What’s a Feminist Government? Canada, and Trudeau, Grapple With the Question

Justin Trudeau​ often comes across as arrogant.

Don't know Trudeau except for what I read in the papers, but it sure seems like they are attacking someone vehemently that has not done a bad job overall, and is sorry for his mistakes. I'm angry that one deliberately creates a cabinet of 50:50 women and men. How ridiculous to hire someone because they are a woman! Or a man! What about best qualified? This doesn't sound like feminism, but then I thought feminism was about equal access, not equal outcomes. I fear the same is true in the US, promoted by the NYTimes and it's cohorts. Women want respect, like anyone. But what even does that mean these days? People have just lost it, and only want to complain about 'them.'

As an expat American living in Canada I want the Prime Minister to select for his/her subordinates the best & most qualified human beings available to do the job regardless of how ‘politically correct’ that choice might be perceived. Being considered ‘correct’ ought not be synonymous with being considered ‘right’.

This issue has absolutely nothing to do with gender. What happened is that JWR, Canada's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice came to a position rapidly in September 2018 on a case that was novel and involved a new law. In that circumstance the Government of Canada asked that some consideration be given to alternative points of view. However, the AG refused to consult with any other experts on the interpretation and legality of the law. When another Minister retired, it was necessary to reassign Cabinet roles. The former AG was offered Indigenous Affairs but refused that post, eventually settling on Veterans Affairs, and then resigned abruptly. What happened could just as easily happen to a female or male Minister of the Government.

Trudeau's feminist government tried to force Jody Wilson Raybould to do something she didn't believe right .When she did not do as ordered they demoted her. Then the liberals lied about JWR's situation and refused to let her talk about it. The liberal men were allowed to speak against JWR in public and in the hearing running the narrative there was no pressure. Slowly bit by bit the story came out she knew they would lie so she recorded a conversation to prove she told the truth. When the recording was released and she proved they lied Trudeau then kicked her out of the Liberal party.

Men and women have equal intelligence. According to Forbes report on the 400 richest Americans, "most of the country’s wealthiest females inherited their fortunes from husbands, fathers and grandfathers. Only 1-2% of wealthy females are self-made." Perhaps if all the business and government leaders in the world had been females instead of males.....then females would have prevented WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and the little fights in the Arab countries from ever occurring. Correct? Or are females just as angry and warring as males? In terms of human behavior, the more things seem to change....the more they remain the same. Correct? Then some will say, "no hope left for humanity." But actually there is hope if you believe in God. That hope is great for Christians. So what hope is there for atheists and agnostics??? Is this why separation of church and state exists here in the U.S.?

To be honest, I don't see this as a "feminist" issue. I don't necessarily see this as a gender issue. It's about the integrity, it's about how far one would go to bend the rules in the name of jobs and economy (which I'm sure Trudeau would argue it's for the "greater good" for all people). And while I understand that Trudeau might have started out with good intention (preserving jobs for a major employer in Canada), he should not have done so by doing a devil's bargain to undercut integrity. If he's willing to turn a blind eye on corruption this time, what would have prevented him from turning more blind eye on even more serious offences? In a way, it's not unlike the metaphor in A Man For All Seasons, when it's like water in your hand. Once you let open your hands, it'll slip through your fingers. Before you know it, it's all gone. Trudeau might think he's better than the very crass and crude Trump. But all he's doing, is doing very similar thing, just with a prettier (and younger) face.

Justin Trudeau is many things, and above all else, he's a dilettante. His answer as to why he had gender parity in his cabinet following election in 2015 was most revealing---and superficial. While he and Chrystia Freeland excel at facile photo ops, they struggle with diplomacy involving superpowers. Despite this, Trudeau will likely be re-elected because of weak opposition. Indeed, if Trudeau's Liberals again form a majority government, it'll constitute an indictment against Andrew Scheer and Jagmeet Singh. Just as Americans faced a choice between bad and worse during the 2016 Presidential election, Canadians will confront an offering of non of the above this autumn.

