'I was just joking!' Justin Trudeau explains his 'peoplekind' interruption

Ella Wills8 February 2018

Justin Trudeau has said he was just making a "dumb joke" when he interrupted a woman during a Q&A session to tell her to use the word "peoplekind" instead of "mankind".

The Canadian Prime Minister said: "I made a dumb joke a few days ago that seems to have gone a little viral."

It came after Mr Trudeau, who has embarked on a four-day US tour, faced backlash for his response to a woman at MacEwan University in Edmonton.

He was speaking to the woman about religious charities in Canada last Thursday, who said her organisation was having difficulty with volunteering regulations in the country.

Asking Mr Trudeau to look into the matter the woman said: "Maternal love is the love that's going to change the future of mankind."

It prompted the premier to correct her, which she seemed to take in good humour.

But Mr Trudeau's comment sparked ridicule on social media and among media outlets outside Canada, including "Fox and Friends" on Fox News.

British TV broadcaster Piers Morgan and Australian columnist Rita Panahi also criticised him being too politically correct.

While on Twitter Mr Trudeau was accused of "mansplaining".

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Trudeau added: "It played well in the room and in context. Out of context, it doesn't play so well.

"It's a little reminder to me that I shouldn't be making jokes even when I think they're funny."

His remarks came the same week the Canadian Senate passed a bill to make the country's national anthem gender-neutral.

Mr Trudeau identifies as a feminist and he drew international attention in 2015 when he named women to half his cabinet seats. Asked why, Trudeau said, "Because it's 2015."

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