By Sheila Copps

First published in The Hill Times on September 24, 2018.

OTTAWA—Is #MeToo in danger of becoming the new McCarthyism?

The editor of The New York Review of Books exited last week after publishing an essay by Jian Ghomeshi entitled, “Reflections from a Hashtag.”

It is unclear whether he quit or was fired, but editor Ian Buruma was widely attacked for his editorial decision to offer a platform to the disgraced Canadian media star.

In an interview, Buruma defended his decision. “I’m no judge of the rights and wrongs of every allegation. … All I know is that in a court of law he was acquitted and there is no proof he committed a crime.”

In the same week, Maclean’s journalist Paul Wells levelled a question to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about an alleged groping incident 18 years ago that was widely covered in the dog days of summer.

The bottom line is that the complainant does not wish to pursue the matter and has no interest in giving media interviews on the subject.

But some media won’t take no for an answer. Rebel Media has a YouTube video featuring the Kokanee Groper, a.k.a. the prime minister. The Wells interview prompted more mainstream media coverage on a #MeToo story without a complainant.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the fate of a Supreme Court nomination hangs in the balance of another #MeToo allegation.

By all accounts, the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh would definitely tilt the court composition further to the right. In a recent dissenting voice, the judge opposed a majority decision to allow an undocumented immigrant to get an abortion.

Criticism of his political leanings are fair game in American politics. In their system, most judges are elected, not appointed. There are many reasons to oppose Kavanaugh’s nomination, including his socially conservative views and refusal to support electoral financing reform.

But the main event dominating the Washington confirmation drama was an alleged 37-year-old sexual attack.

Democratic spokespeople were vociferously attacking the “old, white men” in Congress for ramming through the nomination.

With mid-term elections only weeks away, Republicans understandably want to move forward while seat numbers are still in their favour. There is a chance that, after the election, the magic simple majority required for confirmation will be lost.

But when the accuser waffled on a congressional invitation to testify, the tide seemed to be turning in favour of the nominee.

In a different field, that of sport, tennis dynamo Serena Williams recently launched her own version of #MeToo when she characterized unsportsmanlike bullying of a referee at the U.S Open as a fight for sexual equality.

Many observers piled in behind Williams’ claim, decrying the state of sexism in sport as the rational for her racquet-breaking on-court temper tantrum.

Elizabeth Renzetti, a Globe and Mail columnist and staunch feminist penned, “Ms. Williams was right; she was being unfairly penalized by a sport that is ridiculously old-fashioned, sexist and overwhelmingly white.”

American tennis icon Billie Jean King tweeted: “When a woman is emotional, she’s ‘hysterical’ and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s outspoken & and there are no repercussions. Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.”

While King’s statements are all true, they have nothing whatsoever to do with Williams’ outrageous behaviour during the final.

The stunt she pulled off was nothing short of professional bullying, reminiscent of her previous threat to kill a female Asian line referee for calling a foot fault.

Williams’ off-court aggression was no match for the on-court power of baseline hitter 20-year-old Naomi Osaka, who won the first set 6-2.

In set two, Williams broke Osaka, but the Japanese player promptly returned the favour. Then Williams erupted, breaking her racquet and receiving an automatic point penalty. That was the beginning of the end.

Williams kept looking furtively at her box. Her coach was televised sending illegal signals.

When warned, Williams went berserk, screaming and pointing her finger at the umpire, as the supportive audience booed. Two USTA officials came on court, but her volume merely increased.

Williams caused such a ruckus that winner Osaka, a biracial woman who was making history, was booed during the awards ceremony.

The post-game sexism storyline was absurd. But it got plenty of traction, as an example of women finally speaking up. Very few weighed in to decry Williams’s unsportsmanlike behaviour.

As the world’s greatest female athlete, the tennis icon ought to know better.

But in a one-sided stampede, it is simply easier to claim #MeToo.

By SHEILA COPPS

First published on February 5, 2018 in The Hill Times.

OTTAWA—Fifty shades of confusion is the only way to portray the spate of sexual harassment accusations that have overtaken legislatures across the country.

Me-too mantra says all accusers must be believed. But when the facts are faceless or uncorroborated, what happens to fairness?

The second element of confusion stems from the definition of sexual harassment.

Elevator chit chat is not the moral equivalency of slamming someone against a wall and trying to penetrate them against their will.

Yet in analyzing the problems, we lump all the foregoing together.

Take the case of Kent Hehr. A quadriplegic victim of a drive-by shooting himself, Hehr has stepped outside the bounds of political correctness on more than one occasion.

