Justin Trudeau hosts ‘ladies’ night fundraiser despite controversy over ‘patronizing’ adAdrian Humphreys | 07/11/13 8:43 PM ETFederal liberal leader Justin Trudeau speaks to an audience of mostly women at an event called 'Justin. Unplugged.' in Toronto, Ontario, November 7, 2013. TORONTO— Justin Trudeau arrived at a “ladies” night fundraiser in Toronto Thursday looking unfazed by a public lashing that called him patronizing and sexist because of a provocative invitation that packaged the federal Liberal leader like a heartthrob boy band. The approximately 100 mostly female guests chatted loudly over glasses of wine and bowls of candy at a trendy downtown Toronto event space. The invitation to the self-described “ladies” night, where women paid $250 to see “Justin. Unplugged,” and “really get to know” him, was accused of overplaying his sex appeal and suggesting to some that female voters weren’t interested in heavyweight political issues. The event’s invitation featured a soft-focused, pop-art photo collage of Mr. Trudeau, who is referenced throughout only by his first name. It posed three questions in a scribble font, suggestions for the start of an #AskJustin social media campaign: what is the biggest issue facing women?; what’s your favourite virtue?; and who are your real life heroes? In the centre, the invitation coyly invited “Ladies” to “really get to know the future prime minister” with “cocktails, candid conversation, curiosity-inducing ideas.” Michelle Rempel, MP for Calgary Centre North and a Conservative junior cabinet member, lambasted the invitation, tweeting: “What’s the biggest issue facing women? This kind of crap.” She said Mr. Trudeau’s event was “patronizing” and “all issues are women’s issues.” (The interaction led to Ms. Rempel taking criticism in return for the photo she uses on her Twitter account, with someone telling her it “looks like an ad for ‘Meet Russian Brides.’”) Other women also complained. Ella Henry, a University of Toronto law student, tweeted: “Do the Liberals think that women are only interested in politics if it’s packaged as a date with Justin?” Politically, it is a delicate balancing act positioning Mr. Trudeau as a hunky man of substance. With his youth and looks come accusations of vanity and a lack of other, more cerebral, attributes. The first Conservative attack advertisements against Mr. Trudeau when he became the Liberal leader made much of him appearing on stage and removing his shirt before a female crowd in a mock striptease; it was his contribution to a charity auction. Other ads show him blinking slowly with moist eyes. It seemed an easier ride for Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre, who sparked “Trudeaumania” in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his charm and good looks. This event seemed to get the balance wrong. Although the event was intended to be closed to the media, as Liberal fundraisers tend to be, the controversy and interest prompted organizers to open its doors. Mr. Trudeau spent much of Thursday answering questions on Twitter from people using the #AskJustin hashtag. His answers, however, avoided the flurry of sarcastic and caustic questions posed in response to the invitation. “Answering sarcasm seems to only beget more, and cruder, sarcasm,” Mr. Trudeau said. Organizers, however, responded sharply to the criticism. “Justin Unplugged is an event organized by a group of 20 professional women in Toronto. It is a fundraiser designed by women for women. It was intended to reach women who are not always engaged in the political dialogue by appearing fresh and thought provoking and posing intriguing questions,” said Amanda Alvaro, in a written statement. Justin is to be congratulated at taking on one of the easiest missions, for political point scoring with a politically correct, voting group.
“It does not look like a standard political invitation — that was our goal,” she said. She also dismissed accusations of it being sexist. “These are not sexist questions. These are questions, among others, meant to provoke conversation and inspire interesting dialogue. The intent was not to offend anybody.” Ms. Alvaro said the event was hijacked by partisan, anti-Liberal elements at the last minute. Although distributed more than a month ago, she said, not until Wednesday evening and through the night did people on social media start attacking, complaining and lampooning it. “It is a sad day in politics when an innocuous fundraising event can be twisted by a highly partisan agenda to distract from the pressing issues facing the government,” she said. Proceeds from the event were destined to assist female Liberal candidates through the Judy LaMarsh Fund, named after the federal Liberal cabinet minister. The fund’s mandate, according to the party’s website, is to “work towards true gender equity in Canadian politics.” National Post
Commentary by the Ottawa Mens Centre
All had to do was smile and talk as least as possible. The idea was to be seen to be a listener, dam good posturing and the sign of a typical politician more interested in politics than good policy.
But, at the end of the day, the Liberals spent a pile of money on a YouTube advert that was very classy and at a standard that Stephen Harper will never be able to meet.
The YouTube video showed some real class and intelligence that will go down well with the under 45 voter group.
Now Justin needs to listen to "Fathers" and take a look at the
horrible statistic that 97% of all custody decisions favour mothers.
Justin needs to start addressing the Bias in Family court where fathers and children have no legal rights.
For every man that is destroyed there is a very negative effect on the new wife, the sisters, the aunts, the grand mothers and the little girls who grow up without a daddy.
Justin needs to take a look at the Corrupt Children's Aid Societies of Ontario who habitually fabricate evidence against Male Victims of Domestic Violence and who habitually terminate childrens' relationships with the father to support the most violent mothers around.
Then there are the man hating Rotten Cops like Ottawa Police Detective Peter VanderZander who fabricates evidence NOT to charge violent women and to make custody decisions for the most violent mothers in Ontario.
Justin needs to take a look at the legal profession where lawyers like Marguerite Isobel Lewis of the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa personally fabricates evidence and the Ottawa Police turn a blind eye.
Justin has yet to show any interest in the almost total absence of Father's Rights in Canada.
It's time for Change and Justin needs to remember that now, more than 50% of Canadian Children grow up alienated from their fathers and that is creating a generation of fatherless children who in turn enter life at a higher risk of being dysfunctional adults than children who grow up with a mother and a father or with two separated devoted parents who believe in equal parenting and putting the children first.
OttawaMensCentre.com
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