Chretien draws a crowd
Exhibitors were cautiously optimistic on the first day of the BookExpo Canada trade show. Though the crowds seemed lighter than in past years, there were still long lineups throughout the day for just about every author signing. And the fact that some major exhibitors seemed to have reduced their space lent the day a cozy feel. Probably the highlight was Jean Chretien’s appearance at the Random House of Canada booth at the end of the day on Monday, drawing a huge crowd. Chretien spoke and then mingled for a good half hour, pressing the flesh and posing for photos. Even before that, the former PM wandered the trade show floor for a good hour, visiting booths and chatting with conventioneers.
