OTTAWA — Former prime minister Jean Chrétien was conspicuously absent from the highly-anticipated King Charles III address in Ottawa on Tuesday because the 91-year-old was admitted to the hospital for a minor heart surgery.

“Yesterday, former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was admitted to the Ottawa Civic hospital after feeling unwell. He has since been transferred to the Ottawa Heart Institute, where he received a stent,” wrote Bruce Hartley, Chrétien’s spokesperson, in a statement.

Endovascular stent surgery is a minimally invasive procedure to treat blockages and aneurysms in arteries. According to the Ottawa Heart Institute, a stent is a “small metal mesh tube” implanted in a narrowed part of the artery to prevent it from blocking again.

Hartley added: “Mr. Chrétien is recovering well and is expected to return home very soon to pursue his normal activities.”

Chrétien was expected to attend the King’s address in the Senate along with other former prime ministers — Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper and Kim Campbell — and many other dignitaries who were there for the occasion.

More to come…

National Post

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