UPDATE: Alleged victim responds in Justin Trudeau #MeToo allegations, says incident did happen

[Scheme]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/02/americas/justin-trudeau-groping-allegations/index.html

(CNN)Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responded to allegations that he groped a female reporter 18 years ago, saying he doesn't recall "any negative interactions that day at all."

Trudeau, who has long spoken out against sexual harassment, briefly addressed the matter when asked by a reporter on Sunday at an event in Regina, Saskatchewan.
The question concerns a charity fundraiser that Trudeau, then 28, attended in Creston, British Columbia, before he launched his political career. Trudeau is the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
Trudeau attended the fundraiser to support avalanche safety.
An unsigned editorial that appeared at the time in the Creston Valley Advance newspaper said he apologized for inappropriate "handling" of the woman. The editorial did not provide any details, but said Trudeau "blatantly disrespected" the reporter.
The Prime Minister said Sunday: "I remember that day in Creston well ... I had a good day that day; I don't remember any negative interactions that day at all."
Trudeau's office on Monday reiterated his stance.
"As the Prime Minister has said before, he has always been very careful to treat everyone with respect. His first experiences with activism were on the issue of sexual assault at McGill (University), and he knows the importance of being thoughtful and respectful," the office said.
CNN did not contact the reporter because she told CNN partner CBC News that she did not want her name to be used and did not want to be contacted about the story.
The allegation resurfaced last month after Canadian political commentator Warren Kinsella tweeted a picture of the editorial and used the #MeToo hashtag.
Valerie Bourne, former publisher of the Advance, told CBC News that she spoke with the reporter in 2000: "My recollections of the conversation were that she came to me because she was unsettled by it. She didn't like what had happened. She wasn't sure how she should proceed with it because of course we're talking somebody who was known to the Canadian community."
Bourne said, "I would not classify it or qualify it as sexual assault." But she said that Trudeau's alleged actions were "definitely not welcome and definitely inappropriate."
Earlier this year, Trudeau was asked by CBC Radio whether any of his actions could have been misconstrued.
"I don't think so," the Prime Minister said. "I have been very, very careful all my life to be thoughtful, to be respectful of people's space and people's head space as well."
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this year, Trudeau said sexual harassment "is a systemic problem and it is unacceptable."
CNN's Paula Newton contributed to this report.

Trudeau has been hit by the #MeToo campaign, an incident with a reporter claiming he groped a female reporter 18 years ago. I don't know guys, I believe a wise man once said we should always believe the woman in this scenario.

 

[all caps]

Anyone who goes as far out of their way as he does to be all inclusive has most certainly inappropriately touched a few titties in his day. Quit bullshitting us bro.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Claiming to not remember is a terrible response. Trudeau could have groped her, but he does not remember if he did it or not.

 

[LatFlare]

Last time i grabbed some titties i don't remember any negative experiences either.

 

[WaylonMercy5150]

He should just go full retard like the American President and say he grabbed her by the pussy. All the morons would gravitate to him increasing his popularity.

 

[TehJesus]

I'm not surprised, motherfuckers.

 

[241]

Number 1 rule.... deny, deny, deny.

Signs of guilt..... "i don't recall".

 

[Devout Pessimist]

He should just go full retard like the American President and say he grabbed her by the pussy. All the morons would gravitate to him increasing his popularity.

It would not work as well for Trudeau because Trump has never genuinely denied being a scumbag. Trudeau would get hit harder because of his endless talk about being a feminist and his obsession with trying to please everyone. The only thing Trudeau has is his image.

 

[nostradumbass]

Well he doesn't remember grabbing pussies, so case closed I guess.

 

[TheGreatA]

I guess I should just take his word for it.

 

[FierceRedBelt]

I once put my hand at my side while backing up at the exact moment a chick walked by and landed right on her ass. To make things worse this was the stuck up Russian princess I worked with who was a total bitch to me. She didn't say a word but I wonder if she's just laying in wait to #MeToo my ass the day I become a famous billionaire.

 

[jamel]

I dread the day I slap a woman on the ass in the store thinking she's my wife....

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

There was a story in the paper about this incident shortly after it was alleged to have happened. (The encounter was alleged to have happened on Aug 4, 2000. This editorial about the incident is from Aug 14, 2000) Of course this doesn't mean the allegations are true, but it certainly undercuts the notion that Trudeau doesn't remember them.

