Canadian Environment Minister calls out Rebel Media’s sexism, writer lies about it

Catherine McKenna

I’m going to let you (my presumed majoritarily American readership) in on a little secret: Some Canadians are assholes, too. It’s true! PZ Myers is dismayed to note that we have obliviously hypocritical conservative politicians and privacy-violating censorious fascists amidst our ranks – not too dissimilar from the US populace. And whilst our media is notably cleaner than our southern neighbor’s, there are those who are trying to change that, and they’re particularly aggravated at the Canadian Environment Minister, who’s both a believer in sound climate science and, worse, a woman:

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna pounced on a Rebel Media reporter at the closing news conference of the environment ministers' meeting in Vancouver on Friday demanding his organization stop calling her a "climate Barbie."

The exchange began when Rebel Media's B.C. bureau chief Christopher Wilson asked the minister what she thought the role was for hydro electricity in the province.

"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 responded saying that he did not use that term personally, adding that he did not have editorial control over what Rebel Media decides to publish.

"Me personally yes, but I don't have control over others," Wilson said.

I’m not sure which is more embarrassing: that he associates with an outlet that engages in sexist name-calling, or that he does the same and then turns around and pretends otherwise like a coward.

Climate barbie is good for bureaucrats, the tax payers disadvantage. https://t.co/5QOEhg6jVN

— Christopher Wilson (@VanCity_Chris) March 11, 2017

Being a misogynistic asshat is bad enough. Lying about it when you’ve posted it publicly under your name is just stupid and pathetic.

Misogyny, stupidity, dishonesty … I think we have the makings of a Canadian Breitbart, here.

As a sidenote, notice how whenever a sexist shitlord is called out, a common trope is that their behavior sets a bad example for young girls. I have to wonder why that argument is necessary – shouldn’t the fact that it’s shitty and sexist be enough?