Toronto councillor under fire for saying city planner ‘should stick to the knitting’

By The Canadian Press

Toronto’s deputy mayor is coming under fire for comments he made about the city’s outgoing chief planner, which critics are calling sexist.

Denzil Minnan-Wong told the Toronto Sun last week Jennifer Keesmaat “should stick to the knitting,” meaning city planning, rather than weighing in on other matters.

Keesmaat fired back on CBC’s Metro Morning today, saying she found the comment deeply offensive.

She plans on leaving the role next month after five years on the job during which she has often been an outspoken advocate on accessibility, transit and public space issues.

Several local councillors, from Mary-Margaret McMahon to Mike Layton to Joe Cressy, called out Minnan-Wong for his comments.

Minnan-Wong could not immediately be reached for comment.

“First of all, I’m not going to mince words, he might as well have told me to go back to the kitchen,” Keesmaat told Metro Morning host Matt Galloway.

“Just so you know, I’ve never been there — I’m not a very good cook — I think it’s a deeply offensive comment.”

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