The prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau has apologized on Wednesday after it went to the light a photograph of 2001 will see disguised as Aladdin with the skin painted black just five weeks before the election. A picture he himself termed "racist" and that is disseminated to a month of the general election.
The image of a young Trudeau of 29 years old with the face completely painted in black, released by the magazine "Time", was taken in 2001 during a costume party at a prestigious private school in Vancouver (Canada) where he became an associate professor. Was in the yearbook of the Academy West Point Grey . The magazine has indicated that this was delivered by the businessman of Vancouver Michael Adamson at the beginning of this month.
In the image, Trudeau appears smiling, dressed in flowing eastern and a turban on the head, the skin painted black and surrounded by four women. Trudeau has his hands around the neck and the waist of one of the women. The canadian prime minister is the only one with the darkened skin.
Exclusive: Justin Trudeau wore brownface at 2001 ‘Arabian Nights’ party while I taught at a private school, Canada's Liberal Party admits https://t.co/j3UobfYNIF
— TIME (@TIME) September 18, 2019
photography has provoked numerous criticisms that he was accused of racism . In north America, that a white person will paint the face to represent a person of color is considered a racist for decades.
After the appearance of the image, Trudeau, which is in full election campaign ahead of the general elections to be held on the 21st of October, he was forced to appear before the media to declare that "deeply regrets" have been disguised with the face painted .
"In 2001, when I was a teacher in Vancouver, I attended a party. That was the topic of the 1001 and one nights. I disfracé of Aladdin and I maquillé. is Not should have done it . I shoulda known that it was not appropriate, but I did and I'm really sorry," said Trudeau, 47, during a press conference. To questions from the media, Trudeau acknowledged that the image, which has profound connotations, "racist" although not considered "racist in his time".
But Trudeau refused to answer if he believed that it should submit his resignation, given that several parliamentary candidates for the general elections of October have had to resign after discovering positions is racist in the old messages in social media.
Trudeau also recognized that it was not the only occasion in which it was disguised and "maquilló" as a person of color. "When I was in high school I disfracé in a performance that I sang 'Day-O' with makeup," explained Trudeau.
Asked about what to tell the electorate, Trudeau stated that ask the canadians will forgive : "it Was something stupid that I would not have done but did and for that I apologize".
Criticism of their rivalsTrudeau is facing the conservative leader, Andrew Scheer , in the face of federal elections scheduled for 21 October. Scheer, who has criticized the disguise, has stated that it "is shocked and disappointed".
"to Paint one's face black is an act of racism. What canadians have seen this afternoon is someone with a complete lack of judgment and integrity and someone who does not fit into the Government of this country," he said at a press conference in Quebec.
One of his rivals in the face of the October elections, the leader of the third party of canada, the social-democratic New Democratic Party (NPD), Jagmeet Singh , is to source sikh and always wears a turban.
Singh, the first member of a visible minority, who leads one of the major parties, canadians, stated after the publication of the photo that the behavior of Trudeau is an insult to many canadians of color. "What that represents is to make fun of someone for their life and what are their life experiences. I think you need to answer for their actions. I think you need to answer the question of why he did it," said Singh.
"racism is real-added the leading social democratic-. The people in this room has felt, has heard this story. What I have experienced in my life. You have to answer those questions."
What Trudeau did not explain is why he has waited until the picture has appeared to apologize for an action that he knew was racist, and knowing that the proof of their actions existed and was within the reach of many people.
Date Of Update: 19 September 2019, 20:01
