Choke the mouthy little bugger, Jean, before he donates his brain to science!!

Beer label has Jean Chretien choking Don Cherry
Friday, April 13, 2012

Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien tries a sample of a new local beer called the Shawinigan Handshake at the inauguration of a museum show casing the gifts he received during his term Friday, April 13, 2012 in Shawinigan, Quebec. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

SHAWINIGAN, Quebec — Don Cherry is about to get throttled by Jean Chretien's "Shawinigan handshake."

An illustration of Chretien choking the hockey personality will grace the label of a microbrew beer named after the ex-PM's notorious stranglehold.

Chretien says the image will resemble the famous photo of him grabbing protester Bill Clennett by the throat in 1996.

The move was dubbed the "Shawinigan handshake" -- after Chretien's Quebec hometown.

He says that in the days after the incident Cherry publicly supported him for, literally, taking matters into his own hands.

With that in mind, Chretien says he recently invited the Hockey Night in Canada star to be featured on the label of a beer that will be released during next month's Memorial Cup.

He says Cherry happily accepted.

This year's edition of the annual junior hockey tournament will be held in Shawinigan.

A local microbrewery has been producing the Shawinigan Handshake beer in honour of Chretien for three years.