals, replaced Kim Campbell, the former prime minister.

Matthew B. Bakal '97, who is from Winnepeg, said he had considered Chretien a "dead political figure" and compared the likelihood of his election to that of Richard M. Nixon's returning today as president.

Bryan A. Henry '95, from Ontario, said he is "glad to have a Liberal majority" even though he does not agree with all of the party's views. Henry said he feels it is unfortunate that the Conservative party, which won only two seats in the House of Commons, is no longer considered legitimate. But the junior expressed hope that a one-party government will be able to improve Canada's failing economy.

Montreal native Sharon E. Johnston '94 said she expects Chretien's election to create a more businesslike atmosphere between Canada and the United States.

Johnston predicted that Chretien will be able to coax energy concessions on theNorth American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) fromthe Clinton administration along the same lines asconditions Mexico has already received.

But Bakal said he thought Chretien was "tooharsh" on NAFTA and said the prime minister shouldnot begin his term in office by alienating otherworld powers, namely President Clinton.

Vancouver resident Carl Bergeron, a physicsgraduate student and president of the graduatestudents' Canadian club, said he thinks theelection of Chretien, who is from Quebec, willkeep the Quebequois secessionism issue in thespotlight.

But Bergeron thinks that as long as Chretienalso focuses on Canada's economic woes, he willprove a successful leader

But Bakal said he thought Chretien was "tooharsh" on NAFTA and said the prime minister shouldnot begin his term in office by alienating otherworld powers, namely President Clinton.

Vancouver resident Carl Bergeron, a physicsgraduate student and president of the graduatestudents' Canadian club, said he thinks theelection of Chretien, who is from Quebec, willkeep the Quebequois secessionism issue in thespotlight.

But Bergeron thinks that as long as Chretienalso focuses on Canada's economic woes, he willprove a successful leader