A man who attended an 91裸聊视频淎rabian Nights91裸聊视频� gala held by a private school in Vancouver says no one besides Justin Trudeau attended in skin-darkening makeup 91裸聊视频� but no one else was dressed as Aladdin, either.

Wayne Hamill went to the 2001 party because his kids went to West Point Grey Academy and he said the future Liberal leader91裸聊视频檚 costume was 91裸聊视频済reat91裸聊视频� and in keeping with the theme.

Other attendees, including other white people, were dressed as belly dancers or wearing saris or veils, Hamill said. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 recall anyone being offended by Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 costume or makeup.

91裸聊视频淗e didn91裸聊视频檛 do anything out of the ordinary. That91裸聊视频檚 what he did. He was a drama teacher,91裸聊视频� said Hamill, who is white. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a costume and it was in the context of the theme of the party.91裸聊视频�

Trudeau has apologized after photographs from the event surfaced along with other images of him made up in brownface or blackface. He said he had a blind spot because of his privilege and he deeply regrets behaviour he now recognizes as racist.

Numerous Canadians of colour, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Indigenous federal candidates, have said Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 use of dark face paint is hurtful and insulting. Trudeau said Friday he would call Singh to personally apologize.

West Point Grey Academy released a statement Thursday saying its 2001 gala was organized by a culturally diverse group of parent volunteers and was intended to be celebratory and respectful. However, it said, it recognizes that cultural sensitivities have evolved over the past 18 years.

Sunny Khurana, a turban-wearing Sikh, also attended the party and was photographed with Trudeau.

He said Thursday he didn91裸聊视频檛 view the costume as racist and the school had no tolerance for discrimination.

Hamill, a real estate agent, said he91裸聊视频檚 not a Trudeau supporter but he believes the uproar is unfair. He said he never once, over the years, thought of coming forward with a yearbook photo to 91裸聊视频渆xpose91裸聊视频� Trudeau for his costume at the event.

91裸聊视频淓xpose him for what? For being a good costume-dresser?91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 so taken out of context. It91裸聊视频檚 applying today91裸聊视频檚 standards to yesterday91裸聊视频檚 actions. 91裸聊视频� At the time, it wasn91裸聊视频檛 as much of an issue to do that.91裸聊视频�

He said Trudeau, who was 29 at the time, was a very expressive, enthusiastic and friendly teacher. Hamill also said the student population was diverse and included kids of South Asian, Middle Eastern, East Asian and First Nations descent.

Trudeau wrote in his 2014 memoir, 91裸聊视频淐ommon Ground,91裸聊视频� that teaching at West Point Grey gave him new insights into the 91裸聊视频減rivileged lives91裸聊视频� of private-school students that he didn91裸聊视频檛 glean from his own advantaged upbringing.

91裸聊视频淲henever I discuss the problem of income inequality in our society, I think about the children and their families I met when teaching at that school. The parents I encountered at parent-teacher nights were successful, hard-working people, but their wealth gave some of them an excessive sense of entitlement,91裸聊视频� he wrote.

91裸聊视频淎nd many of the students had little exposure to or understanding of the larger society around them or the challenges faced by ordinary people.91裸聊视频�

Laura Kane, The Canadian Press

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