Great article. One hairsplitting/nuanced moment your readers might want to know. The photo from Canadian Press at the top of the article shows several dozen young women at a "Daughter of the Vote" seminar held the day after Justin Trudeau expelled Jody Wilson-Reybould and her fellow supporter and ex-cabinet member Jane Philpot stood up and silently turned their back on the prime minister when he started to address them as a protest. Earlier, when Conservative opposition leader Andrew Sheer, addressed the same group, about the same number of seminar participants actually walked out of chamber, presumably an elevated level of protest against that party's decidedly less progressive policies than that of the Liberal party. The difference may illustrate the subtle discomfort many of us progressives feel at the moment. Forum Research, a major Canadian polling company, notes that in the fall, before the start of this Liberal debacle, the Conservatives led the Liberals in voting intention by 42% to 35%. In their most recent poll last week, the Conservative voter intention remained at 42% while the Liberals slipped to 29%, with progressive minority parties, the New Democratic Party and the Greens, picking up all of these most recent Liberal losses. Whether the Liberals can recover these and other voter losses before the October federal election is very much up for grabs. But both Trudeau and Wilson-Raybould still have more decisions that will affect the election outcome.

Trudeau’s mistake was not in urging JWR to seek a Deferred Prosecution Agreement instead of pressing criminal charges against SNC Lavalin. His mistake was in appointing an very young and inexperienced female Indigenous lawyer to one of the most important posts in the federal government, as Justice Minister and Attorney General. JWR wanted to run the AG’s office as her own personal fiefdom without any input (which she calls interferance) from colleagues and others with far more experience than her. She decided she wanted to make a name for herself by criminally prosecuting a company that employs up to 9,000 people. Why? Because SNC Lavalin paid bribes to the Libyan government in order to do business in that corrupt country many years ago. Nobody seems to be asking her WHY she was so adamant about pressing criminal charges against SNCL. As for her betrayal of the Trudeau and the Liberal party of Canada, she doesn’t deserve my respect as a feminist who understands the concept of loyalty and working as a team.

Decades ago, I recall watching the Prime Minister's father, Pierre, then also Prime Minister, at a national conference with Indigenous leaders. One man who addressed the assembled delegates happened to be Jody Wilson-Raybould's father. He said to pere Trudeau after they had discussed a matter, "I have a daughter at home who wants to be Prime Minister one day." What does that tell you? JRW has always been ambitious which is admirable but it also tells me that she has a hidden agenda and is certainly not a team player.

Trudeau's government has not always been truthful with Canadians since they first formed government. He promised to ditch First Past the Post until his puppet masters changed his mind. He also once said he was against the tar sands pipelines. Again, the puppet masters had other thoughts. Why would this Canadian, or any Canadian, feel Trudeau would do the right thing in the beginning and bring respectful progressive feminism into the political twenty-first century for our Confederation? Despite their imperfections, kicking Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Jane Philpot to the curb has left a permanent, sour taste for many Canadians of all parties towards the Liberals this federal election year. Since the Liberals under Trudeau appear ethically challenged to continue a majority government in Ottawa, perhaps a minority Parliament is best come October. Sharing power with the Tories, the NDP, and the Greens, may be in everyone's best interests.

Trudeau a feminist? Give me a beak. If you notice during the SNC-Lavalin he was calling the former female cabinet minister Judy Wilson-Raybould by her first name only, the other people involved and all male by their family names. In September 2016, Justin Trudeau as a Prime minister visited a mosque which discriminate against women. Men were on the main floor and women were in a balcony or other part of the building. By the way the three female MPs had to take the door for women and could not been with Trudeau on the main floor. Here the speech of Trudeau: "Diversity is a source of strength, not just a source of weakness, and as I look at this beautiful room -sisters upstairs- everyone here, (I see) the diversity we have just within this mosque, within the Islamic community, within the Muslim community in Canada." In other words if you discriminate again women in the name of religion, it is OK. Multiculturalism trumps women-men equality. Also his government expended maternity leave period for women. The government did not increased the amont of money. Which means that the women get less money a week if they take the longer period of maternity leave. As one critic said so well only the rich women or women with a rich husband will be able to take the longer leave. If you are a single mother, or your husband is on the minimum wage, you have no choice but to take the short leave. I could go on but let say that his "feminist" record is not very impressive.