He is certainly not your average politician. Given his own life story, you can understand why he doesn’t mince words when it comes to what he characterizes as constituent “sob stories.”

After being randomly gunned down as a bystander at a shooting, Hehr could have spent the rest of his life being righteously bitter.

Instead, he worked hard to pull himself up from what must have been an emotional abyss. He refocused his boundless energies, pursued a career in the law and ultimately politics.

According to a story in the Ottawa Citizen, the shooting left him with limited use of his left hand only. This would likely make it difficult for him to reach out of his chair and grab someone.

I paint that picture because his elevator accuser spoke of her fear. That does not ring true, because a quadriplegic does not present a clear and present danger. Well, words can be weapons too.

The accuser now says she wishes she had not spoken out about Hehr’s inappropriate elevator comment years ago. But in the week following her allegation, there has not actually been a stampede of former staffers to back her up.

Does the descriptor “yummy” really constitute a firing offence?

The prime minister is now characterizing Hehr’s demotion as a leave of absence.

Politicians are human too and sometimes say stupid things. Sometimes salacious statements can be laced with sexual innuendo.

In 1982, I attended a meeting in former prime minister Pierre Trudeau’s office. I was a young member of the Ontario legislature running for leader against eventual winner David Peterson.

Senator Keith Davey, dubbed the “Rainmaker” of Liberal politics, had set up the private meeting with Liberal icon Trudeau. What was supposed to be a courtesy call ended up lasting almost an hour.

We had a fascinating conversation about the state of Canada and the world, but his opening question had me stumped.

What is a good-looking young woman like you doing running in politics, was the query that took me aback.

In today’s climate of sexist hysteria, that comment could be lethal.

But Trudeau meant it in the most cerebral of ways. He was really trying to wrap his mind around what elements of politics would be interesting for young people, and especially a 29-year-old woman.

On another occasion, eight years later, I met Trudeau for a lunch in Montreal to explore my interest in the federal leadership.

We ate sushi at his favourite spot and on the way back to his law office on foot, we were stopped by two star-struck women who appeared to be in their early forties.

One was positively gushing, stating that she loved the former prime minister so much that she had a picture of him up on her bedroom wall.

Without blinking an eye, Trudeau quipped that he wished he had a picture of her up on his bedroom wall.

We all laughed uproariously and the women went away with a wonderful souvenir of what some called Canada’s sexiest prime minister.

That same conversation today could be a firing offence. Times have changed. Thankfully, the days when sexual harassment by people in power went unpunished are finally over.

But an elevator comment is not on par with rape and we should stop pretending that it is.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

By SHEILA COPPS

First published on Monday, November 20, 2017 in The Hill Times.

OTTAWA—The swamp runneth over. By all accounts, an Alabama senatorial candidate facing multiple harassment allegations, is successfully staring down opponents, even within his own party.

Judge Roy Moore is casting the fight as one of hometown supporters versus the Washington elite, including Senator majority leader Mitch McConnell, who has asked him to step aside.

In the midst of multiple reports of sexual harassment of a minor, polls have the judge running 10 points ahead of his Democratic opponent. Thirty-seven per cent of Christian evangelicals said they were more likely to vote for him because of the scandal.

The fact that Moore could even be considered a viable candidate is astonishing. His history as a conspiracy theorist and promoter of the far right is widely known. Moore was removed from office twice as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama. His first dismissal was prompted after he ignored a Federal Court order to remove a Ten Commandments’ religious monument he commissioned for the Alabama Judicial Building.

He was re-elected again as chief justice in 2013 and then suspended for enforcing an unconstitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The judge, with ties to white supremacy and neo-Confederate groups, was a key proponent of the birther conspiracy, a bizarre claim that former president Barack Obama was born outside the United States.

Moore is anti-gay, anti-Muslim, and pro-Christianity, believing that his religion should order public policy.

He founded an organization known as the Foundation for Moral Law, and weathered another controversy for refusing to declare $1-million it paid to family members.

None of these facts seem to influence local Alabamian supporters who truly believe their candidate is the victim of a Washington conspiracy headed by their own party.

The Hollywood harassment snare that started with Harvey Weinstein continues to widen its reach into politics.

Democratic Senator Al Franken is now being accused of sexual harassment for taking inappropriate photos and forcing a kiss on a fellow performer while he was on an Armed Forces comedy tour before his election to the Senate.

When the story broke Thursday, Franken acknowledged his actions, apologized and called for an ethics committee investigation into his own behaviour. Time will tell whether this proactive approach will staunch his political bloodletting. State legislatures have not been immune to similar claims.

