There have been three incidents where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught wearing blackface in the past. Despite the scandal, Trudeau is projected to win a second term as prime minister.
From the Associated Press:
Trudeau’s Liberal party was projected to win the most seats in the 338-seat Parliament, giving it the best chance to form the next government. However, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said it would be a minority government, forced to rely on an opposition party to stay in power.
Trudeau made a name for himself in 2015 when he successfully led the Liberal Party to victory after the Conservative Party held power the previous 10 years.
If he would have lost re-election on Monday night, he would have made history.
From NBC News:
In 84 years, a first-term prime minister with a parliamentary majority has never lost re-election. That was true for his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who won re-election as prime minister in 1972 and served for more than 15 years in two separate stretches.
Although Trudeau's scandals tarnished his reputation, he continually attempted to shift the campaign's focus. He talked about improving gun control and environmental laws and providing tax breaks, the Wall Street Journal reported. Trudeau often said the Conservative Party takes a "do-nothing" approach to various issues.
When progressives saw Trudeau faced a real challenge, especially in light of the photos of him in blackface, former President Barack Obama made an unprecedented move and endorsed the Canadian Prime Minister. Obama made the argument that Canada needs progressive leadership like Trudeau's.
This post has been updated with additional information.