[OUR VIEW] Yes, gender balance is long overdue

All eyes will be on Ottawa today as the country learns the makeup of Justin Trudeau’s new cabinet.

It’s an important move for the new prime minister, as it sets an early tone for his new regime and sends a message to Canadians about which regions of the country and which portfolios are being given weight by this incoming government.

Perhaps the most compelling feature of this new cabinet is the Trudeau pledge that, for the first time ever, the cabinet will be gender balanced. The pledge to name a cabinet that’s at least half female has raised mixed responses.

Some have argued the move is long overdue and that it’s past time for our government to more accurately reflect the makeup of the population.

Others have said the move is insulting and patronizes women by suggesting that Trudeau may have to give some sort of wishy-washy, “pat-on-the-head” appointments just to appeal to a false idea of equality.

Yet others have argued the move is inherently problematic because the leader should simply choose the best candidates for the job, regardless of their gender.

For the record, we’re squarely in the first camp. Canada is not a country of middle-class, middle-aged, straight white guys – and it’s time our cabinet stopped looking like we are.

To suggest Trudeau should simply choose the “best candidates” for the job is to overlook the myriad factors that already come into play when naming ministers: where ministers come from and what languages they speak are already important factors in setting up a cabinet that reflects the country it serves.

Gender balance is just one more step in that direction.

Yes, the makeup of cabinet – and of Parliament at large – is slowly evolving over time.

Arguably, it would get to a position of gender balance on its own eventually, in some hypothetical future when women have exactly the same opportunities as their male counterparts and face no extra barriers to political participation.

The fact is, sometimes we simply can’t wait for evolution. If we waited for some kind of hypothetical natural evolution to take care of things, women and non-white people would still be patiently waiting for those aforementioned middle-aged white guys to give them the right to vote.

Sometimes, a government has to step up and say: We’re doing this because it’s right, and because it’s time.

Kudos to Trudeau for recognizing that – and for acting accordingly.