For the first time in the history of Canada, we have women in the majority of the top spots in government. From foreign affairs, to finance, from the deputy prime minister, to defence, the face of the government is decidedly feminist.
By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on November 15, 2021.
OTTAWA—If ever in doubt, Justin Trudeau proved his feminist credentials in the crafting of his new cabinet.
For the first time in the history of Canada, we have women in the majority of the top spots in government. From foreign affairs, to finance, from the deputy prime minister, to defence, the face of the government is decidedly feminist.
The minister of families, children, and social development has been assigned to pull off the biggest job of all—a national childcare system, is herself the first cabinet minister to have a child while in office.
In the back room, the prime minister’s chief of staff is a woman, perhaps one of the reasons for this phalanx of women in power, the likes of which this country has never witnessed before.
Not only do we have strong women.
They are also self-described feminists, who would not roll back the hard-fought gains that women have achieved in reproductive rights and gender equality.
The same cannot be said of the females at the forefront of the official opposition. The most prominent women in Erin O’Toole’s party right now are those who want to eliminate protection against the spread of the corona virus by refusing to make vaccinations mandatory.
Most post-cabinet commentary has been focused on Trudeau’s male picks, especially the oilpatch-driven campaign launched against Steven Guilbeault.
Guilbeault seems to be getting the same negative attention that was visited on another very successful environment minister, Catherine McKenna.
For some reason, vitriolic criticism of Guilbeault discounts the fact that the world is moving in a new direction and attacks targeting a single Canadian minister will not change that.
The outcome at Glasgow showed us that the world is moving away from fossil fuels and Canada cannot stand alone in ignoring the global challenges of climate change. That is one of Trudeau’s primary commitments, along with a national childcare plan.
Given that Trudeau is currently in his third term of government, he may decide to fulfill his promises and retire. That will put the Liberals into a leadership convention.
With so many qualified women in cabinet, Canada may finally elect a woman prime minister.
Obviously, the outcome of the next parliamentary session will be key in deciding which of the ministers will rise to the top.
At the moment, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is the definite front-runner. But by remaining in finance, she runs the risk of owning the bulk of criticism about the government’s COVID spending rollout.
And with critic Pierre Poilievre nipping at her heels, she has an effective, albeit annoying, opponent to underscore any tiny mistake.
Defence Minister Anita Anand must tackle the seemingly intractable challenge of sexism in the armed forces. If she proves capable of wrestling this problem to the ground, she too would be a potential candidate for leadership.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly is a telegenic communicator who could also prove just how much depth she has in her new post.
Karina Gould, tasked with the challenge of delivering the country’s national childcare plan, is also a potential future candidate.
With all of the foregoing, Trudeau deserves credit for the confidence he has placed in highly qualified women. Not only has he pledged and delivered on cabinet parity. He has made sure that women in cabinet are in highly visible and responsible positions, enhancing their status and underscoring their leadership capabilities.
In the end, the prime minister’s greatest legacy may actually be his commitment to pave the way for real equality in Canadian federal politics.
Right to the top.
Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.
