Absolutely. Hello, welcome. [speaking french] thank you for being here. It is a great honor for me to be here and im somewhat intimidated even though its been several years since minister and the president were in office im still intimidated when im around them, but i do want to point out that our titles start with the same word, former. [laughter] so that makes us as equal. [laughter] [inaudible] [laughter] you would have a lot of reason to take that back. [laughter] its so bright i can see, but i know that google is here somewhere. I would like to acknowledge ramon and my partner when i was the ambassador, he was the canadian ambassador to the United States and was a remarkable Career Foreign Service officer for canada and we did work very well together which i think is a model for how ambassadors should work. President clinton looked for a nephew t to a point ambassador o canada, couldnt find one and settled on me. [laughter] so, lets move along. These two gentlemen served as the key leaders together for seven years plus. I can tell you from my experience as an observer, they developed a remarkable personal chemistry. They were always, of course, taking their responsibilities for their respective countries as their first priority, but they also knew the dynamic between them, the chemistry between them, would be a value to the countries and i think frankly to the world. Im not sure that there have been very many instances in history where World Leaders were as close as these gentlemen and im not just talking about canada and the United States, and talking generally. President clinton visited canada more than any other president in United States history and i have to note she came to ottawa to dedicate the embassy the only time a u. S. President in our history before or since wind and dedicated in embassy outside of the country which was a statement i believe about his interest in canada. He later went on to make a speech. He had confidence in New Hampshire [inaudible] [laughter] people in New Hampshire speak french as well as i do. [laughter] he even came to my alma mater and university and brought a trade mission to atlanta where i live. They Work Together to make north america a remarkable place for all of us but also as i said, to improve the world. I have to say there were times there was a little stress in their relationships. President clinton went to make a speech that part of it was an inducement to play a great golf course after the speech. The president as it is his habit was starting to run late so it got dark after nine holes into the Prime Minister looked at him and said bill, its too dark, we are going to have to call this batch. The president looked at him and got a little stressed and said you promised me a golf game and we are going to play a golf game. Then he looks at me and i thought i was the United States ambassador but i was in charge of the lights. [laughter] she said bonnie ambassador will fix this. [laughter] so the secret service vans and trucks pulled up to the image te and let up the fairway and he looks and says c. , and they finished around. Before we get to the business at hand, theres a wonderful picture but i saw in the office and we were just referring to it. At the two of these gentlemen were at a meeting in england, Manchester England and like schoolboys, they escaped from the meetings and went running across the pasture together to get away from it. We have to pay minister of canada, who is 12 or 13 years older, up on top of a wall helping the president of the United States climbed over this wall to get away from the security guards. [laughter] so i am going to give you a chance to talk, i promise. [laughter] first, what i would like to ask you gentlemen through my observation, there were two other people in this partnership who were not only extraordinarily supportive but also drove the success that each of you realized. I know that dela elaine is heref you could tell me how shes doing. And we finished for a tillery claimed Hillary Clintons book the other night, and i would like you to give us a sense of how our former first lady and secretary of state is doing. And the other guy to put them together and said brought them. [laughter] what can i say . We have five grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren and generally i put my greatgrandson so we went down about 75 feet put your hands there. So after that i said dont forget your scheme for the first time with your great grandfather he said no i was skiing alone. [laughter] so i said what jim. Watch him. [laughter] [applause] first of all, said to introduced your Beautiful Life one of my lasting memories of being american president in canada is when she took hillary skating because the areas from chicago and i am from arkansas we did not do skating we did not do have i city where. Now south because of airconditioning we have professional hockey teams. I never thought she would come back. They just went skating off. I did not think she had time to do really good book that she worked so hard and to people from her campaign helped and it was important to try to explain especially to people who care about our country and were close to what was happening. She is doing great and our daughter and soninlaw and grandchildren are doing great. My daughter when she was a highschool thought she knew more than her parents about everything. I finally admitted flashier it is finally true. [laughter] so for the yearandahalf her mother was running for president to work full time for her had her second child, roche to brooks and routine check columbia otherwise she was just laying around. Where