"For me, I think it was a very important moment... You know, we were still legally a colony of Great Britain," he said in a feature one-on-one interview on The West Block with Tom Clark.
The Conservative government is anything but shy of the country's history, as evidenced by recent moves to highlight Canada's ties to the monarchy and planning an elaborate celebration to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812.
The bicentennial, which Chretien acknowledged marks a "very important" milestone, is acting as the beginning of the five-year countdown to Canada's 150th birthday in 2017.
But the fact that the Conservatives are celebrating that and not the Constitution -- the document that gave Canada full political independence from the United Kingdom, and formed the moral fibre of Canada's governing system and its citizens' civil rights and liberties -- baffles the former prime minister.
"It was a fight between the Brits and Americans. Sure, there were some Canadians there. It was good for us, but I think for today, not to be a British colony anymore is quite important, too," he said.
Tuesday will mark the 30th anniversary of the patriation of the Constitution. Chretien, who played a pivotal role in the historic milestone as Pierre Trudeau's justice minister in 1982, is expected to mark the occasion with interim Liberal leader Bob Rae at a commemorative rally in Toronto. The Conservatives, meanwhile, are expected to commemorate it through a press release.
The snub, Chretien said, has him worried that the accomplishments of the Liberal party are slowly being dismantled, brick by brick.
"I worry," he said. "Gun control, you know I was for gun control.. and they go about abortion. I don't know, some members in the House are raising issues there... I'm a Roman Catholic, but I never wanted to impose my morality on others, so I voted for the woman to have the right to choose."
Still, there is a place for the Liberals within Canada's current political atmosphere, said the man who led the party's last majority government.
"The Liberal party has been a great institution," he said before listing Liberal legends Sir Wilfred Laurier, Mackenzie King, Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau -- Canada's seventh, 10th, 14th and 15th prime ministers.
"The image of Canada is based on the values that my party supported... We've built a Canada that is an example to the world ," Chretien said, before bringing up Canada's failed bid in 2010 to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council. "Now, travelling the world apparently we don't have the same reputation."
Watch the full interview with Jean Chretien here.
Other highlights from the interview:
- On whether, if still in politics, he would work closely with NDP leader Thomas Mulcair:
"I don't know him. I never met him in my life. I never shook hands, so I don't know. But I work with a hell of a lot of different people in my life, so I don't know. I cannot pass a judgement, but he got elected, so he must have some qualities."
- On whether interim Liberal leader Bob Rae should make a bid for permanent leader. This has been a hot topic since Rae accepted the interim position which, under current rules, would preclude him from running for the permanent position. With a new executive elected in January, however, those rules can change:
"Apparently he can or he cannot... It's the problem... But you pick the best one. We're in third position, so apparently he had to commit that he will not run, but now if he resigns he might run. I don't know any complications of these things. It's not my business anymore."
- On the microbrew beer that bears the name of his infamous "Shawinigan handshake," the stranglehold he took on a protestor in 1996":
"I tasted that and I said, 'Can I take some home?' But he says, 'No, it's just in here, you know we don't bottle them.' I said, 'If you were to bottle them I will buy some. It will be fun.' So he decided to bottle it and they will use it for the Memorial Cup... It's fun. You know you have to have fun in life and that's what he's doing."
"(The brewer) asked, 'Can we use your face?' I said, 'Of course. Go with it.' It's a cartoon, anyway. The press made cartoons by the tons of me over me career so one more or one less makes no difference."
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