I don't really understand the accusations that Trudeau pressuring JWR had anything to do with gender. What he wanted he wanted for political reasons; to protect jobs. Was it right? I don't know. Not much right happens in politics. At the end of the day money and power have always won and powerful companies doing shady things overseas is the norm of the world today. I see Trudeau balancing Canadian jobs with an attempt to still hold the company accountable, which is expected of him, as a prime minister. Go after every company who misbehaves to the fullest extent of the law and there's no one left in business in Canada. How does this have anything to do with the fact she is a woman and indigenous leader? Women like her will ruin it for all of us by trying to pin everything they're challenged on as a gender issue. If she were a man, in Trudeau's eyes she would probably still be considered difficult to work with, by being in his way politically and nothing else. If women like JWR want women to have a future in positions of power it's necessary that they can keep clearly political issues political and not make a man disagreeing with a woman on economic regulation issues "unfeminist".

This scandal involves so many "Canadian" political battlefields that haven't roared much for a long time - since the days of the Mulroney government and of Justin Trudeau's dad Saint Pierre. We've got B.C. VS. Ottawa, Quebec businesses & the generous federal government teamed up against the rest of the country, the First Nations reaching a political peak on Parliament Hill and the much-praised feminist PM stumbling right now with some "women." I had thought that Trudeau's Liberal government would be cruising to victory in October. This scandal and the coming election campaign will make this summer much more entertaining - and dangerous for the competitors. I'm no fan of the greatness-seeking Wilson-Raybould - nor of the light-minded and Quebec-loving PM.

There is a clear double standard being imposed on the Canadian Prime Minister. No male cabinet officials would dare question the Prime Minister's motives or right to rescind or change their portfolio. Are women arguing because Trudeau is a feminist he can never fire or hold women to the same standard men have been for decades? It is the PM's absolute right to decide who are members of his Cabinet and what ministry they will oversee. And they are regularly shuffled and replaced as political and other considerations make necessary. Women have done themselves a real disservice in this controversy, seaming to argue that because they are women he should not have the right to fire or replace them. That is a clear double standard. What the two individuals involved have demonstrated is that they are completely untrustworthy, and have lashed out in bitterness at what male cabinet members have regularly endured. It has been a shameful spectacle. Who would want those two on any corporate team, in any organization? Secretly taping colleagues. Ambushing their leader. Trying to destroy the chances of their team because their fragile egos have been hurt. It's reprehensible. Shame.

Canada is not a utopian society, but some of us don’t mind striving for it. That no one is perfect and that we don’t always agree is perfectly acceptable. Throwing up our hands and angrily walking away at the slightest sign of imperfection is silly and childish, but mostly unproductive. Wilson-Raybould bungled the assisted suicide file, stymied the Reconciliation movement when it wouldn’t go in only her direction and said that being put in charge of the Veterans Affairs Ministry was a punishment. Being a feminist is about dealing with consensus, which is tough and can be unpleasant at times. Veteran suicide is important. Not glamorous, important. If anyone should know about being seen as unimportant, ignored, and desperate, it should have been Wilson-Raybould. Instead, she exploited this group of people for her political machinations.

If this were purely a feminist issue, that would be one thing. However, it also involves a woman whose constituency and whose identity is first nations/native American. And THAT makes the whole series of events much more complex. Trudeau was asleep at the switch.

Repetition of this slogan/word has created a situation in which political power can now be acquired and exercised by crying "feminism." Elites denounce each other with this tool. Who is more feminist? We confront a reign of terror in which losers lose their careers, not their heads.

“To think there’s a gender normative way that women behave is actually sexist.” Does the same comment not apply to men? David Amies

If you tried to dictate policy and personnel matters to your boss how do you think that might work out? Never mind calling your boss out for his management style and alleged poor communication skills. Hubris is what best explains this fiasco. Ms. Wilson-Raybould thought she was or should be in charge and sought to take down the Prime Minister. But that's not how it got reported is it!

A female Prime Minister would have put the same pressures on the Attorney General. All this identity-political nonsense is destroying the political Left. Watch the Conservatives march right in come the next election!

Don't forget, governing means exercising power, which means rewarding allies and punishing or discrediting opponents. You know, politics. Feminists of either gender will fail if they are not good at amassing and exercising political power. Where is the feminist (or anti-racist) who can inspire fear in other feminists?

