NDP Dumps Transgendered Candidate
The federal New Democratic Party has dropped their only transgendered candidate, Ms. Micheline Montreuil, from her Québec City riding.
Party officials contend that Ms. Montreuil’s dismissal was over her tendency to play solo instead of work as a team for the next election, but Montreuil—a lawyer—claims she was dumped from the party over her gender identity.
Raymond Guardia, the co-chair of Québec’s election planning committee, said that’s utter nonsense:
If [gender identity] was an issue in our party, then she wouldn’t have been nominated in the first place.
What we have witnessed since her nomination is that she has been a bit of a lone player, and as we get ready for an election, we need candidates who aren’t playing alone.
Frankly, I believe Raymond. While I don’t want to understate the very real discrimination that transgendered people face on a day-to-day basis, Ms. Montreuil has a history of blaming work-related problems on her gender identity and it strikes me as unlikely that the NDP—of all parties—would dump a candidate over this.
Here’s what Ms. Montreuil told the media:
They just said I do not fit in the NDP anymore. They also told me [that] many people who wish to be a candidate for the NDP do not wish to have their name associated with the name of Micheline Montreuil, because I am transgendered.
Would an image-conscious political party that prides itself on inclusion, diversity, and tolerance outright say that? And to a lawyer? Colour me skeptical.
Ms. Montreuil was awarded $40,000 by a human rights tribunal last month after she wasn’t hired as a grievance officer for the Canadian Forces back in 2003. She also won a case in 2004 after the National Bank didn’t hire her as a customer service rep.
- NDP dumped her for being transgendered, lawyer says [The Record]
- NDP pulls two Quebec candidates from roster [Toronto Star]
- Transgendered lawyer dumped as NDP candidate [Globe and Mail]