On Capitol Hill, an unnamed Republican has been cited. Some legislators are proposing mandatory sexual harassment training for all staff and lawmakers.

But at the end of the day, the multiple allegations at different levels of government do not seem to have much effect on American voter intentions.

U.S. President Donald Trump was exposed on tape claiming that because he was a “star,” he could grab any woman “by the pussy.” The recorded comments were supposed to have doomed his presidential ambitions, but did not. For the most part, voters appear to discount sexual harassment as a factor in election decisions.

It remains to be seen whether the Senate race next month will be influenced by the allegations.

On first blush, key evangelical supporters are unwavering, while Moore’s strategy is to discredit those making the allegations.

If you ever wondered what makes Canada so different from the United States, just take a look at the legal harassment protections launched earlier this month by Canada’s minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

Shortly after a series of high-profile Canadian entertainers were outed for sexual harassment, Canada’s federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu announced the government’s proposed framework to eliminate harassment and violence from all federal workplaces.

The proposed measures cover all private and public-sector workplaces regulated by federal law.

Hajdu, well-briefed on the issues during her stint as status of women minister, constructed a wide-ranging package tackling harassment head-on in all federal workplaces.

For the first time in history, the law will cover the Parliamentary Precinct, including the House of Commons, the Senate, the Library of Parliament and the Parliamentary Protective Service.

The proposed legislation requires employers to take specific action to prevent and protect employees and to respond effectively to incidents when they occur.

The law will also provide complainants with the choice of information resolution processes or neutral, third-party investigations. Complainants will be protected from retaliation and supported throughout the complaints process.

South of the border, the controversies continue, with no legal remedies in sight.

Speaking about Franken, Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, called for cultural and institutional change, saying “it [harassment] has been going on for way too long.”

She is right.

But it doesn’t appear that the American voters are listening.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

By SHEILA COPPS

First published on Monday, October 23, 2017 in The Hill Times.

OTTAWA—When does the punishment outweigh the crime?

The Harvey Weinstein debacle continues to spill over into other sectors. Just last week, two iconic Quebec entertainment moguls suffered similar fates, losing public support, contracts and credibility after two separate journalistic exposés of predatory proportions.

First, a La Presse article cited 11 different individuals alleging sexual harassment by television star and producer Eric Salvail. Most spoke out on condition of anonymity and only one went public, with claims that the star made several direct advances, and fired him when they were spurned.

The second string of allegations involved the commissioner of the Montreal 375th anniversary celebrations, and founder of Just for Laughs. Gilbert Rozon resigned from both posts after a Le Devoir story, citing complaints of inappropriate behaviour from nine women. It was subsequently broadcast that Rozon is facing police investigation for an incident alleged to have occurred in Paris 23 years ago.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre issued his own twitter statement on the allegations, distancing himself and his administration from Rozon and reinforcing his support for all victims. He minced no words, saying he was shocked about the allegations and he would not “defend the indefensible.” Coderre, who is facing an election is less than two weeks, underscored the fact that Rozon was actually appointed to the post by previous mayor Gerald Tremblay.

Rozon also stepped down as vice-chair of the Metropolitan Montreal Chamber of Commerce.

Montreal police chief Philippe Pichet tweeted an invitation to all victims to come forward, retweeting a police force tweet that “we are listening.”

To date, the Canadian fallout from the Weinstein effect has hit hardest in the Quebec glitterati world. But expect the ripple effect to result in more allegations and more charges.

That is a good thing.

But some good people could also get caught in the crossfire. It was 18 months ago that the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau lost its first minister.

And the resignation was not the result of public discontent or ministerial misfiring. Rather, it was a self-imposed withdrawal from the Liberal cabinet and caucus to clean up a messy personal life.

Fisheries minister Hunter Tootoo was one of the early stars in the Trudeau firmament. A northern Indigenous leader with more than a decade of political experience under his belt, Tootoo was a natural minister who revelled in the challenge of aboriginal reconciliation.

A residential schools survivor himself, he had fought the odds and become a strong voice for Nunavut and Northern Canada in a cabinet of urbanites.

But while things were humming on the political front, his personal life was a mess.

By his own admission, he was drinking heavily and began an inappropriate relationship with an assistant, and concurrently with her mother.

Because of these transgressions, Tootoo stepped down from his cabinet post and withdrew from the Liberal caucus to seek treatment for alcohol abuse.

His rehabilitation involved counselling and attending sobriety meetings, and since his resignation from caucus, Tootoo has successfully completed an alcohol rehabilitation program and has a clean bill of health.

Tootoo has been working hard as an Independent member of Parliament, logging millions of kilometers of travel time, and visiting all 25 fly-in communities in his riding. He was the first Member of Parliament in history to do so.