Brothers Intelligence and character and disciplines of we are very blast and very happy and thank you for asking. [applause] at the outset i suggested the two of you develop a remarkable chemistry together and in some ways in i eyas i almost looked at mr. Chretien to be the older brother in the relationship. Growing up in small Rural Communities to have the affinity for people to give the viewer decided data variates that being involved in Public Policy was important and in order to do that successfully be in the political process. Service similarities are remarkable zero and the language is a little different. I remember somebody said mr. Prime minister you were difficult to with understand in both languages. [laughter] i may get fired. Everybody understood me. [laughter] [applause] i like you to help us understand, did that chemistry exist and did you find it assisted you to Work Together . Not justin the u. S. Canada relationships but Global Engagement that made a difference beyond our shores . Bernie, and weaver politicians im very proud because we can make a difference in society and of course, to a criticized all the time but im sorry mr. President but we have been elected and you were serving the people making a Better Society for so we have the same girls. Goals. The same values that we share. With the ability to share in society that is the girl that we have. Of course that the risk of winning and losing because i felt he was a professional politician to do a good job of the people of the United States. [applause] first of all, i started to study his career are realized he had virtually every of ministerial post he kept changing jobs. He could not cross the job to save his life. [laughter] we identified with his background board in a small town, a family of modest means and the Second Lowest percapita income right after World War Two but i was an only child until i was 10. When the other lost a baby that had another. And i learned he was the dentist of youngest of 18. 19. The human number 18 . But it is in a believable attribute to his parents and their culture that he was born without a lot of money with 19 children developed personality, self confidence. I am understand it is a survival skill but the city must be something. He is at number 18 he had still have persistence otherwise he never would have then fled. That. [laughter] i was fascinated. Searle iowas say depression era baby bed to kids in my generation were brought up on the depression. My grandfather was weeping because he could not by my grandmother a new eastern dress for the dollar 50. But it was family pride because he could not do it. So basically we were socially and economic progress since the fiscally conservative because he would balance the books. [applause] now i live in an la la land that they want to send it did not to pay for it. But we were oldfashioned and allow the state but it worked out pretty well. But a game to respect what he knew in with his instincts were and how smart he was and how strong he was we had a few disagreements that were remaining to me we were never in agree at each other over our respective countries and it is important not to forget one of the reasons the world this so polarized today is that well see each other as people. In to start off with the presumption of mistrust i spent 20 minutes with him and i realized i could trust him. I didnt want anything written down and i didnt need it. This is what. Guest did human relations even with hubie had disagreed basic restoration of human decency and Mutual Respect without trust things did not work very well. [applause] the first time we met in seattle and does that surprise you . I said i dont want to be too close to you because if i am unable say i and the 51st date of america but if i look independent icahn did things for you the cia can i do. [laughter] he did n disagree. We would play golf in america at the closest people we were Prime Minister 1 billion we have problems but we try a to talk about it and have to make a confession what is best for the country we dont try to score political points to take advantage of my friendship and we try to convince the others would do is not american because we deal in america no problem with the immigration with the United States toward canada. Because be understood we need immigrants. [applause] immigrants are the asset from the first day they arrive to buy clothing and as a consumer so we understand that type of problem but the difference is the knowledge. And then to read about that long before you. It was very fascinating. And wanted to do convince you and for you you are not satisfied and i am grateful. [applause] i thought the answer was it worked so well because of the quality of the ambassadors but we will come back to that. There was that. End of the way you talk about trade in the United States has become quite controversial role. Will now try to figure out if we can trade between georgia or South Carolina because it is a bad word along with our partners and mexico nafta was negotiated before president but you had to get that passed through congress and i suspect if not a democrat in the white house we probably would not have got that passed. You became Prime Minister to extract a few other agreements with respect to nafta us then had that approved. Twentyfive years ago that any objective observer would say it has been the enormously positive for all three countries even though there are flaws. But i would love to hear from you tooted retrospect it is the right thing at that time. So whether or not we should have a renewed nafta going forward. The first morning i was Prime