Shawinigan Handshake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chrétien grasping Clennett

The Shawinigan Handshake is the nickname of a chokehold executed by Jean Chrétien, who was Prime Minister of Canada at the time, on anti-poverty protester Bill Clennett on February 15, 1996, at the first Flag Day ceremony. Clennett was participating in a protest against proposed changes to the unemployment insurance program.

The name comes from Chrétien's town of birth Shawinigan, Quebec. Reform MP Deborah Grey called Chrétien the Shawinigan Strangler.

Chrétien later joked that he used the Shawinigan Handshake on Clennett because he mistook Clennett for John Nunziata, whom Chrétien had expelled from the Liberal caucus for voting against the 1996 budget.

Clennett chose not to press charges against the Prime Minister, although on March 28, Kenneth Russell invoked an article of the Criminal Code of Canada, whereby a private citizen could bring forth an accusation. Russell accused Chrétien of assault, and on May 6 a judge from the Quebec court formally charged Chrétien. These charges were dismissed by the Quebec Attorney General.

Clennett was a candidate for Québec Solidaire in the provincial riding of Hull in the Quebec general election, 2007. He finished in 5th place.