"This is something I deeply, deeply regret," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared during a press conference on Thursday in Winnipeg, Canada addressing his brownface and blackface controversy.
"Darkening your face is always unacceptable because of the racist history" connected with it.
"I've hurt people who thought I was an ally," he acknowledged.
A reporter at the presser referred to Trudeau's costumes as "makeup." But, to Trudeau's credit, he corrected the journalist, calling it what it was, "blackface."
Media found three instances of Trudeau wearing brownface or blackface. The first being his decision to dress up as Aladdin at an "Arabian Nights"-themed party by putting on brownface during his tenure as a teacher at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver in 2001.
Exclusive: Justin Trudeau wore brownface at 2001 ‘Arabian Nights’ party while he taught at a private school, Canada's Liberal Party admits https://t.co/j3UobfYNIF
— TIME (@TIME) September 18, 2019
The second was a video of him dressed in blackface for a performance of "Day-O" at a high school talent show.
Earlier today a photo of @JustinTrudeau in #brownface went public. #cdnpoli #elxn43 #blackface #LPChttps://t.co/KaXa8wYxEm
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 19, 2019
Then, Global News found another video of Trudeau wearing blackface. The Liberal Party again confirmed that that was their guy.
BREAKING: Global has a video of a third instance of blackface.
— Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) September 19, 2019
Trudeau was asked last night if there were any other occasions.
He said there was just two -- as a teacher and as a high schooler.
This video shows a third occasion.
He's still lying.https://t.co/L2ie5sJxkj
Trudeau addressed the first two images on Wednesday night, acknowledging he made two mistakes, and that he was sorry.
"I shouldn't have done that," he said.
Pundits have noted that the prime minister's humble apology is miles away from how Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam responded to his own controversy. The latter has failed to acknowledge whether he was even in a racist yearbook photo.
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