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Home / World

Justin Trudeau criticised after telling woman to use 'peoplekind' instead of 'mankind'

Daily Mail
7 Feb, 2018 03:21 AM5 mins to read

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comments have certainly provoked a reaction. Photo / AP

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comments have certainly provoked a reaction. Photo / AP

Justin Trudeau has been criticized for interrupting a woman during a town hall to tell her to use the term "peoplekind" instead of "mankind".

The Canadian Prime Minister was hosting a Q&A at MacEwan University in Edmonton on Thursday, the latest stop on a cross-country tour that began last month, MailOnline reported.

Aimee, from the World Mission Society Church of God, a controversial feminist church founded in South Korea, stood to ask a question about volunteering.

Canadian regulations place restrictions on volunteering with religious organizations, and the young woman wanted Trudeau to make it easier for her church to do volunteer work.

He wasn’t joking: Justin Trudeau interrupts woman during Q&A when she used the word “mankind.” He recommended that she say “peoplekind” instead. pic.twitter.com/mG61BlDcVU

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) February 5, 2018
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"We have received the Queen's Award in the UK, we have received many awards," she said.

"We have received many awards, however, unfortunately in Canada, our volunteering as a religious charitable organisation is extremely difficult.

"We came here today to ask you to also look into the policies that religious charitable organisations have in our legislations so that it can also be changed because maternal love is the love that's going to change the future of mankind."

At this point, Trudeau interrupted her and said: "We like to say peoplekind, not necessarily mankind 'cause it's more inclusive."

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"There you go!" the woman responded, as the audience broke into applause.

"We can all learn from each other," Trudeau added.

Aimee insists she wasn't offended by the comments, telling DailyMail.com: "It wasn't negative.

"Did it look like I was bothered by it?"

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But although Trudeau's comment was well-received at the town hall, on Twitter, it elicited a flurry of criticism accusing him of mansplaining and taking political correctness a step too far.

"Is Justin Trudeau mansplaining feminism?" wrote one Twitter user.

Ben McDonald wrote: "Justin Trudeau correcting a girl for saying 'mankind' is truly amazing."

"That's one woke himbo," Rita Panahi joked.

"Justin Trudeau is what would happen if the song 'Imagine' took human form and then ate a Tide Pod," mocked Ben Shapiro.

It comes after senators passed legislation to make Canada's national anthem gender neutral.

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Justin Trudeau believes the term 'mankind' is sexist and that we should say 'peoplekind' instead. He actually said this last week.

Thankfully @JustinTrudeau wasn't around during the moon landing #cdnpoli #peoplekind pic.twitter.com/sRMNBxmlUP

— Ontario Proud (@ontarioisproud) February 5, 2018

Justin Trudeau is what would happen if the song “Imagine” took human form and then ate a Tide Pod.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 6, 2018

After a 30-year battle by campaigners, the move is set to change the second line of the anthem from "in all thy sons command" to "in all of us command" to become more inclusive.

Once the legislation is approved by the Governor General, it will become law.

Some have mocked the decision for being too "politically correct" and lacking "perspective", but others view it as an important step towards equality.

The World Mission Society of God was founded in South Korea in 1964 by Ahn Sahng-hong and has since expanded round the world. It believes in both God the Father and God the Mother, with an emphasis on the latter.

But the church has come under fire for its practices in recent years, with former members branding it a "profit-making cult". Michele Colon told People in 2015 that she was "brainwashed" by the church into believing the end of the world was imminent and that an elderly South Korean lady was God.

Colon filed a lawsuit against the group alleging it "used a number of psychological control tactics… to prevent its members from exposing its criminal and tortious behaviour."

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Around six former members, have backed up her claims.

The World Mission Society Church of God strongly refuted all the claims, calling the references to it as a cult "religious intolerance".

"If someone belongs to a group we disapprove, we call it a 'cult' or worse,' their statement said. 'When we disagree and have difficulty understanding the reasoning an organisation maintains certain views that are contrary to the norm or to what we expect, we label them as a 'cult.''

Aimee, the volunteer who asked Trudeau the question, insists that her church is a force for good that helps people all over the world.

"Just because we know that Christ has returned a second time and established our church, and dedicated himself... it doesn't mean we are an negative impact on mankind or 'peoplekind'," she added in reference to Trudeau's interruption.

I would say Trudeau is as dumb as a mop but at least you can use the mop to clean up messes.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 6, 2018

Tell me all the reasons why Justin Trudeau is a complete idiot.

— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) February 6, 2018

He wasn’t joking: Justin Trudeau interrupts woman during Q&A when she used the word “mankind.” He recommended that she say “peoplekind” instead. pic.twitter.com/mG61BlDcVU

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) February 5, 2018
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