Freeland's letter didn't mention gender, but Trudeau faces 'phony feminism' attacks anyway

The day he took office for his "sunny" first term, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared in front of Ottawa's Rideau Hall to present the first gender-balanced cabinet in Canadian history. He gave his succinct "because it's 2015" explanation — a remark that became integral to his then-favourable political brand.

Standing in the front row, just behind his right shoulder, was freshly minted Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland. 

After years as one of Trudeau's most valuable, versatile political allies, Freeland stunned Ottawa on Monday by abruptly resigning from cabinet. Her thorough resignation letter made no indication her decision was rooted in gender dynamics, but gender became part of the conversation about her departure and Trudeau's future anyway.

A former Liberal minister and political scientists say they weren't surprised — largely because the issues of gender and feminism have been part of the Trudeau Liberals' brand from the very beginning.

Freeland said she felt she had to quit because the prime minister had lost faith in her ability as finance minister and wanted to assign her a new role, after she fought decisions that widened the deficit well beyond what she'd previously promised.

Dominic Leblanc was sworn in as her replacement later Monday.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the entire situation was an example of Trudeau's "hypocrisy" on feminism.

"Just blame Chrystia Freeland and make her wear it all. Some feminist," Poilievre said at a news conference in Mississauga, Ont., on Tuesday.

"The same week as Trudeau was insulting Americans for not electing a woman president, he was busy throwing his own woman deputy prime minister under the bus to replace her with a man."

Prominent Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner asked how any woman in that caucus could "defend that man instead of calling for an election now," while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Trudeau needed to start proving himself if he was going to keep declaring himself "to be such a supporter of women."

MP Melissa Lantsman referred to an "old boys' club" being in charge.

"It's time for credible leadership in the seriousness of this moment, not the fake feminism of this phony prime minister," said Lantsman, who represents the Conservatives in the Thornhill riding. 

The Trudeau government has enacted a number of policies and changes to women's benefit: Ten-dollar-a-day child care, increased maternity leave and drawing a hard line at saying Liberal MPs and candidates had to be pro-choice. Trudeau's gender-balanced cabinet included women who held high-profile roles like finance, defence and foreign affairs.

Some women have also stuck with Trudeau for years. Katie Telford has been his only chief-of-staff, while other prime ministers like Stephen Harper, Jean Chrétien and Brian Mulroney went through four or five.