From the Star:
TORONTO – Ontario’s environment minister is under attack from neighbours over plans to build a two-storey garage.
A complaint was filed with the Ontario Municipal Board arguing the garage would dwarf neighbouring properties and could damage a large tree.
But Laurel Broten says the plans call for the garage to be built without harming that tree.
Broten says her family has four cars – a hybrid, a fuel-efficient SUV and two sports cars belonging to her husband.
I’m holding Broten personally responsible for the red palm-shaped mark on my forehead. Feel free to add your own snaky comment/punch line to the comments section. Of all the possibilities, I can’t decide which one’s my favourite.
Also, I’ m pretty sure we can safely add “fuel-efficient SUV” to the oxymoron list.
The pieces I read did not interview the husband. I feel that there’s a certain form of patriarchy in only attacking Mme Broten and leaving him out of the story, given that the sports cars are owned by him.
Don’t get me wrong. I dislike SUVs as well and four cars is quite alot. But, how much of a say did she have to build or not to build the garage in the first place? Or even that SUV?
Giving her the benefit of doubt introduced by those questions related to gender power structures, I’m afraid you can only hold yourself responsible for the red palm-shaped mark on your forehead. :-)
Julien Lamarche – Ottawa-Vanier GPC candidate
Interesting perspective. However, the absurdity of the story is not just that a family would own four cars or build a double-garage, but that an environment minister would do so. That’s why she’s open to more public criticism than her husband; not because she’s a woman, but because she’s an elected official and he isn’t.
With respect to reality of enduring gender inequalities and power structures in our society, wouldn’t it be a patriarchal perspective that began with the assumption that Minister Broten wasn’t an equal partner in her own home’s decision making?
“Wouldn’t it be a patriarchal perspective that began with the assumption that Minister Broten wasn’t an equal partner in her own home’s decision making?”
I’m not assuming that the relation is unequal either. I’m only saying that we do not know who had more say in the decision of building the garage or buying the cars. Hence, they should both be interviewed equally or at least there should be an effort to do so by the media.