It has been a very high honour in recent years to get to know Jean Charest. Like me, the past Quebec Premier and former federal cabinet minister and Party leader is passionate about Canada’s political history. Macdonald, Laurier, St. Laurent -- Mr. Charest can quote them all. A few years back, he agreed to join me as co-leader on a political history walking tour of historic Kingston. He wowed the audience and delivered a remarkable and impassioned speech about Canada and Quebec, Macdonald and Cartier and more, right in Kingston’s Springer Market Square, behind our City Hall. Even people walking by, not involved in the walking tour, stopped to listen to Mr. Charest and applauded when he was finished. It was a scene I’ll never forget. After the walk, Mr. Charest came over to my house and planted a ceremonial tree in my famous garden. Premier of Quebec for nine years, national leader of Canada’s Progressive Conservatives, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, MP for Sherbrooke, Quebec, Mr. Charest has had a political journey that few others can match. And, when Canada needed it most, he was there during the Quebec Referendum of 1995 at the campaign’s critical moment. So, it is a particular personal pleasure to send out birthday greetings to my friend. He is turning a very young 63. Happy birthday from the Limestone City. caption id="attachment_568853" align="aligncenter" width="540" Jean Charest plants a tree in Art's back yard/caption Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.