Feature, Musings —06.28.2018 08:44 AM
—#MeToo and #Trudeau
A snippet from next week’s Hill Times:
Only two things matter, at this point. One, how has Justin Trudeau responded to the woman’s allegation in the Creston Valley Advance? That’s a very important question.
The Office of the Prime Minister of Canada, when asked about the groping allegation – and groping, in case you are wondering, is addressed in the Criminal Code as “sexual touching” without consent – had this to say:
“As the prime minister has said before, he has always been very careful to treat everyone with respect. His first experiences with activism were on the issue of sexual assault at McGill, and he knows the importance of being thoughtful and respectful. He remembers being in Creston for the Avalanche Foundation, but doesn’t think he had any negative interactions there.”
See that?
He “doesn’t think he had any negative interactions there.”
Not exactly a categorical denial.
I don’t like him very much for several reasons that add up to not being able to take him seriously. I agree that the PMO statement is so pathetic that is almost adds up to an admission of guilt, as least in the court of public opinion. I also agree that the alleged behaviour is indefensible and that the journalist was right to be enraged and go public. I also think that, generally speaking, #MeToo is a long overdue positive force and that many of the behaviours it is calling out should have been called out years ago. I have little sympathy for any of the exculpatory excuses and defences we’re hearing.
All that said, I can’t get into this one at all.
“…he has always been very careful to treat everyone with respect…”
Like loudly calling Peter Kent a POS in the house and inadvertantly elbowing a female MP while manhandling the Tory whip?
Any of those respectful actions would likely result in a severe reprimand or dismissal from my workplace.
I see Andrew Coyne has an article in today’s National Post, and MacLeans magazine is reporting too, so it seems the national media is at long last picking up on this story, which should have been front page news a month ago, IMO. Not surprisingly, nothing as yet from CBC or the Globe. Trudeau must be squirming right now. It will be interesting to see how the Opposition deals with this.
It was nice of the media to wait until Parliament stopped sitting before they decided to start covering this.
Warren, just wondering, what in your view is the way you deal with these things from a PR point of view? I mean, taking PMOs word at face value, it seems like the best thing to do is more or less what they’ve done: short and simple denial that treads lightly in terms of not calling the other a liar, or making a huge deal of it. Thoughts?
In the #MeToo movement are women required to come forward if someone else thinks the woman should speak up?
The reporter/editorial writer in this piece wrote about it 18 years ago. She must know what is happening now but I’m pretty sure she wasn’t the person who dug it up and she doesn’t seem to want to come forward.
What bugs me about this case is that others are rushing forward and claiming it is a #MeToo moment when I see it more as a #Gotcha moment resurrected for political gain.
Shoul she come forward because others think she should?
No.
She shold come forward only if and when she wants to.
I have been told the woman in this case was given a heads up the story was going to resurface. She was OK with that, but she doesn’t want to talk about it.
That’s her choice to make.
As for “political gain”, would you be surprised if I told you when the PMO got wind it was coming THEY leaked it to Breitbat down south so they could claim it was nothing more than a made up story by a failing alt right American outlet?
PMO 100% leaked it to Breitbart.
Why would they do that? Was it to have a hostile news agency take the lead so it would appear like a malicious attack?
The thing is – did the plan work?
Could it be that Trudeau has a non-disclosure agreement in place and that’s why the Liberals figure this will blow over.
Interesting how not one question has been directly asked of Trudeau. Remind me, during the Duffy scandal – did the press ask any questions of Harper?
Not sure in this case, but there are NDA’s in other cases involving Trudeau.