Premier Brian Pallister came under fire after making remarks about the female chair of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce’s outfit instead of her presentation.
Pallister addressed a crowd of nearly 1,200 high-profile business leaders on Thursday to speak about the state of the province.
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But, it’s what he said very early on in his speech about Johanna Hurme, the chair of the Chamber of Commerce, that has stuck with Manitobans a day later.
“I want to thank Johanna for dressing up. I want to thank her for those heels. I noticed they’re a foot high,” Pallister said on Thursday.
Gender Studies Professor at the University of Manitoba, Jocelyn Thorpe, said it’s sad but she’s not surprised to hear this from a male leader, but she hopes it is a lesson learned on his part.
“It’s incumbent on all of us to think before we speak and then to think ‘OK is what I’m about to say.”‘ Thorpe said. “Whether I mean it to be sexist or not, is it going to come across that way.”
Later on Thursday, Premier Pallister issued a statement in response to what he had said in his speech.
The statement read:
“I want to address comments that I made to Johanna Hurme, a woman for whom I have the greatest regard and respect, at the outset of my Winnipeg Chamber Commerce speech.
Given my tall stature, I am particularly aware of my height and often make light-hearted comments about being taller than the people around me.
I made an awkward reference to Johanna’s high heels in that context.
I can see how they could be easily misconstrued.
That was never my intention and I meant no offense of any kind to Johanna.”
READ MORE: Manitoba premier comments on Winnipeg chamber chair’s appearance, high heels
On Friday, in a statement of her own, Hurme had this to say:
Johanna Statement by Jesse Ferreras on Scribd
While she didn’t think Pallister’s comments were ill-intended, she said the “national attention that the incident has created since yesterday highlights a much bigger issue that I cannot ignore on behalf of all women, young girls and progressive men in the audience — and now across our country.”
She said his comments should be called out and addressed, especially as they came after she delivered a business content-filled presentation on sprawl and infrastructure.
Gender Studies Prof. Jocelyn Thorpe, said the premier needed to issue an apology, not just a statement.
“The point he should have made is I respect women. Women can be politicians, women are people who have ideas, women are not the same thing as their bodies,” Thorpe said.
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