Prime Minster Justin Trudeau is a proud feminist. He tells us all the time. He has made feminism and efforts to advance gender equality prominent parts of his brand and that of his party.
He is so concerned about women’s rights that the federal government is considering creating a new position of ambassador or special envoy to promote feminism around the world.
His concern for women’s rights, especially regarding reproductive rights is so profound that he made accepting the right of a woman to abort a fetus at any time for any reason a condition for all organizations, including religious institutions, for receiving finds for summer programmes. Every organization had to sign this“Attestation”:
I have read and understood the Canada Summer Jobs Articles of Agreement and referred to the Applicant Guide as needed;
The job would not be created without the financial assistance provided under a potential contribution agreement;
Both the job* and my organization’s core mandate* respect individual human rights in Canada, including the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as other rights. These include reproductive rights and the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, mental or physical disability or sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression;
I have all the necessary authorities, permissions and approvals to submit this application on behalf of myself and the organization.
Trudeau is a true believer in the #MeToo movement. Here are views he shared in an interview with CBC January 2018.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says women who come forward with complaints of sexual assault and harassment must be supported and believed.
Since becoming leader, Trudeau has suspended, expelled or nudged four men from caucus – Massimo Pacetti, Scott Andrew, Darshan Kang and Hunter Tootoo – over allegations (not always proven) that they sexually harassed female staff or MPs.
And he’s confident no one will be able to accuse him of the kinds of behaviour that have brought down several high-profile politicians.
“I’ve been very, very careful all my life to be thoughtful, to be respectful of people’s space and people’s headspace as well.”
When asked if any of his past actions could be misconstrued, Trudeau said he didn’t think so.
“This is something that I’m not new to. I’ve been working on issues around sexual assault for over 25 years.
“My first activism and engagement was at the sexual assault centre at McGill students’ society where I was one of the first male facilitators in their outreach program leading conversations — sometimes very difficult ones — on the issues of consent, communications, accountability, power dynamics.”
(If you have trouble opening this video please go to this link )
Justin Trudeau had allegedly groped a young reporter for the Creston Valley Advance in 2000.
The Prime Minister “remembers being in” the small British Columbia town for an event at the time, “but doesn’t think he had any negative interactions there.”
The Creston Valley Advance is a real paper. The reporter is real; she has chosen not to reveal her identity publicly, but her name is known. The editor and publisher of the paper at the time are real. They have told the National Post that she confided in them about the alleged assault shortly after it happened, and that they believed her.
Trudeau, who the editorial said apologized, with this odd defence: “If I had known you were reporting for a national paper” — the Advance was then part of the same chain as the National Post — “I never would have been so forward.”
Why does it matter where this woman worked? And why did Trudeau not directly confirm or deny the allegation?
And yet…
Here is our PM making fun with his wife Sophie. Making fun of groping a woman’s behind. From anyone else it might be funny. But from this Feminist PM? The moment you are waiting for begins at the 8:40 mark
And yet…
The Prime Minister’s Office produced this video. And there is our PM getting a tad too close to a woman who does not appear to be related to him. Trudeau is seen putting his hand on her left shoulder and then leaning in and kissing her cheeks while she is holding her little child. Did this woman want Trudeau to touch and kiss her? Maybe. But the pictures of a Prime Minister initiating the touching and kissing of a woman may send the wrong message to men and women alike; that women should expect to be touched and kissed while engaging in conversation with the opposite sex.
Trudeau’s behaviour seems to contradict his “feminism.”
From the Ethics of the Fathers: “Rabbi Tarfon used to say, it is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but you are not exempt from undertaking it.”
