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Ms. Lakritz’s argument that something you did at six has as much weight as something you did at 15, or 20 is ridiculous and harmful. To equate a six-year-old kissing a classmate to attempted rape is equally as ridiculous. Or to use Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony:

“I was pushed onto the bed and Brett got on top of me. He began running his hands over my body and grinding his hips into me.”

To argue that 15- and 20-year-olds lack the ability to make good, just and lasting decisions is not only insulting to youth everywhere, but it calls into question the age of maturity in both Canada and America. Why, Ms. Lakritz, can a young person cast their vote and be responsible for that, but should, in your eyes, be fully excused from the other decisions made in their youth?

This obsession people have with sexual assault being brought up at a “strangely propitious time” is ridiculous. Of course, victims of sexual abuse are going to come forward when their abuser has the potential to be put in a position that will make judgments for their entire country. Beyond that — as harsh as it sounds — people simply don’t care as much if one intermediate-level judge sexually assaults or harasses someone. People do care if one of nine judges with final judgment power in the U.S. Supreme Court has:

“… groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time because he was so drunk and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under my clothes. I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming.”