TORONTO—Former prime minister Jean Chretien says U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is “taking away the dignity of public life.”

Chretien told the annual Toronto fundraising dinner for St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., that he finds the Trump campaign “unbelievable.”

When asked about the U.S campaign, Chretien referenced Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s recent illness, saying “there are pills to help you against pneumonia.” But, he added in a thinly-veiled jab at Trump, “apparently there’s no pill against something like stupidity.”

Chretien downplayed all the protectionist talk from both Trump and Clinton, saying “it’s always like that” during American presidential campaigns.

Not surprisingly, Chretien had praise for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the first anniversary of the Liberal government, crediting him with creating a good mood in Canada and improving the country’s reputation abroad.

Chretien also defended Trudeau’s move to force the provinces to adopt some kind of carbon pricing, and said he proposed legalizing marijuana 20 years ago so young people wouldn’t end up with lifelong criminal records.

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