During his period as an independent, nine ministers, including the prime minister have visited his riding.

Two parliamentary committees have been convened there and he has been joined by high-profile ministers like Navdeep Bains and Catherine McKenna, during his time as an independent.

Tootoo has many Liberal friends and supporters, including new Newfoundland minister Seamus O’Regan, who followed a similar alcohol rehabilitation route before being named to cabinet this fall.

It should come as no surprise that Tootoo would like to re-join the Liberal team.

The decision on his potential return is in the hands of government whip Pablo Rodriguez, who has previously assumed responsibility for ethical breach investigations of other Members of Parliament.

At an early summer meeting on the issue, Rodriguez deferred a decision until some testy tax matters had been disposed of.

Tax issues have obviously subsumed the government agenda since that time.

Tootoo’s return would be welcomed by colleagues, many of whom have pleaded his case in caucus. Tootoo would love to prepare for the next election as a Liberal.

He could also be a huge help in the ambitious reconciliation agenda being proposed by the government.

Reconciliation is not exclusive to racial healing. Political parties also need to forgive.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

By SHEILA COPPS

First Published on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 in The Hill Times.

OTTAWA—The ignominious end to Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has all of us in agreement.

This predator got what he deserved.

But the larger question remains. How did he get away with it for so long? How was he able to assault so many women with so much impunity? Why did so many people say nothing for so long?

Tut tut, we say. What a shame that the entertainment field is so full of these types of characters. Would that the problem were so isolated.

This is not a casting couch problem. This is not even an American problem. It is a power imbalance as old as the story of Adam and Eve.

Even in biblical terms that parable casts Eve as the seductress while innocent Adam is the guileless guy who can’t resist the allure of a snake and a strumpet.

Men have often been excused for assaulting women while women have been portrayed as simply getting what they were asking for. Society confers upon the male of the species a power to attack without owning the consequences.

We shudder at the comments of American President Donald Trump, who publicly justified groping, leering, and unwanted sexual advances because his star status placed him in the untouchable stratosphere.

Notwithstanding all the misogynistic comments taped and replayed in broadcast interviews, Trump was elected president of the United States. In the end, his bald admission of sexual harassment did not really matter to the American voters.

Trump’s despicable interview with shock jock broadcaster Howard Stern, where the two chuckled over women’s body parts and their alleged desire to be treated like “doodoo,” was just the tip of the iceberg.

As owner of the Miss America franchise, Trump made it his business to go into the dressing room while the contestants were disrobing, and pageant organizers even encouraged participants to rush up and fawn all over him.

The current president’s behaviour was explained away in the last election, as simply locker room talk. Boys will be boys, was the answer when Trump was quoted as saying he could simply walk up and kiss any woman he wanted, and then grab them by the pussy because he was a “star.”

So now that the Weinstein story is fading away, how do we get to the basis of deeply rooted societal acceptance of sexism?

There are still many places in the world where women do not enjoy basic freedom of movement. Life partners are chosen for them, and they cannot even leave their homes or travel without the permission of a male family member.

The right to drive an automobile is limited, and while we welcome the recent change in Saudi Arabian policy on this issue, it was a tiny step in the path toward equality.

Role models are great predictors of what the future might hold. When it comes to the entertainment industry in particular, the white, male-dominated hierarchy repeats itself.

One is hard pressed to name five female directors of note and the discrepancy in salary ranges between male and female actors has been well documented.

Classical guitarist Liona Boyd stated publicly last week that the issue of sexual harassment for women in the record business was eerily similar to the situation facing Weinstein’s victims. She spoke about “predators” in her business and the casting couch mentality that permeated the music industry as well.

The field of politics is rife with stories of sexual harassment. Sexual transgressions in worlds of media, education, and finance also periodically rear their ugly heads.

So while Weinstein’s transgressions made front-page news for a few days, they will soon recede into the background. The story needle needs to move beyond the egregious acts of a single predator.

Societies promote sexual violence by commission and omission. Objectification of women in advertising, anonymous social media misogyny, consumer support for companies that ignore gender balance all contribute to the problem.

Power imbalances vary in different parts of the world.

The changes in Saudi Arabia are a sign that one of the most patriarchal societies on earth is committed to turning over a new leaf.

But when young Canadian women are still paid only 87 cents for every dollar earned by men, inequality is not just sexual, it is also economic.

Some blame educational levels for the lag, but when university-educated, postgraduate females are counted, they still make 10 cents less than every dollar earned by a man.

The Weinstein story was flavour of the week. Institutionalized inequality is not.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.