The sound of cameras going off nearly drowned out Isabelle Hudon’s speech for the Gender Equality Council breakfast as American President Donald Trump arrived late for the meeting meal today during the Quebec City G7 summit, the Indian Express reports.
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, leader of the host nation currently embroiled in a trade dispute with the current U.S. administration, appeared to gently scold President Trump for his tardiness, calling the meeting to order with the American leader absent. Stating that it was time to begin the business of the day without waiting for any “stragglers,” clearly aimed at President Trump. Trudeau proceeded to make a short series of introductory remarks to those officials present.
Security staff attached to the president had to make way for him to be properly seated, forcing a further pause of Trudeau’s prepared speech. French President Emmanuel Macron gazed in surprise or bemusement as President Trump took his seat nearly 20 minutes late to the affair.
Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, is considered politically strong on women’s issues and gender equity positions. Trudeau made a commitment to gender parity in his cabinet, which he fulfilled upon election, putting 15 women and 15 men together as ministers with full portfolios, Global News reported. He also dropped Canada’s first “feminist” budget with financial supports for increased parental leave, pay equity and employment opportunity, as Bloomberg revealed.
For his part, President Trump has presided over an economy with very low unemployment for women, according to the Concord Monitor , and hired a female campaign manager that saw him win the presidency, as CBS News reported – in line with his previous proclivity to promote competent women to positions of power, according to PBS .
Both men have had recent brushes with scandal on the topic of their relationship with women in their lives, with President Trump still weathering the Stormy Daniels allegations and a bombshell report resurfacing this week that alleges a young Justin Trudeau groped a young, female journalist years ago, according to a Buzzfeed report.
As for the motive behind the late arrival, nothing so nefarious was offered up. MSNBC reports that the reason for President Trump’s late arrival was that he was engaged in a separate G7 meeting with his own staff.
President Trump arrived late to the Gender Equality Advisory Council breakfast at the G7 summit in Canada this morning. @kwelkernbc explains why the president was running behind schedule. pic.twitter.com/C3MYxxIMgF
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 9, 2018
Regardless of the reason behind it, the brief interruption of the working breakfast was slightly disruptive and another sign of political distancing unfolding between the American leadership and those of some other G7 nations. Not all of the Group of Seven nations sought to chastise Trump during the conference, however.
Newly minted Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte backed President Trump’s bid to re-admit Russia back into the fold, according to The Local , and seemed very congenial while speaking in person to the commander-in-chief.
President Trump departed the G7 meeting today, en route to Singapore to participate in the historic peace summit between the leaders of the United States, South Korea, and North Korea.
