A 2001 yearbook photo of a costumed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his face and hands darkened by makeup, detonated Wednesday on the federal campaign trail, instantly tarnishing the Liberal leaderB次元官网网址檚 bona fides as a champion of tolerance and stopping the partyB次元官网网址檚 re-election momentum squarely in its tracks.

. is expected to speak later this evening. This is the photo, spreading rapidly online now, that obtained from a West Point Grey Academy yearbook 2000-2001.

B次元官网网址� Ashley Wadhwani (@ashwadhwani)

The jarring black-and-white photo, posted online by Time magazine, originally appeared in the yearbook from the West Point Grey Academy, a private school in Vancouver, B.C., where Trudeau worked as a teacher before entering politics.

It depicts Trudeau at an B次元官网网址淎rabian NightsB次元官网网址�-themed gala event, clad in an elaborate turban and robe, his face, hands and neck covered in dark makeup B次元官网网址� a breathtaking contradiction to the prime ministerB次元官网网址檚 carefully cultivated image as a standard-bearer for Canadian diversity.

B次元官网网址淚t was a dumb thing to do,B次元官网网址� he said during an emergency news conference on board the Liberal campaign plane before taking off for Winnipeg.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 disappointed in myself, IB次元官网网址檓 pissed off at myself for having done it. I wish I hadnB次元官网网址檛 done it, but I did it, and I apologize for it.B次元官网网址�

Asked whether it was the only instance of its kind, Trudeau admitted that during a high school talent show, he wore makeup while performing a version of Harry BelafonteB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淏anana Boat Song (Day-O),B次元官网网址� although he didnB次元官网网址檛 explicitly say the makeup was dark.

He also said heB次元官网网址檚 been calling friends and colleagues to apologize personally for the photo, adding that he expects to be making more such calls on Thursday.

B次元官网网址淚t was something that I didnB次元官网网址檛 think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do, and IB次元官网网址檓 deeply sorry,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 have worked all my life to try and create opportunities for people, to fight against racism and intolerance, and I can just stand here and say that I made a mistake when I was younger, and I wish I hadnB次元官网网址檛.B次元官网网址�

The picture depicts the now-Liberal leader alongside four young women B次元官网网址� his hands draped over one of them B次元官网网址� in what appear to be cocktail dresses, none dressed as elaborately as Trudeau. The Time report describes the photo as having been the subject of gossip within the West Point Grey community.

Word of the photo ripped through the Liberal campaign bus like wildfire when the story broke, instantly changing what had been a convivial end-of-day mood. Staff members suddenly began talking frantically on their cellphones as reporters urgently called their newsrooms before snapping open their laptops.

One of the people Trudeau called Wednesday was Liberal candidate Omar Alghabra, who was born in Saudi Arabia to a Syrian family. In an interview Wednesday night, Alghabra said the prime minister apologized and asked for his advice.

B次元官网网址淚 told him to be upfront and to own the mistake,B次元官网网址� said Alghabra, who admitted to being upset and concerned by the photo, but also ready to forgive.

B次元官网网址淎s disappointing as it is, itB次元官网网址檚 not that hard for me to get over it, because IB次元官网网址檝e seen him act in public and in private and IB次元官网网址檝e seen what heB次元官网网址檚 done for many people who are marginalized or being victimized by stereotypes or racism.B次元官网网址�

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, however, was giving no quarter, calling Trudeau unfit to be prime minister.

B次元官网网址淲earing brownface is an act of open mockery and racism. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019,B次元官网网址� Scheer said in a brief statement. B次元官网网址淎nd what Canadians saw this evening is someone with a complete lack of judgment and integrity and someone who is not fit to govern this country.B次元官网网址�

So-called B次元官网网址渂lackfaceB次元官网网址� images have been a frequent source of controversy in recent years, predominantly in the United States, where last year a number of prominent state politicians were forced to apologize for similar yearbook images that surfaced publicly.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who was taking part in a town hall meeting when the news broke, said itB次元官网网址檚 becoming clear that TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 public persona may not be an accurate reflection of who he is. Later, in a powerful statement on live television, Singh B次元官网网址� the first non-Caucasian leader of a federal political party B次元官网网址� made an emotional appeal to Canadians hurt by the image.

B次元官网网址淪eeing this image is going to be hard for a lot of people; itB次元官网网址檚 going to bring up a lot of pain, itB次元官网网址檚 going to bring up a lot of hurt,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淧lease reach out to your loved ones, please reach out to people who are suffering in silence right now. Please let them know that they are loved, and they are celebrated for who they are.B次元官网网址�

Rachel Decoste, a community activist and media critic in Ottawa who has been outspoken about blackface in Quebec, said the opinions of those who have experienced racism are the ones that matter the most.

B次元官网网址淭he people affected by this, the people who feel like theyB次元官网网址檝e been punched in the gut by this revelation B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 who the media should interview,B次元官网网址� Decoste said. B次元官网网址淎s long as racism is part of the everyday lives of Canadians of colour, none of us have B次元官网网址榙one enough.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Green Leader Elizabeth May described herself as B次元官网网址渄eeply shockedB次元官网网址� by the B次元官网网址渞acismB次元官网网址� on display in the photo.

B次元官网网址淗e must apologize for the harm done and commit to learning and appreciating the requirement to model social justice leadership at all levels of government,B次元官网网址� May tweeted. B次元官网网址淚n this matter he has failed.B次元官网网址�

PeopleB次元官网网址檚 Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier described Trudeau on Twitter as a B次元官网网址渕aster of identity politicsB次元官网网址� whose party has been accusing others of being B次元官网网址渨hite supremacists.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗e definitely is the biggest hypocrite in the country.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� With files from Joanna Smith and Joan Bryden in Ottawa.

Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press

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