Fitting the bill
Published Monday September 22nd, 2008
Leadership Popular U.S. president to speak in Moncton on global economy Nov. 25
Bill Clinton, arguably the most charismatic president in the history of the United States, will entertain and educate New Brunswickers while speaking on global issues at the Moncton Coliseum on Nov. 25.
The 42nd president, who presided over extraordinary economic expansion and remains wildly popular despite nearly being impeached, is visiting the province for the first time at the invitation of former premier Frank McKenna, now deputy chairman of the TD Bank Financial Group.
Clinton, who commands a six-figure speaking fee, is connected to McKenna through diplomatic circles and has joined the former ambassador to the U.S. at a handful of recent events.
He will speak for 45 minutes in Moncton, and then be joined on stage by McKenna for a lively discussion of world events. Clinton and McKenna have done this previously at a speaking engagement in Toronto sponsored by TD Bank, and are scheduled to appear in Toronto together on Oct. 16.
Tickets for the Moncton date can be purchased online at www.powerwithin.com or by calling 866-994-2555. Seats in Toronto start at $159; the price for Moncton was to be released today. Four thousand tickets will be sold.
"I think this is spectacular," McKenna said. "I have a good relationship with the Clintons, and finally it came together. I couldn't be prouder."
McKenna negotiated for months to bring Clinton to New Brunswick, and the former chief executive agreed to come on Oct. 14. When an election was called in Canada, the date had to be renegotiated, however.
An official announcement about the function, which will run from noon to 1:30 p.m., is expected to be made today. Sponsors include Aliant, Gammon Gold Inc., McInnes Cooper, Brunswick News, Revolutions Strategy and TD Bank, which regularly stages events involving prominent figures such as Clinton and former British prime minister Tony Blair.
"We feel one of the responsibilities we have is to promote provocative discussions about global events, and one of the best ways to do that is through the use of interesting speakers," McKenna said. "We've been doing it in cities like Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, and I thought it was fitting to come to New Brunswick.
"I concede some selfishness because Mr. Clinton is a friend of mine and I want to introduce him to New Brunswick, and I want New Brunswickers to get a chance to hear him and meet him.
"It gives me a lot of personal satisfaction to bring him here and to expose our customers and the broader community to one of the most provocative leaders of our time."
The U.S president from 1993 to 2001, Clinton now travels around the world in conjunction with a foundation that carries his name. He has visited with McKenna at charity events in the Maritimes a handful of times, but has never set foot in New Brunswick.
The former premier, who resigned as ambassador to the U.S. after Stephen Harper was elected prime minister, was listed among Liberal leadership candidates before removing his name from consideration. Stéphane Dion, who is running against Harper, won the position over Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae.
McKenna has parked his political ambitions for the meantime, but has not said he will never re-enter politics. He resigned as New Brunswick premier in 1997 after 10 years, but still loves to kibitz with other leaders, Clinton among them.
"He's a very interesting person to be with," McKenna said. "He has a blazing intellect, loves to reminisce and tell anecdotes, and has a huge curiosity about everything. As a leader, he had a remarkably successful tenure, but he has really defined himself in his post-presidency with global work initiatives.
"He has now defined himself as a global leader. Even his most ardent enemies respect him."
Marty Klinkenberg is contributing editor of the Telegraph-Journal. He can be reached at martyklinkenberg@hotmail.com.
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I would love to go - but if its $159 it kind of leaves it for only the corporate elite....
So if you really "would love to go", stop making excuses about corporate elite. You've got eight weeks of beer bottles to return, that ought to be enough for a ticket.
on national T.V. ,then he got caught with evidence,and I believe impeached...& was involved in some shady deals in the past..that's not a very good track record so why are we all so sure he isn't lying now?
Trying to make up for the money they spent on his wifes campaign? And he didn't do his wife any good on a few occasions in her campaign they had to ban him. Not saying it's so but how can you really trust him with all the stuff they did in the past.