Multiple pictures of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have been released on him in brownface and have rocked his campaign.
Trudeau has been embroiled in the after the pictures and a video in blackface when he was younger, including one that was published by Time Magazine from when he was 29-years-old. “What I did was hurtful to people who live with intolerance and discrimination every day,” the Prime Minister said Thursday in Winnipeg. “I know that I let a lot of people down with that choice, and I am deeply sorry.”
“Jagmeet Singh spoke on this topic earlier saying, this is about the people who have experienced the pain of racism,” NDP candidate Eileen Jones-Whyte says. “I am in total agreement that all Canadians need to be sure to reach out and support those who are hurt by this image. We need to make sure that all Canadians know they are valued and celebrated for who they are. We also need to continue to educate ourselves as to why this is an inappropriate act. I know that my words sound a lot like those of Jagmeet’s but I truly believe that his response is the model for all us to follow. We turn our attention to helping those who may have been harmed,” she says.
“The brownface episode may call into question Justin Trudeau’s sensitivity, however, I always hope and expect that citizens will not allow long-past gaffes to overly distract from matters of policy substance, the qualities of local candidates, consideration of alternative parties, or the ethical failings of current and past governments and the established parties,” Libertarian candidate Stefan Klietsch in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke tells My Barry’s Bay Now. “We have much of importance to debate as a country.”
Independent candidate Dan Criger says he’s frustrated with the hypocrisy of it all.”It’s like climate change: seniors can’t afford to turn the heat up to 17C during a cold snap while the entitled fly around in their private jets,” he says. “In this case, it’s less about his ‘skin-darkening makeup’ as many media outlets call it, and more about his hypocrisy.”
Liberal candidate Ruben Marini and Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant did not respond to My Barry’s Bay Now’s request for comment.