Here is another thing I just realized. It looks like both Canada and the U.S. are facing a similar ethical/political question when it comes to the relationship between the leader of the country and that country's attorney general. In Canada, we have Prime Minister Trudeau vs. his Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould arguing over the charges against a large corporation. In the U.S., we have President Trump AND his Attorney General Barr who are both working together to protect Mr. Trump and minimize the impact of the Mueller Report investigation of Mr. Trump and his 2016 political campaign and obstruction of justice while president. So the question is: Who is the attorney general supposed of a nation supposed to represent? a. What the leader of the country wants or demands? or b. What is in the best interests of a nation and people of a country rather than what the leader wants/demands? In other words, to whom is the attorney general ultimately responsible or accountable in a democratic nation? In today's overheated partisan political party environment in both countries, the answer appears to be that the AG is appointed by and therefore works for the country's leader and ergo, that leader's political party Maybe George Washington was right about political parties, as he warned in his 1796 Farewell Address. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp

There appear to be 2 things going on here: (1) the ethics and possible criminality of what the large corporation did and the intervention of the prime minister in minimizing the legal charges; and (2) identity politics/feminism involving a male prime minister and self-proclaimed advocate for women undercutting an indigenous-female attorney-general's decision to pursue criminal charges against the corporation. As far as context, I am not clear what the corporation did wrong in the first place. But anyway, that point seems to have gotten lost or been buried by the identity politics conflict. So what was an ethical issue on a number of counts, became a political issue, which seemed to delight the conservatives and others. They seized the opportunity to ignore the ethics of the situation and highlight the drama of a liberal prime minister who could be made to look the hypocrite when it came to women. And, the purist feminists played right into the conservatives' hands by also attacking the prime minister. So the ethical dilemma (which appeared to be an important one) was transformed into an identity politics drama. And that narrative may have more delighted the media, because such conflict dramas—especially the proverbial men vs. women and women vs. men clash-- virtually writes itself and is ever so much simpler to understand and take sides on. Would this conflict between the prime minister and the attorney general been handled differently if the AG were a male?

I am a 63-year-old woman who has lived most of my life with discrimination against, dismissal, and disrespect for women because of their gender. From my perspective, I have to applaud those who are taking these big steps towards righting a centuries-old wrong. Any first steps are bound to include some missteps, stumbles, and occasional injuries. I congratulate all the individuals in this debate for pushing the feminist agenda forward. Meaningful cange takes time. Let’s continue to pick ourselves up and to help others on the walk because our goal is the same.

Trudeau has made some mistakes in handling the problem with JWR, no doubt about that, but I also think it is pretty clear that she is a very difficult person. The record indicates that she was being asked to justify the decision not to pursue what is called a remediation agreement with the company SNC Lavalin as opposed to charging them criminally. A conviction has a number of negative implications for the company and most significantly for its 9K Canadian employees. *Any* responsible leader would have done the same as Trudeau did which did not in any way violate the rules. JWR seems to have thought she was a power unto herself and *after* being appropriately removed from the position, she decided to take revenge. Hence the mess which naturally the opposition is trying to blow up. It is interesting that Rempel and Bergen are quoted in the article. They are excellent representatives of what I would call the crazy right wing in Canada. The fact that JWR and Philpott are doing things that enhance the possibility of those two getting into positions of power simply proves their poor judgement. Certainly disagreements are possible but as responsible ministers they should have kept the dispute behind closed doors. There were no breaches of the law.

Take a good look folks. This is the future if the US elects a progressive government in the 2020 election. Dysfunction but at a higher level, with far more at stake given the outsized impact of US policies worldwide. Expect world leaders to take advantage of that dysfunction.

if I hear one more time that JWR "spoke truth to power" I am going to scream! She was the most powerful woman in Canada, in cabinet in a very powerful position. She disagreed with the direction the PM wanted to take, and instead of being a good team player, she secretly recorded a member of his staff and then released it. Not something I want MY lawyer doing. She testified that the conversations didnt rise to the level of "illegal". Nevertheless she put her ego and self importance in front of the need to try and protect 9000 jobs. When Sheer is in power, you can thank her. We are headed towards mimicking djt and his awful policies.

Jody Wilson-Raybould was not a very good minister. This was talked about inside and outside of Ottawa for months before this "scandal" emerged. Canada should separate the MOJ and AG positions, something that Jody Wilson-Raybould never mentioned until after she was demoted. The other minister who resigned is audition ing for a run to be the leader of the Ontario Liberal party. Hope both these feminists like the right wing government they are helping elect.

