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Justin Trudeau explains why his gender-equal cabinet is so important in three words

His 15 male and 15 female ministers were sworn in on Wednesday 

Heather Saul
Thursday 05 November 2015 11:42 GMT
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Justin Trudeau's Liberal party was elected to office in November
Justin Trudeau's Liberal party was elected to office in November (Getty )

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David Cameron should take note from Canada’s new Prime Minister, a self-declared feminist who summed up why every cabinet should have gender parity with three very important words: “Because it’s 2015.”

Justin Trudeau was officially sworn into office on Wednesday. His first act as leader was to introduce a completely gender equal cabinet in a move Sheila Copps, the former Canadian deputy prime minister, hailed as a “ historic day for women”.

She told CBC: ”Gender parity in the national Cabinet is huge. It sends a great message to our daughters and sons.”

When a reporter asked why he believed it was so important to have a cabinet with an equal number of men and women, his response was simple.

Female ministers in his cabinet include Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist, who was sworn as the Minister of International Trade, and Maryam Monsef, who fled Afghanistan with her family as a child.

Trudeau hailed his chosen ministers as the advent of “government by Cabinet” and promised a new era of transparency after ten years of Conservative rule that largely shunned the media.

With a CV that includes stints as a snowboard instructor, teacher and a nightclub bouncer, Trudeau has already set himself apart from other world leaders as a more relatable candidate.

He is notably more liberal than his predecessor, with his policies focusing on climate change, the economy, welfare, the refugee crisis and decriminalising cannabis.

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