 

[A Very Serious Cat]

It's often the creeps that claim to be male feminists to try and get close to women and get them to let their gaurd down

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Maclean's Magazine:

Why Justin Trudeau’s reported ‘Kokanee Grope’ really matters
Anne Kingston: The prime minister’s woefully inadequate response ‘detonates his credibility as an authority on sexual assault’

It matters not only because touching someone without consent is bad, disrespectful and potentially criminal behaviour. It warrants attention because Trudeau’s woefully inadequate 2018 response detonates his credibility as an authority on sexual assault sensitivity and awareness, and raises questions about his perceived privilege.

Trudeau’s image in the mass media over the years has been “dreamboat,” not “creep.” After #MeToo exploded, however, it was open season on past behaviour. And no one was leading that rallying cry more than Canada’s self-declared feminist PM who’d declared a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment, assault and misbehaviour.

...any admission on the Prime Minister’s part would subject him to the high standards of behaviour he demands from others. The fact he refuses to make himself accountable to those very standards is why the “Kokanee Grope” matters.

 

[Amerikuracana]

So he made a move.. Ok.

Guys generally initiate sex, I mean, that's how it's done. If she was a reporter, who was being professional, you need to not go for it there. That's the wrong thing. I don't care much about these allegations unless they are forced penetration, close to that, and within a couple years in time. Nobody cares.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

So he made a move.. Ok.

Guys generally initiate sex, I mean, that's how it's done. If she was a reporter, who was being professional, you need to not go for it there. That's the wrong thing. I don't care much about these allegations unless they are forced penetration, close to that, and within a couple years in time. Nobody cares.

The problem for Trudeau is that he aggressively set the "Listen and Believe" standard that is now biting him in the ass. He has been very vocal about believing the victim and pushing for a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment.

From the CBC:

Trudeau has boxed himself in with his own zero-tolerance policy on sexual misconduct: Robyn Urback

In the current climate, denying the claim is akin to saying, "She's lying," which is a taboo phrase for the leader of a government that has made believing women central to its approach to sexual misconduct allegations.

If the allegation is true, on the other hand, Trudeau can't simply explain, apologize and attempt to move on. It would look like he afforded himself leniency that he'd denied to members of his caucus who were accused of misconduct.

So the prime minister is stuck: he can't confirm or deny. As a result, his office opted for the most unsatisfactory of all possible responses, telling the National Post that Trudeau does not recall any "negative interactions" in Creston during that time. In other words, Canada's highest-profile women's rights advocate has been stricken by a convenient bout of amnesia.

Trudeau has essentially boxed himself in with his own zero-tolerance policy. He has made clear, over and over again, that there is no time limit on defending women's rights or for standing up for what is right. This is the climate that Trudeau helped create. He can't forget that now.

 

[TheGreatA]

There was a story in the paper about this incident shortly after it was alleged to have happened. (The encounter was alleged to have happened on Aug 4, 2000. This editorial about the incident is from Aug 14, 2000) Of course this doesn't mean the allegations are true, but it certainly undercuts the notion that Trudeau doesn't remember them.

"Amid a spate of resignations by Canadian politicians prompted by allegations of sexual harassment and assault, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the CBC about his zero-tolerance approach to sexual misconduct.

When asked by the reporter, “As you look back into your own career, is there a chance at some point that your actions might not have been construed the way they were intended?” Trudeau responded:

“I don’t think so. I’ve been very, very careful all my life to be thoughtful, to be respectful of people’s space and people’s headspace as well.”

Despite this statement of confidence in his own actions, Trudeau said he is subject to the same zero-tolerance policy he applies to everyone else.

“The standard applies to everyone,” he said. “There is no context in which someone doesn’t have responsibility for things they’ve done in the past. This is something that I’m not new to. I’ve been working on issues around sexual assault for over 25 years. My first activism and engagement was at the sexual assault centre at McGill students’ society where I was one of the first male facilitators in their outreach program leading conversations—sometimes very difficult ones—on the issues of consent, communications, accountability, power dynamics.” The CBC interview will air on Saturday."

http://www.flare.com/news/justin-trudeau-metoo/

It seems like this could be a very good chance for Trudeau to show that he leads by example.

 

[Lord Commander Palis]

Good. Nuke Trudeau and keep bombing the left, bring them all down and their fakeness for being pro-women, pro-minority, pro-whatever the fuck that means bs.

 

[Fedorable]

I once put my hand at my side while backing up at the exact moment a chick walked by and landed right on her ass. To make things worse this was the stuck up Russian princess I worked with who was a total bitch to me. She didn't say a word but I wonder if she's just laying in wait to #MeToo my ass the day I become a famous billionaire.

in high school we were walking through the halls of an all black high school for a sporting event and some student purposely walked into me, so I pushed him pretty hard to the side and as I turned back forward, I accidentally grabbed this girl's titties with both hands. Luckily I didn't start a riot.