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ѻýTroubling, insultingѻý: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh reacts to Trudeauѻýs brownface photo

Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democrats, responded with a call for love after Trudeau photos surface
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Heѻýs the first visible minority to lead a national party in Canadian history, so itѻýs not surprising many have looked to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh for a response to bombshell photos of Justin Trudeau in brownface makeup.

The photo, showing the Liberal party leader at a gala event in 2001 while teaching at West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver, broke less than a day ago in a Time magazine exclusive ѻý and all parties were quick to respond, including Singh.

As Trudeau apologized for his actions when he was 29, admitting to one other instance of using makeup to darken his skin tone while in high school, Singh turned his attention to Canadians ѻý particularly young people ѻý who have been faced with the brunt of racism.

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ѻýTonight is not about the Prime Minister,ѻý Singh tweeted. ѻýItѻýs about every young person mocked for the colour of their skin. The child who had their turban ripped off their head. And those reliving intense feelings of pain & hurt from past experiences of racism. To you, I say you are loved.ѻý

https://twitter.com/theJagmeetSingh/status/1174495388516126720

Singh told reporters Wednesday that Trudeauѻýs actions made a mockery of people, and that some people would now be reliving the pain of past racist experiences through the surfacing of the photos.

Meanwhile, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer took aim at Trudeauѻýs politics, saying that what Canadians are seeing is a man who lacks judgment and integrity.

Moving forward, Trudeauѻýs foes are now tasked with how theyѻýll respond further to the incident, which political analysts are already expecting to be a focal point of the forthcoming weeks along the campaign trail.

While in Hamilton, Ont., Thursday morning, Singh told reporters that itѻýs not for him to offer forgiveness but rather that ѻýitѻýs for Canadians to forgive him if they choose to or not.ѻý



ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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