Aslan Maskhadov vs Paul Martin

Aslan Maskhadov was elected as the second president of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria after Dudayev's death. He won a democratic election but faced challenges from radical factions within Chechnya.

Russian forces launched a second invasion of Chechnya after the apartment bombings in Russia. Maskhadov led the Chechen resistance but was unable to prevent Russian forces from capturing Grozny and establishing control.

Maskhadov was killed by Russian special forces during a raid in the village of Tolstoy-Yurt. His death was a major victory for Russia in the Second Chechen War. He was succeeded by radical leaders.

As Minister of Finance, Martin presented a federal budget in 1998 that eliminated Canada's budget deficit, which had been a persistent problem since the 1970s. This was achieved through spending cuts and tax increases, leading to a period of sustained surpluses.

As Minister of Finance, Martin played a key role in the introduction of the Clarity Act, which set out the conditions under which the federal government would negotiate secession of a province. The act was a response to the 1995 Quebec referendum.

Paul Martin succeeded Jean Chr

The sponsorship scandal, involving misuse of public funds in Quebec, damaged Martin's government. In the 2004 federal election, his Liberal Party was reduced to a minority government, and the scandal continued to erode public trust.