Minister and congratulations we have a problem with nafta. So i was not Prime Minister so were of the way to raise solution. Said the fact everybody can trade hundreds of thousands of people dying every year in china but the problem after 23 years is the biggest problem that we face at this moment. And then to redistribute the wealth but of trade between us to of us has been very good for canada. But we are more prosperous today at donald rice they complain you have growth and lowest unemployment in a long time. So we have to look at what is positive in public life. And to spend money. If you are in deep trouble so hours gore was very good for canada because mexico are buyers of goods from canada and the United States of course, we have to take their goods also but the three of us with a lot of growth through the Free Trade Agreement and a nafta was a good deal. [applause] do think it was the right thing to do. From the plaintive you in the United States consider what would have happened if we had defeated that with the rhetoric today coming out of the National Administration . If we had defeated we would of had another 1 million undocumented americans immigrants we would be widely loathed the law around latin america the one place where the trade volumes went after i was president. And that left us all stronger with a more diversified economy. But there were three . Points. Lots of independent studies done natalie canid the United States and mexico. What has changed is the nature of the job. For those that depend upon the domestic economy. To those that benefit from the trade agreement had there not been any. So if i had to do it again the republicans that wanted nafta had what it wanted. With that new incentives to invest that were hurt by trade. But then the credit was designed to create the markets in places that were left out and left behind. Those are antitrade. Those that feel they have been passed by. I donald the canadian figures are but the biggest problem with the job losses with chinese trade after i left office never buy 900 billion per year. And on average 4 american components. So in other words, the more likely to find a mutual benefits. So because if we stop tomorrow automation and Artificial Intelligence will provide more jobs. So if youre rich country like china and america ironically we should be able to do more manufacturing in the years ahead because labor cost is a smaller percentage of the total and that is a bigger percentage. So relatively speaking we will do better and should get more. But those that are involved to make anything will go down. And then if i have to do it again and get the money up front. Is to give them Something Else to do. And with the winners and losers and i was wrong about that. But that real effect from nafta was positive. And without political relations between yourselves and mexico. If you hear that rhetoric is hard to believe but theyre well is the road net immigration from mexico to the United States because they have it economy now and then starting to produce 100,000 per year as compared with america three times its size. We need to grow together. With u. S. Canada and mexico if the world goes to hell the terrorism in the bombing we have to hold tight to each other as far south as we can get people and relieve in freedom and democracy and of the world achenes good sense mature and political integration in selling think we did the right thing but in the last election here at home some people feel left out and left behind and that was a convenient target. That is what i think. [applause] but it does need some work. There are a lot of the issues that we did not deal with. So i keep believing if the American Administration will locked in good faith with those negotiators we can find a winwin solution. Much how the economy has changed in the last 25 years. And eppley have good negotiations. Perhaps i never told you when i was sworn in received a phone call from attacks in by the name of ross perot who said but if you kill nafta i will erect a big monument for even taxes. And i said a big monument for me in texas is not very useful because none of them will vote for me. [laughter] because your against nafta. [laughter] it may dead giant sucking sound. Almost 23 million jobs later. He reached out to see if he wanted to make a speech. There is a farm on federalism and we worked out a schedule that permitted him to go there. He ended up in the concluding speaker. He had told me before i ever came to canada, after i have been sworn in president had told me the United States tenant focus enough on the neighborhood and where to focus on the neighborhood. So, i knew from that metaphor from his knowledge and interest in canada. But you invited him to come to quebec to make a speech on federalism. At that time the question of quebec in canada was still quite active. There is a government that was advocating separation. The president agreed to come under circumstances that developed and i got nervous about because he threw away the speech was supposed to make that have been prepared and decided he would talk from the heart and the brain and it turned out to be the most marketable force of the intellectual underpinnings of federalism and how to keep the country together. It made me nervous, but it worked. So you came over to me after the speeches said gordon, i would like a copy of the speech and i said, so what i. [laughter] ive never seen what he just said. So i want to ask you, why did you decide to invite him to come that i like to ask you why you decided to come what was in your thinking about being here and talking about that question. Because