Facts matter. Truth matters
On June 13, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland received the 2018 Diplomat of the Year Award by Foreign Policy Magazine. Although her victory speech was seen as a response to the ongoing trade feud over tariffs between Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump, following last week’s G7 Summit in Quebec, it was this statement from her speech that dominated most of the headlines:
"Facts matter. Truth matters. Competence and honesty, among elected leaders and in our public service, matter."
Yes, yes and yes. All three matter greatly.
She said it, but does she really believe it?
Last week, during a meeting of the standing committee on foreign affairs and international development, Minister Freeland was asked a very simple question by Conservative MP Garnett Genius:
“The budget gave $5 million to Marie Stopes International. Is the government confident that Marie Stopes International does not break the law in countries where it operates?”
A yes or no would do, but instead of answering the question, Minister Freeland decided to reply with an arrogant and condescending speech on abortion being ‘an absolute right of women’, asserting her and her prime minister’s unapologetic support for ‘sexual and reproductive rights’, (an umbrella term for abortion on demand), in Canada and around the world. See video here
Canadians deserve competence and honesty from their elected leaders, they deserve facts and the truth. Apparently, not from our Foreign Affairs Minister.