On senator’s appalling acts, feminist Trudeau M.I.A.

Until Friday, the prime minister was having a great week burnishing his feminist credentials. But after flooding everyone with press releases on women’s rights, making various appearances for International Women’s Day and even announcing $650 million for reproductive rights, the best Justin Trudeau could muster Friday about an official report on a senator’s sexual misbehaviour was this: “It is not for me to weigh in on how the Senate should continue to conduct itself.” Instead, Trudeau merely allowed that politicians should be worthy of public trust.

What brought about the prime minister’s unexpected blush of reticence on this important matter? His political relationship with the Red Chamber, it seems.

This repugnant case centres on one-time Conservative Sen. Don Meredith (who stepped out of that caucus in 2015 when sex allegations first surfaced, and who now sits as an independent).

The Senate ethics officer this week concluded that Meredith violated the chamber’s code of ethics by using the “weight, prestige and notability of his office” to maintain a sexual relationship with a teenage girl.

Lyse Ricard’s long-awaited report said Meredith used not only his position as a senator but his inherent authority as an older adult to take advantage of the teen.

There were explicitly sexual phone chats and he had sex with her at least once before she turned 18, Ricard concluded.

Sen. Peter Harder, the government’s representative in the Senate, on Friday demanded Meredith resign.

Several other politicians did too. But the prime minister?

Since 2013, when the Mike Duffy Senate expenses affair erupted, Trudeau has distanced himself from Senate scandals (of which there has been no shortage).

He kicked all Liberal senators out of his caucus in 2014, and, except for appointing Harder the government representative there, has maintained with a straight face that the Senate is none of his business.

Except that it is, since bills must pass both the House of Commons and the Senate.

After taking power, his government worked out a new process to pick senators.

The prime minister is — and must be — deeply engaged with the Senate, or else it is beholden to no one and hence unaccountable.

As a moral leader and a self-described feminist, Mr. Trudeau needs to speak out.

We’ve no doubt that, like the rest of us, he is disturbed about Meredith’s behaviour. Young women look up to this prime minister. He must articulate what everyone feels.