when we were together we were dealing with problems like the former yugoslavia and we had to send forces there is so on and discussing the former government. We talk is a federation, wellorganized can function well and when we work to have the referendum we met in new york and it was the 50th anniversary of the un and u. S. Me a question, how are you doing here that you are having problems and he said to me, it would be a tragedy to have a country like canada to be broken because you have a very good recipe, how can you work between people of different language, color and religion and have everybody equal to its credit, someone asked a question and he repeated that to the media. So someone quebec were not too happy about that statement but i was happy. And i think it was useful. When he came he explained that if we are to divide according to the language, the color and religion there be three or 400 countries and it would not work. They understand that im in charge. [inaudible] he told me, he said Prime Minister of this Big International conference and i like to have important speakers to open up and close. I would like to have president of the United States and the president of mexico so, i managed with you to get him to come. I thought between you and i the golf game was a big part of it. They came and made the speech. After that i said i would like you to come and make a speech for this important conference and he said i cannot do that because to get out of mexico the permission of my parliament and i cannot asked permission to make a conference in canada. I said its too bad, and organized in such a way that if you were to come to make the speech, diana would be there to play piano for you because ive been in his house in mexico and i heard the music of diana and he loved diana so he asked permission. [laughter] and he was there with his wife and a few friends of their asking him what you want to hear, mr. President. So he delivered a good speech that i was not there, i cannot compare because i was not there for his. But i was there when diana was there. But the way that i did organize that, but the importance of that is the organize society. Im telling you, i said, as president of United States and mexico to come is an impossible request but i tried and i succeeded. [applause] when we are on the table at the g8 and so on the problem we have to double up with in canada states is that people can understand the color of the skin, the religion that you profess makes no difference in life. For every human being is inside and we have to accept these differences. Canada is a good example and you are in the United States. We have to insist about the quality of everybody. And, we have these debates at these moments. Some people are afraid that perhaps too many people are coming from the muslim faith for example. What is the difference they have a different religion or that you dress differently. It is human being that is important. If we can show to the world that we can live together and why the fighting between the sunni and the shiite, i dont know. Theyre fighting between protestant and catholic. I was the first to go to parliament, the first meeting they had together protestant and catholic was very tense. I said why the hell, you guys . [laughter] your all christian, but its just question of forget about the past and look at the future. The problem is were looking too often to the past and dont keep enough time to look at the future to look at the quality that is needed in the world. [applause] first of all, i agree with what he said. But this whole, every election in every society and a lot of our interactions theyll involve questions of identity. I was fascinated by the canadian issue of the quebec referendum for reasons that he mentioned i was trying to end the conflict in ireland in the middle i midde east and is trying to stop the killing in bosnia and kosovo later. I grew up in the American South which seceded from the union. At the civil war cinema protestant to 25 of all the soldiers in American History is come from but they are also disproportionately they live in small towns likely to support the Current Administration their policies. So, the chicken building a diverse world is to convince people they can keep whats special about their identity without denying the fundamental humanity of others. And all devices are designed to set up a system in which people can naturally evolve to greater levels of Cooperation Without giving up their identity. Thats why this recent violence in spain with the catalonians the so sad. But all the problems they had the catalonia referendum but you see it all over the world. We had a great presentation when you do this conference from nigeria because i asked a third of the country is muslim and a third is urban christian and a third is in the middle so this identity thing will be with us for a long time. The most dangerous this too presented in a way that dehumanizes the other the next like in order for you to win in life, somebody has to lose. Because in an interdependent world you should be searching for winwin negotiations. If you have a Football Game for about strength world series the soccer match, there win lose in order for someone to win somebody has to lose. But society based on cooperation and competition that prevents people from being better off than when they started that is the great test. If you get to tribal which is where i think we are, who are abused by military dictatorship for decades another buddhist majority is wanting to bring muslims back to bangladesh, its going on all over the world. I only count of their