Two Ontario cabinet ministers are under fire for “sexist” and “shameful” comments made Thursday morning.

By the afternoon, Economic Development and Growth Minister Steven Del Duca had apologized three times to Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod for calling her “adorable” during question period.

The comment was made in response to MacLeod when she referenced her party’s new leader Doug Ford in a question.

“Doug Ford has said he will reduce hydro rates even further, why won’t this government do what Doug Ford wants,” Lisa MacLeod asked during question period Thursday morning.

In response, Del Duca said “it’s adorable to watch the member across talk about Doug Ford and the crowd that showed up to see him.”



After prompting from MacLeod, he apologized.

“If I said anything that was taken the wrong way or that was offensive, my apologies. It wasn’t intended to be delivered that way,” he told the legislature. “I apologize for that.”

Del Duca told reporters he also sent a written apology and he later tweeted another apology.

MacLeod told reporters she accepted his apology. She also called on Premier Kathleen Wynne to weigh in on what she called a “sexist” comment.

“The problem when you’re a female politician is you’re called a lot of things. And sometimes you let it roll off your back and sometimes you have to call it out,” she said. “So when that happened, it really irritated me, I’m the finance critic of the official opposition. I have an important role and I don’t need somebody telling me what I look like.”

Del Duca acknowledged he “could have used a better and more appropriate adjective.”

Elsewhere Thursday morning, Finance Minister Charles Sousa used the term “eye candy” to describe the medical staff who were used as a back drop to his government’s latest funding announcement at North York General Hospital.

“Good morning everyone,” he said. “Thank you for being here, thank you for the eye candy behind me and the outstanding support of all of you who are here to participate with what all of us are trying to accomplish.”

The PCs and NDP both jumped on his comments. NDP MPP France Gélinas called them “shameful.”

“This is 2018, nurses and physicians are not eye candy they are hard working professionals,” she said. “It shows that deep down Liberals feel that they are privileged, that they are above it all.”

The hospital staff standing behind the cabinet ministers and premier when the announcement was made included men and women of diverse backgrounds.

When asked if his comments were appropriate, Sousa defended the statement and said he was referring to “beautiful people who do beautiful work, and we welcome and thank them for what they do.”

He also attacked the opposition parties for criticizing him.

“I consider this bad form on the opposition. They’re taking it out of the context. They’re trying to insinuate something, which frankly is very disturbing, especially in light of the fact that their leader has a long history of doing so.”

Sousa then accused PC Leader Doug Ford of supporting “misogynistic work and words.”

Ford has been accused of making sexist comments more than once. Most recently in an interview with Sun News, he said of his leadership rivals Christine Elliott and Caroline Mulroney: “I’m the only politician in Ontario that has to deal with five women in their house every single day, so I could quite easily handle Christine and Caroline.”

MacLeod dismissed Sousa’s comparison.

“Doug Ford didn’t call nurses eye candy and Doug Ford didn’t look at a female legislator and call her adorable. So I think that maybe Minister Sousa, instead of going on the offence, should just simply apologize and do the right thing.”

Later, Sousa did just that.

“Upon further reflection my choice of words was inappropriate, and for that I apologize without reservation,” he tweeted.

Please see my statement below: pic.twitter.com/2OEEbbNT6x — Charles Sousa (@SousaCharles) March 22, 2018

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