{"id":267879,"date":"2020-02-03T21:30:07","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T02:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/issues\/do-you-need-to-punch-to-be-prime-minister\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T22:49:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T02:49:16","slug":"do-you-need-to-punch-to-be-prime-minister","status":"publish","type":"issues","link":"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/fr\/2020\/02\/do-you-need-to-punch-to-be-prime-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you need to punch to be prime minister?"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most poignant moments in political leadership occurred nearly a year ago, in the aftermath of the devastating hate murders of 50 people. New Zealand\u2019s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern publicly exhorted citizens to \u201cspeak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them<\/a>,\u201d referring to the gunman who opened fire at two mosques in that country. Ardern made her way swiftly into the community, hugging the heartbroken, vowing action on gun control, and speaking of the values of kindness and diversity<\/a>. Empathy and resolve appeared to be the superpowers of this young world leader.<\/p>\n

So, what do we make of the bellicose discourse around political leadership in Canada in 2020?<\/p>\n

The putative frontrunner in the Conservative Party\u2019s leadership race, Peter MacKay, told the National Post<\/em> <\/a>\u00a0that he\u2019d \u201crather fight (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) UFC rules. Or on the ice \u2014 no headgear, no gloves.\u201d (Ultimate Fighting Championship is a combat sport<\/a> that can include choking, shots to a rival\u2019s liver, body slams and \u201cgrounding and pounding\u201d an opponent who is in an inferior position.)<\/p>\n

Back in 2012, Trudeau himself used a charity boxing match with Senator Patrick Brazeau to build a winning \u201cnarrative\u201d about himself<\/a>). MacKay said recently<\/a> that \u201c(Trudeau) does yoga, I play hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another Conservative contender, Erin O\u2019Toole, bragged during his launch that \u201cI speak like a soldier, not a diplomat<\/a>,\u201d possibly a play on a quote<\/a> also used by the often pugilistic captain of the Starship Enterprise. (What does a soldier speak like anyway?)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Conservative MP Erin O\u2019Toole stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Oct. 17, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sean Kilpatrick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mixed martial arts, boxing, hockey, soldiering \u2013 all things that women can and do excel at, of course, but they\u2019re presented in these political contexts as old-school alpha-male credentials. In their study of masculinity in the 2015 election<\/a>, scholars Kyle Kirkup and Jerald Sabin listed characteristics that are often associated with the ideal male politician. They include aggressiveness, competitiveness, confidence, strength, and stoicism. Even during the 2019 campaign, Trudeau returned to the boxing ring<\/a> shortly before heading into a French-language debate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile a limited number of men are able to embody this ideal version of masculinity, it is the standard against which all others \u2014 including women and less masculine men \u2014 are judged,\u201d Sabin wrote.<\/p>\n

\n

Justin Trudeau stopped by the Academy De Combat Ultime Ness Martial in Montreal Wednesday morning to get in some training with boxing coach Ali Nestor.#cdnpoli<\/a> #elxn43<\/a><\/p>\n

MORE: https:\/\/t.co\/QhYxB49nxy<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qbH2GFrKKU<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) October 2, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The weird thing is that MacKay, O\u2019Toole and Trudeau are not macho meatheads in person \u2013 they\u2019re three decent, middle-aged dads. Still, they\u2019re helping to circulate an outdated message \u2013 that political leadership is about being good at combat \u2013 relishing the opportunity to throw actual or verbal punches at your opponent. I understand how this appeared to be an essential attribute in the recent on-ice dust-up between Kassian and Tkachuk<\/a>, but, please, in the House of Commons? Civility, integrity, a cool head \u2013 but not one devoid of emotion. That\u2019s what we should want in the Commons.<\/p>\n

Last year, 338 young women sat in the House of Commons as \u201cDaughters of the Vote<\/a>,\u201d an Equal Voice initiative designed to connect emerging leaders with political institutions. Some of them might one day end up in those seats as parliamentarians. Rather than wonder if they\u2019ll one day \u201center the ring,\u201d we should look for a different language around leadership \u2013 one that doesn\u2019t equate toughness with pugnacity. As author Jill Filipovic wrote in The<\/em> New York Times<\/em><\/a>, echoing Joan Didion, \u201cthe virtues of self-respect \u2014 toughness, moral nerve, character<\/em> \u2014 have never been \u2026 male-only business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo: Liberal leader Justin Trudeau boxes with Ali Nestor, boxing champion and founder of the Les princes de la rue organisation, while working out on October 2, 2019 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Ryan Remiorz<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Do you have something to say about the article you just read? Be part of the\u00a0<\/em>Policy Options\u00a0discussion, and send in your own submission.\u00a0Here is a\u00a0<\/em>link<\/em><\/a>\u00a0on how to do it.\u00a0<\/em>|\u00a0Souhaitez-vous r\u00e9agir \u00e0 cet article ?\u00a0<\/em>Joignez-vous aux d\u00e9bats d\u2019<\/em>Options politiques\u00a0et soumettez-nous votre texte en suivant ces\u00a0<\/em>directives<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the most poignant moments in political leadership occurred nearly a year ago, in the aftermath of the devastating hate murders of 50 people. New Zealand\u2019s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern publicly exhorted citizens to \u201cspeak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them,\u201d referring to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":241890,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-10-08T02:49:19Z","apple_news_api_id":"64e0740f-48de-43f6-b3d7-a3f22b383b8a","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-10-08T02:49:19Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AZOB0D0jeQ_az16PyKzg7ig","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[9385,9358,9372],"tags":[8623,8496],"article-status":[],"irpp-category":[4348,4295],"section":[],"irpp-tag":[7136,7122],"class_list":["post-267879","issues","type-issues","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medias-et-culture","category-politique","category-recent-stories-fr","tag-political-branding-fr","tag-sexualized-violence-fr","irpp-category-egalite-des-genres","irpp-category-politique","irpp-tag-medias-et-culture","irpp-tag-violence-liee-au-genre"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nDo you need to punch to be prime minister?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/policyoptions.irpp.org\/fr\/2020\/02\/do-you-need-to-punch-to-be-prime-minister\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Do you need to punch to be prime minister?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One of the most poignant moments in political leadership occurred nearly a year ago, in the aftermath of the devastating hate murders of 50 people. 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