I'm sorry, but there's something very odd about countries that have male prime ministers—and have had them for essentiallly all their history—talking about feminist governments. Sweden, and now Canada, are cases in point. If they are so convinced that women will do a better job, why don't Lofven and Trudeau resign and let a woman take their place?

Trudeau miscalculated terribly in this situation. He should, early on, have accepted responsibility for the Wilson-Raybould situation, explained that he misunderstood her perceptions and did not mean to pressure her on what was an important file, and simply taken the hit. Instead of doing this, he has allowed this to drag on. But the situation has not been helped by Wilson-Raybould herself, who simply will not let this go. She is doggedly attacking her own party and government, seemingly paying no mind to the effect of her actions, and to no obvious purpose. To put it bluntly, the alternative to Trudeau and the Liberals is horrendous. The Conservative Party of Canada is a pack of vicious and vindictive Republican Party wannabees who don't care one whit for climate change, are intent on destroying Canada's environment, and have now doubled-down on appealing to the far, racist right in the Canadian electorate. Trudeau has his flaws; he is infinitely preferable to the truly stomach-churning alternative. I hope that enough Canadians understand this and vote accordingly.

Beyond the feminist government concerns, this story is also about blurring the lines between the political and justice systems-- Trudeau pressured the attorney general. A strong democracy necessitates things like a strong and free press and a justice system that is independent. We see both of these institutions being eroded in the US. Canada may be following.

I do not like the policies of the Trudeau government. I think he has been a subpar PM. Having said that, the complainers in this situation are overplaying their cards, but again having said that, Trudeau is getting what he deserves by being a full fledged participant in identity based governance instead of merit based. Wilson-Reybould was, from the start, a subpar choice for Minister of Justice and attorney-general. Her principal qualification was that she was both a woman and indigenous and Trudeau was and is trying to play up his feminist credentials and his indigenous credentials. Her appointment truly was killing two birds with one stone, but not appointing the best person for the job. With an election coming up this fall, none of the parties or leaders are worthy of a majority government. my best hope is that we end up with some kind of minority situation and that hopefully at least two of the leaders are replaced before the next election.

I need to repost due to error that makes one passage unintelligible. Here is corrected version. Good commentary. Just a point on context. The other female minister, not named, who resigned in solidarity with Ms. Wilson Raybould is Dr Jane Philpott. She was also a heavy hitter in Trudeau's cabinet. She held the portfolio of President of the Treasury Board. According to their website, "The President carries out the responsibility for the management of the government by translating the policies and programs approved by Cabinet into operational reality and by providing departments with the resources and the administrative environment they need to do their work;" a pretty important role. I think in an article of this length there should be space to mention her name and say a few words about her importance to the government. Also perhaps worth mentioning is that Trudeau threw both women out of the Liberal caucus, further clouding his self-asserted proposition that he is a strong feminist who values diverse views.

Good commentary. Just a point on context. The other female minister, not named, who resigned in solidarity with Ms. Wilson Raybould is Dr Jane Philpott. She was also a heavy hitter in Trudeau's cabinet. She held the portfolio of Presideoard's website, "The President carries out the responsibility for the management of the government by translating the policies and programs approved by Cabinet into operational reality and by providing departments with the resources and the administrative environment they need to do their work;" a pretty important role. I think in an article of this length there should be space to mention her name and say a few words about her importance to the government. Also perhaps worth mentioning is that Trudeau threw both women out of the Liberal caucus, further clouding his self-asserted proposition that he is a strong feminist who values diverse views.

THIS is a scandal? Oh please. Be careful, or you will wind up with someone like 45 up there, and you will be longing for Trudeau. This is political maneuvering by the conservatives. Have our neighbors to the north forgotten the disastrous Harper administration? The conservatives have demonized Trudeau from day one. Conservatives... be careful of what you wish for!

Mr. Trudeau's government has done many admirable things, including empowering some very capable women many of whom are doing exceptional work on behalf of Canadians like myself. His challenge continues to be his lofty and condescending rhetoric, and a moral standard which applies more to others than himself. Being brought down by his own vanity is most fitting.

The best and most thoughtful commentary on this issue that I have seen so far, which is probably due, in part, to the fact that you are outside the bubble looking in. The reaction to this story in Canada has been so impassioned and partisan that it is hard to talk about it to anyone. Great to see so many women quoted quoted.