Canadian Prime Minister apologizes for 'doing stupid things' 18 years ago

Justin Trudeau dressed as black at a 2001 "Arabian Nights" party at a private school. Photo: TIME

Time magazine published the photo printed in the yearbook of West Point Grey Academy, a private school in British Columbia, where Mr. Trudeau was teaching before entering politics.

The photo shows Trudeau, 29, wearing a turban and wearing makeup to darken his hands, face and neck.

Trudeau, who launched his re-election campaign exactly a week ago, said he should have been more aware. “I’m very angry with myself, I’m very disappointed in myself,” Trudeau told reporters traveling with him on the campaign flight.

He said the photo was taken at the school’s annual dinner party, which had an “Arabian Nights” theme that year, adding that he was dressed as a character from “Aladdin.” The Canadian prime minister said it wasn’t the first time he had donned makeup, but another time during a talent show.

“I should have known better and I didn’t at the time, and I’m very sorry for that. I’ll ask Canadians to forgive me for what I did. I shouldn’t have done it. I take responsibility. It was a stupid thing to do,” he said.

Canadian Prime Minister speaks about the incident during a campaign flight. Photo: AP

The release of the controversial photo could spell further trouble for Prime Minister Trudeau, who polls show is facing a serious challenge from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer. Not to mention one of the biggest scandals in Canadian politics that the 47-year-old politician, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, is at risk of being implicated in after his former attorney general revealed he pressured her to stop criminal prosecution of a Quebec company.

The Canadian prime minister is not the only politician to face criticism for racially insensitive photos and impulsive actions in his youth. Earlier this year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam faced intense pressure to resign after a racist photo was leaked in his 1984 medical school yearbook. He denied appearing in the photo, but admitted to wearing a blackface mask as a young man while impersonating Michael Jackson at a party in the 1980s. Since then, several other US politicians have admitted to wearing blackface and apologized for impulsive actions decades ago, but none have resigned.