In a first for the country, Canada's new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau followed through on a campaign promise when he unveiled on Wednesday a cabinet with an equal number of men and women.
"It's a historic day for women," cabinet minister Sheila Copps told CBC of the appointments, which numbered 15 men and 15 women. "Gender parity in the national cabinet is huge. It sends a great message to our daughters and sons."
His cabinet is comprised of 31 people, including himself.
While some in Canada have raised concerns over Trudeau's focus on maintaining gender parity, many on Wednesday pointed out the vast qualifications of the women in the new cabinet.
As of today, Canada's national cabinet has gender parity thanks to @JustinTrudeau recruiting dynamic, qualified women. See? It's not hard.— Liana K (@redlianak) November 4, 2015
“These are very strong, able, capable women,” Frances Lankin, a former MP, told Metro News. “They will make their mark. Some will soar to the highest heights of competency, recognition and accomplishment—just as some men—and there will be some who turn out not to be so apt at the job—just as some men. If there is any talk of tokenism, it will disappear.”
Trudeau kept his promise on gender parity in cabinet and its def not tokenism. Women got some heavy hitting portfolios.— Medie (@medie) November 4, 2015
Canada's new Minister of Health, Jane Philpott, is a family physician. Its new Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, Carla Qualtrough, is a blind Paralympian. And, Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist at Reuters, will be Minister of International Trade.
Many are fresh faces. But six of the newly appointed come with deep experience in Canadian politics.
“The more diverse your organization, your board, or, in this case, cabinet, the more it reflects the realities of the population we are serving," Maryam Monsef, the newly elected 30-year-old MP told Huffington Post Canada on Tuesday, "and that can only be a good thing."
Asked why he went with gender parity in his cabinet, Trudeau says "Because it's 2015" https://t.co/QWEKJjPR5i pic.twitter.com/eF7YpMYxvZ— CBC News (@CBCNews) November 4, 2015
See the full list.
