New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologised Wednesday after an article featuring a 2001 photograph of him wearing brown paint to an Arabian themed event surfaced.
“It was something that I didn’t think was racist at the time but now I recognise it was something racist to do. And I am deeply sorry,” Trudeau told reporters aboard a plane before repeating his apology in French.
The photograph, taken from a yearbook, was shot at an ‘Arabian Nights’-themed gala in 2001 at a Vancouver private school Trudeau was teaching at then.
The image immediately sparked a wave of criticism, including from the Leader of Opposition Andrew Scheer. The controversy also comes just a week after Trudeau began his re-election campaign for the upcoming election scheduled for 21 October.
My response to the Time Magazine story about Justin Trudeau: pic.twitter.com/nIfukTRiev
— Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) September 19, 2019
How could one not know #blackface was racist in 2001? The biggest blackface incident to my memory was 1993 and thanks to google search found other headlines from 2001. He knew better at the time. #JustinTrudeau pic.twitter.com/CEPjUeqtIL
— Tania Cameron (@TaniaCameron) September 19, 2019
This is so #notwoke for #JustinTrudeau #Trudeau pic.twitter.com/Z8VUfBg2gn
— China Lies (@CO2isAwesome) September 19, 2019
https://twitter.com/yaskaWeyn/status/1174494223329968128?s=20
This isn’t the PM’s first tryst with scandal. He was recently accused of making his former attorney general drop corruption charges against a large Canadian engineering firm.
It is also a blow to his efforts in increasing political representation of ethnic minorities, especially as seven of 35 members in his cabinet are from minority groups.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party and a first-generation Punjabi-Canadian, criticised the Prime Minister.
Tonight is not about the Prime Minister.
It's about every young person mocked for the colour of their skin.
The child who had their turban ripped off their head.
And those reliving intense feelings of pain & hurt from past experiences of racism.
To you, I say you are loved.
— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) September 19, 2019
Responses to Singh’s tweet show a range of opinions on the photograph. Some users backed the Prime Minister along with the hashtag #IStandWithTrudeau, some called the photo an “embarrassment” to the nation and others have called for a return to more “important” issues as election nears. Then, of course, there were the memes.
https://twitter.com/realjamesyap/status/1174576203593912320?s=20
So when Canada’s Prime minister #JustinTrudeau wears makeup for a fancy dress party, bad decision at the time, worse comes back to bite him now, America’s #POTUS is orange all the time, who is the racist one? pic.twitter.com/39J4TSj37z
— Lockdown Du Lac Knight of the patio table (@floydy3663) September 19, 2019
#JustinTrudeau #trudeau #blackface
What in heavens name is wrong with just dressing up like Alladin? It’s just dressing up guys! I’m white but I laughed out loud by movie White Chicks! pic.twitter.com/tJ84LeEJde— Juan el Bautista (@HenzOpperbacher) September 19, 2019
Remember this? Re #JustinTrudeau pic.twitter.com/VfkoFPxC79
— LaSanya Rucker (@sanacardi) September 19, 2019
Also read: Justin Trudeau is firefighting SNC-Lavalin scandal. Here’s how it came to this