Jean Leads the Way in Canada
Sisters are doin’ it, y’all!
Canada’s Governor General Michaelle Jean, the commander-in-chief of our northern neighbor’s military, visits war-ravaged Afghanistan, discusses policy with President Hamid Karzai and meets with Afghan women on International Women’s Day.
The question of whether women could be effective world leaders was answered long ago. But despite Jean’s powerful position, it seems there are still political (chauvanist? racial?) barriers for the African-Canadian leader to overcome.
Last year sources told The Canadian Press that Jean, who is commander-in-chief of Canada’s armed forces, had asked and was twice denied permission to visit Afghanistan because of security concerns.
That was despite visits by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor.
Former governor general Adrienne Clarkson visited Canadian troops in Kabul on New Year’s Day 2005.