somebody, somewhere that i can look down on a push around. And divide myself from, do we need secure borders . Yes would you check our borders if you thought there is a terrorist criminal, yes. You helped us checkers without there is a terrorist, and overwhelm celebrated the linnaean. Real naive and suddenly lance, no. But on balance it means something that genetically we are 99 and half the same. Therefore it is stupid there is a 99 and half of our time thinking about the half of our self that is different. [applause] by the way, thats not just a political statement. If your man, how many times have you thought Something Like wildfire were 7 feet tall i couldve been a great basketball player. I dont know how my times i said to myself if i had a body like lebron james i wouldve gone into a different line of work. The whole deal between me and him and hes unbelievable. Everything you can see about him is in half of our genome. Its a stupid way to run a railroad and an interdependent world. Thats the bottom line. Thats why thought he did a great thing having that federalism conference. I think the people of canada denigrating the people of quebec did a great thing deciding to stand. [applause] i was in toronto yesterday, but this summer my family and i had a Family Vacation in eastern quebec. Louise took us to the site of five of her murders in her book. I too have come to canada because of diana crowl and sarah mclachlan. Then today went to a bookstore and bought a book in honor of his passing with all of the lyrics to Leonard Cohen songs. [applause] is a special place. Everybodys looking to because they think youre the grownups in the house all of a sudden. Not because theres no difference for me being from alberta or canada but because he found a way to get the poster best of both worlds to treasure your differences. To include more diversity without looking in the mirror and screaming, i do not exist anymore because while this diversity. The major question facing the world today. People would do well to look at what he did and you did this referendum 20 years ago. [applause] hell never do anything about economic inequality or overcome the underlying problems are terror and we wont have enough unity unless first we conquer zero some travel listen. The, i am who i am and im proud of it but i dont think that we are always right. I love being in a world where most people are younger than me and were every time i go to a meeting its not just all grayhaired white guys in suits. Diverse groups make better decisions. We need to get over it. Maybe not you can see why you rely on the speech i gave him about federalism. He does pretty well on his own. I will point out that one of us appear doesnt have gray hair. [laughter] when he said we need to keep looking towards the future have to say for some reason thing that kept playing in my head was the 1992 campaign some for clinton for president was, dont stop thinking about tomorrow. I musketeer area its all about the future. So, i wanted to ask a question in her system produces a different result that intrigues me. In the United States we have an informal thing called the president s club. Theres a pretty good book written on the subject. Were former president s, whether out of office, even if they were opponents become quite close, there is a bond for having served in that office. Not only do they become friends but they begin to Work Together on philanthropic projects together. Jimmy carter and gerald ford ran against each other and became dear friends. President clinton ran against George Hw Bush and in recent years, because of how close they have become referred to president clinton as george bushes son by another mother, the other day i was watching the president s cup Golf Tournament and there was barack obama, george w. Bush and bill clinton is like theyre going to a High School Reunion together. I wont ask whether the current incumbent will be invited to join, but i would like to hear your view of that relationship. My observation is that that kind of chemistry among former Prime Ministers isnt the same. You dont hang out together or go to golf matches together, is it because the difference in our systems . Why is that bond different. Because im the only one playing golf. [laughter] the reality is we dont have this culture in canada. Probably because of the party system. The party system is stronger in canada than United States. I said sometimes the democrats of the cell is to the right of the republican of the north. You dont have the same institution as political parties. For me we Work Together and having common for many years. But i talk with him once in a while, i dont meet him because he does not come but we dont have this tradition of being together to do Something Like when there is a disaster. Its kind of sad that it does not exist. Perhaps this should i never knew there is friendship of that kind between the predecessor of mine, we never heard their gathering together to do good things. Thats probably a problem of culture, we dont do that because theres no occasion to do that. There were not requested very often to do that. So we dont appear together the same way as the president of the United States, and somewhat i deplore that. I saw john major yesterday in toronto. Is coming over here tomorrow and he reminded me they did not have much of this tradition either in the u. K. But he and tony blair went together to Northern Ireland know blair is a good friend of ours we did a lot together and i think he was underrated got too little credit for having the courage to risk his job to start the irish peace process. So they went