In response to the increasing sexism on the floor of the House of Commons, a group of women in the Parliamentary Press Gallery started a non-partisan evening for parliamentarians and journalists and Hill staffers. It is mostly for women, but men can join the gang for an evening of civility and fun. Mike Duffy was in the hallway when I finally got there -- running late from an excellent speech by Thomas Homer Dixon at a Green Ottawa Centre event.
The Hill does have super women journalists, but they are hardly a majority and only Susan Delacourt of the Toronto Star is the bureau chief for a bureau with more than one person (Liz Thompson being Bureau Chief for the Montreal Gazette within which she is the only staffer.) Julie Van Dusen is all over chasing down MPs who do not want to answer real questions. Jennifer Ditchburn is keen and smart and they were all there last night.
I ran into some old friends and got quite a lot of double takes as Rona Ambrose and I greeted each other warmly. I always felt she was badly treated. She was only delivering Harper’s policies and taking orders. Don Martin from the National Post was so amazed that women can get along despite strong policy differences. I am not sure he is right, but he thinks men would not be able to be so civil after public wars. He wanted a picture with both of us.
Who says Green politics cannot be different?