Cabinet crisis

Equally gendered ministers have country divided

By Chandler Walter, Humour Editor

Earlier this month, newly-elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made history by appointing 30 new ministers to his cabinet, an equal half of them women, and the other half men.

Much discussion and debate erupted from the decision, and as Canada’s new leaders were being sworn in, the Internet was aflame with sexist comments and heated arguments calling out Trudeau on the decision.

“We don’t know if they’re all even qualified!” said disgruntled Canadian Pamela Baker. “I get that he wants to make a nice show and everything by making the cabinet equal, but how many of these men do you think he put into cabinet just because he wanted to keep things ‘equal’?”

Baker pointed out that many capable female members of Parliament may have been left out of the cabinet due to this 50/50 ideology. “It’s a nice sentiment, it really is,” Baker said. “But this is our country. We need the best in charge, and it’s not clear that some of these men are as qualified as some of the women who were left out to make room.”

Trudeau defended his decision on the day of his swearing in, answering a journalist’s question about why it was important to have an equally-gendered cabinet by saying: “Because it’s 2015,” which was met by the roar of many men in the crowd. This has been an important win for men everywhere, especially seeing as Justin Trudeau is only the 23rd male Prime Minister of Canada.

Many men are stating how courageous it was of Trudeau to appoint so many males to his 30-member cabinet, even amid the flak and controversy that arose from it.

“We’re just happy it happened,” said Jon Plath, a Liberal Party supporter. “It’s very important that it happened, and it means more than just that we have them as members of Parliament. It’s a statement that makes it clear that here in Canada, men are as equal as women, and I think that’s more important than anything. I wish there didn’t have to be such a controversy over it, though, but you know how some people can be.”

Plath also noted the difficulties that Trudeau must be going through as an elected male world leader. “I’m sure he will do a great job, and he’s more than qualified, but ever since he got elected all that women seem to be talking about is how hot he is. It’s like, just because he’s a man doesn’t mean he only got elected for his looks, you know? There’s so much more there to a person than their appearance or their gender, and that’s something many people just don’t understand when it comes to politics.”