Kim Campbell

As Hurricane Dorian approached, Campbell wrote that she was 'rooting for a direct hit on Mar-a-Lago', Donald Trump's property. The message provoked outrage because of the risk to human life associated with a major hurricane.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Campbell stated on social media that female television presenters wearing sleeveless dresses undermined their credibility and were perceived differently from men wearing suits. Her remarks prompted a strong response, particularly from journalists who considered them sexist or patronising.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Violence committed by Canadian soldiers in Somalia and subsequent revelations of documents being destroyed or altered triggered a prolonged accountability crisis at the Defence Ministry, which Campbell had briefly led in 1993. Opponents accused her government of minimising or concealing the scale of the problem.

State of the evidence

Documented

A portrait of Campbell, then Justice Minister, photographed with bare shoulders, sparked national controversy over the dignity of public office, media sexism and the treatment of female politicians.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

Attribution

Personally implicated

During the 1993 campaign, Campbell stated that it was unrealistic to expect a dramatic fall in unemployment before the end of the decade. Perceived as pessimistic and politically ill-judged during a recession, the statement was exploited by her opponents and marked her campaign.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Campbell's response about the difficulty of fundamentally reforming social programmes during a campaign lasting only 47 days was condensed in media coverage into the suggestion that elections were not the time to discuss serious issues. The phrase seriously damaged her credibility.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

A Progressive Conservative advertisement showing extreme close-ups of Jean Chrétien's face, affected by facial paralysis, was widely condemned as mocking and discriminatory. The outcry forced the party to withdraw it.

As Justice Minister, Campbell led Bill C-17, which tightened several rules governing the acquisition and possession of firearms. The legislation faced strong opposition from gun owners' groups, while some supporters of stricter controls considered it insufficient.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Following the Morgentaler judgment, Campbell introduced Bill C-43, which would have recriminalised abortion where a doctor did not consider the procedure necessary for the woman's health. The compromise was attacked by both anti-abortion and pro-choice movements; after narrowly passing the House, it was defeated by a tied vote in the Senate.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility