Trudeau apologizes, asks for forgiveness after third instance of racist makeup surfaces

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the release of a video of him in blackface Thursday afternoon — the third instance of him in racist makeup revealed since Wednesday night.

Speaking during a campaign stop in Winnipeg, Trudeau said he “deeply, deeply” regrets his actions.

Trudeau started by addressing racialized Canadians “who face discrimination every single day.”

“What I did hurt them, hurt people who shouldn’t have to face intolerance and discrimination because of their identity,” he said. “Darkening your face, regardless of the context and circumstances, is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface. I should have understood that then and I never should have done it.”

Trudeau added that people of colour face racism and hardship on a regular basis simply because of their skin or their language and he “didn’t see that from the layers of privilege that [he has]”

When asked why he did not volunteer information about the instances during the vetting process when he was running for office, he said he was embarrassed.

“It was not something that represents the person I’ve become, the leader I try to be and it was really embarrassing.”

He added that he told campaign staff of the existence of photos only when he found out that Time Magazine was looking for a picture of the 2001 event.

Trudeau also said he was wary of giving a definite number of instances when he wore racist makeup or indulged in similar behaviour because he had not even remembered the pictures that surfaced since Wednesday night.

“How can you not remember? The fact is I didn’t understand how hurtful this is to people who live with discrimination every single day. I have always acknowledged that I come from a place of privilege, but I now need to acknowledge that that comes with a massive blind spot,” he said.

 

 

The Prime Minister said representing a multicultural riding like Papineau helped him understand the racist connotations of blackface.

“The responsibility of not just sticking up for people of all different backgrounds, but fighting for them and defending them is something that made it very very clear to me that minimizing or further marginalizing people by dressing up that way is absolutely unacceptable,” he said.

Trudeau also acknowledged the difficult conversation Canadians may have had to have with their kids, trying to explain what the pictures of their Prime Minister meant and represent.

“I regret deeply parents who had to had difficult conversations with their kids that were uncomfortable and hurtful because of my actions,” he said.

In answering why he chose to dress up in brownface and blackface, Trudeau said he did not have a clear reason, but it was a terrible idea and it “minimizes and takes advantage of a reality [he has] not had to live with.”

“I have to recognize that I let a lot of people down with that choice. I stand here today to reflect on that and to ask for forgiveness,” he said, followed by a round of applause from some of the gathered crowd.

Jody Wilson-Raybould, who was kicked out of the Liberal caucus amid the SNC-Lavalin scandal, said she was “extremely disappointed” to learn party leader Justin Trudeau wore brownface makeup to a party 18 years ago.

“I’m incredibly proud to be an Indigenous person in this country, one that has experienced racism and discrimination,” she said. “And it’s completely unacceptable for anybody in a position of authority and power to do something like that.”

At a campaign stop in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., just east of Montreal, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s attempt to proceed with the campaign as normal and announce a tax credit for seniors was knocked off the rails by the emerging Liberal crisis.

Asked whether he had ever dressed in a way that stereotyped or mocked anyone’s race or culture.

“No,” he said firmly.

When asked if his comments on same-sex marriage are among the things he regrets, he did not directly answer the question.

“I have addressed the speech I gave in 2005,” he said. “What we’re talking about today is Justin Trudeau’s behaviours and his inability to be truthful and honest about it, and we saw that last night when he was asked directly if there were other examples out there of this and he failed to be honest.”

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While federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh sought to keep his campaign on message Thursday, he responded to the images by speaking of the hurt the pictures and video have caused to many Canadians who have suffered racism and discrimination.

“When you’ve got a prime minister that is mocking the lived realities of Canadians, it can inflame those tensions and give more oxygen to those who believe in discriminating (against) people based on the way they look,” he said.

“That’s why it’s deeply concerning. The impacts that this has on Canada and on the lives of Canadians can’t be underestimated. This is massive.”

Singh said Canadians will have to decide who the real Trudeau is while underscoring what he described as the importance of having a federal government “that’s going to move forward the policies to end discrimination.”

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report