together to convince the people to vote against brexit because they said if it passes it will put the piece at risk because then you dont have a borderless situation going back in the Northern Irish one have dutyfree access to the European Market were trying to lift you up and he was reminded me that he and blair did this. I think they both enjoyed it and i said its not like we all live together and play golf once a week. I am unusually close to the first president bush and ive become friends with his son partly because the respect you to vote for hillary when she was a democrat serving on the Armed Services committee and often disagreeing with her. We just started talking together. I think we have to do is find something to do when second president bush asked me to work on the tsunami 12 years ago than on katrina than president obama as second president bush and i to work on haiti after the earthquake and i was already there for the you and so we worked together for a couple of years so i stayed on. I like haiti, it kinda drives to stark raving mad but you cant put it down once you pick it up. The most abused and neglected country that is engaged in self views, but they are magnificent. I keep hoping and praying that someday theyll have a government assistance they deserve. Because their talents are immense. [applause] in other words, we have a reason to do something together. Then if youre working on a synonymy its a long way from america youre on a long flight and get to know somebody. All of a sudden you remember what it was like before you ran against thats what you have to do. Personal contact. Telling the we have got to reestablish examples of trust in the world among people have honest disagreements. If you dont get trust back, the system will not work. Theres large numbers of people who benefit economically from its good for the media its much easier to get bad news into an 82nd sound bite than good news. Good for everybody, except you, the people in a larger sense and our children and grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. If you call me tomorrow and said i know this is crazy but i need you to go to your bank account and get a hundred thousand dollars penalty next week what its about, i would do it. Because i trust him. Because i think hes a good person because somehow you emerge from being 18 and 19 a become a unique and remarkable person. Dont you all have somebody you know that you feel that way about . We need to get to where we feel about more people that way. This identity politics is going to talk us for a long time. Were being thrown together at a pace in ways that we have never been thrown together in all of human history. Hes right, think about the future and see people as people. Those are the two keys. [applause] i could do this all night. Im having about as much fun as i can have i think sandys gentleman together this evening gives you a sense of what a delightful opportunity is given in life to work with the two of them and be a fly on the wall as they Work Together. I wouldve done it for free, and in the american system meal almost for free. I will go on all night. As president clinton would say when you come visit he said this is not bad for public housing. If it werent for the clock Police Standing back here that are telling me to shut up i would keep going. He would join me thinking these two remarkable gentlemen. [applause] [applause] [applause] coming up on cspan2, former federal Election Commission chair but said redistricting of Voting Rights. The Trump Administration the National Security agenda talk about the tax proposal. Later, bill clinton talks about his role in negotiating the original nafta agreement. Tomorrow, where live in Jefferson City missouri for the next stop on the 50 capitals to her. Jay ashcroft will be our on the bus. The cspan buses traveling across the country on a 50s capital tours. We recently stopped in West Virginia asking folks whats the most important issue in their state . My prelaw major at the university of charleston i think the most important issue is twofold. Its an issue of poverty, lack of jobs and opportunity makes the epidemic worse. On a cycle that builds upon itself. , senior Political Science major one of the biggest issues i see right now the governor pushing for a special election is going to pump millions into our infrastructure which sounds nice but when you look at the big purse picture it will hurt millennials in the future. Says it wont raise taxes or be a problem but if you look down the road, scan the method of for a long time. West virginia has a very difficult Economic Times over the past five or six years and one of our Top Priorities is to improve our economy and put people back to work. Weve done a great deal of different steps to do that. Im a senior at the university of charleston double majoring in english and Political Science. I did my senior project on West Virginia what we would consider wellknown issue is the opiate dependency issue. Determining a perspective whether it be a larger perspective for more individual and determine an issue that be more effective. Im danny and im the mayor of the capital city of West Virginia. The most important issue for us is keep young people here because if we plan things then we will have a state that is young and vibrant and exciting and full of new ideas. I think that continuous involvement will make our city and state. Voices from the state on cspan. A look at Voting Rights and redistricting. We hear from election chair, trouble potter. Bob shrum, leslie cheryl, the former Vice President of abc news. [applause] the managers are panelists