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Canadian women should mark International Women’s Day on Wednesday by celebrating the men in their lives, says Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

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On the eve of the event, the wife of the prime minister used social media to urge the Canadian sisterhood to share snaps of themselves holding hands with the men in their lives.

The aim was to “celebrate the boys and men in our lives who encourage us to be who we truly are, who treat girls & women with respect, and who aren’t afraid to speak up in front of others,” she said.

In the accompanying picture on Instagram, she stares into the eyes of an intense-looking Justin Trudeau.

“Take a picture holding hands with your male ally & share it on social media using the hashtag #TomorrowInHand,” she continued. “Together, we can create a movement that inspires more men to join the fight to build a better tomorrow with equal rights & opportunities for everyone… because #EqualityMatters.”

The reaction to Gregoire Trudeau’s clarion call was swift, with critics deriding the move to celebrate men on the single day of the year set aside to honour women’s accomplishments.

“I’ve never had to have my hand held,” tweeted Conservative MP Michelle Rempel as she called on Canadian women to share pictures of themselves holding their degrees and other accomplishments to mark the day.