Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Appoints Gender-Equal Cabinet

[Dhrizzle]

If the main idea is to represent the population and not just to hire the most qualified people, then adding one more criteria to the list could be ok.
This breaks the selection process based on qualifications, but it seems like you don't actually have one, so there is nothing to be broken.

It depends what you mean by qualifications. Some in the Cabinet will be incumbent party's senior members and will have experience of the political systems they'll be working with, a background in law also seems to be quite common. Some Cabinet members will be particularly suited to representing their department. Harjit Sajjan, the Minister of National Defense, is a decorated and respected veteran. The incredibly qualified Carla Quatrough, the Minister for Sports and Persons with Disabilties, is a visually impaired Paralympian who has studied political science and earned a law degree. The new Minister for Transport, Marc Garneau, is an astronaut which comes across as a bit of a joke (though he does have a long background in politics.)

So they're not just scouring Canada with a diversity checklist and "hiring" whoever ticks the right boxes, but the qualifications for the Cabinet are loose enough to allow appointments with an eye towards representing the diverse nature of the Canadian public.

[Deleted]

Firstly congratulations on living in a country that achieved equality between the sexes so long ago. Unfortunately many other countries (including Canada) only managed to achieve legal parity in the past century so shedding the cultural baggage is taking a little longer.

I do wonder why you think equal representation is "revenge" though, surely that would entail complete prohibition on male MPs and even full exclusion from the electoral process.

Why I think so? Becuase it ignores reason of merit for the sake of nirvana wish thinking to the point of open hostility that can be seen in first world nowadays.

[haxartus]

It depends what you mean by qualifications.

Well, it would be cool if the finance minister has, you know, a finance degree ?

[Dhrizzle]

Well, it would be cool if the finance minister has, you know, a finance degree ?

M.Sc. in economics and an MBA good enough for you?

[haxartus]

Sounds reasonable.

[SodiumChloride]

Hmmm ...

What happens if a male minister has to resign, say for health reasons, this means only a male MP can replace him even though there might be a more qualified female MP.

This seem sexist to both genders ...

[Deleted]

Why isn't this guy an underwear model? Srsly, he would do a much better job.