McKenna’s ‘climate Barbie’ exchange generates strong reaction

MONTREAL — There was no shortage of reaction from social media users on Saturday to Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s decision to call out a conservative site that had repeatedly referred to her as “climate Barbie.” McKenna received hundreds of messages of support from citizens and fellow politicians after she pushed reporter Christopher Wilson during a news conference for a commitment that The Rebel will stop using the term in its articles and on social media. Liberal MP Seamus O’Regan and NDP MP Nathan Cullen were among several politicians who congratulated McKenna on Saturday for taking a stand against what Cullen called misogynistic language. “Good on @cathmckenna for staring down misogynistic ‘Rebel’ media,” Cullen wrote on his Twitter attack. “Words matter & cheap, sexist attacks 2b challenged.”

Paul Dewar, the former NDP MP who lost his seat to McKenna in the last election, also tweeted support for his former rival and criticized those who use “demeaning language.” The exchange occurred as Wilson asked McKenna a question about hydroelectricity at a news conference in Vancouver on Friday.

“So you’re the Rebel Media that happens to call me ‘climate Barbie.’ I certainly hope that you will no longer use that hashtag,” McKenna said. Wilson eventually replied that he would not personally use the name but did not have editorial control over others.