Catherine McKenna: From Climate Battles to Democratic Security

Secure Line

In this episode, former Canadian environment and infrastructure minister Catherine McKenna joins Secure Line to discuss her memoir Run Like a Girl and the escalating threats faced by public officials—especially women—working on contentious files like climate policy. McKenna recounts how online harassment (“Climate Barbie”) evolved into offline intimidation during and after her time in office, and reflects on the Ottawa convoy as a failure to protect vulnerable communities and Canada’s international reputation. She describes inconsistent security support, jurisdictional buck-passing, and slow recognition of gendered extremism, bot-driven rage farming, and foreign interference. The conversation shifts from personal experience to systemic fixes: serious threat briefings and protection for candidates, properly scoped online harms legislation, accountability for social platforms, and higher standards for political discourse. McKenna urges more women to enter politics, argues climate is a national security issue, and insists most Canadians are still reasonable—if leaders act with focus and courage. The hosts close by tying these lessons to Canada’s broader democratic resilience.