Insult from MLA was gender-based: Wynne
• Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has suggested she was insulted in Alberta’s l egislature last week because she is a woman.
Wynne received a hostile welcome from members of the province’s opposition Wildrose party during a visit hosted by Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.
Most Wildrose MLAs refused to stand when Notley introduced Wynne, before one MLA attacked Ontario as a debt-ridden basket case while Wynne sat in the gallery.
Notley and many observers labelled Wildrose’s behaviour as inappropriate and even rude. The controversy escalated Friday, when the same MLA, Derek Fildebrandt, posted a comment on social media saying he was “proud to have constituents like you” after one directed a homophobic slur at Wynne. Wynne is openly gay.
Facing a significant backlash, Wildrose suspended Fildebrandt from caucus and apologized to Wynne for her treatment i n the legislature.
Appearing on stage at the federal Liberal convention in Winnipeg on Saturday, Wynne was asked whether she accepted Wildrose’s apology. Wynne responded by first talking about how women in politics face different challenges than men.
“Yes, I accept the apology,” she continued. “But I think that it was an interesting confluence of things. It was a woman premier in Alberta. I’m there as a woman, we’re talking about climate change. And I think the attack, the viciousness of the attack, had a particular quality to it.”
Wynne was then asked whether Wildrose would have reacted the same way if she was a man, or if Fildebrandt had been a woman.
“I think the standards are different,” she said.
“I think that the expectation of behaviour is different.
“Are there vicious women in politics? Yes. That’s just a reality. I would hope, certainly in Ontario, any visi ting dignitary would be treated differently. I would hope there would be a different tone.”
VICIOUSNESS OF THE ATTACK HAD A PARTICULAR QUALITY TO IT.