Canada's PM Justin Trudeau named a gender-balanced cabinet 'because it's 2015'

Justin Trudeau was sworn in as Canada's first Liberal prime minister in almost a decade on Wednesday, and his first act was to unveil a slimmed down, gender-balanced set of cabinet ministers.

It's an incredible honour to be before you today to present a cabinet to Canada that looks like Canada.

When asked by a reporter about why gender parity was important to him, the prime minister simply said, "Because it's 2015", at which cheers erupted from the crowd.

It is the first time gender parity has been achieved in Canada's team of ministers.

Trudeau, son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, describes himself as an avowed feminist. He has also promised to legalise marijuana, increase taxation for the one per cent, and tackle climate change seriously.

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