A 2001 yearbook photo of a costumed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his face and hands darkened by makeup, detonated Wednesday on the federal campaign trail, instantly tarnishing the Liberal leader91裸聊视频檚 bona fides as a champion of tolerance and stopping the party91裸聊视频檚 re-election momentum squarely in its tracks.

. is expected to speak later this evening. This is the photo, spreading rapidly online now, that obtained from a West Point Grey Academy yearbook 2000-2001.

91裸聊视频� Ashley Wadhwani (@ashwadhwani)

The jarring black-and-white photo, posted online by Time magazine, originally appeared in the yearbook from the West Point Grey Academy, a private school in Vancouver, B.C., where Trudeau worked as a teacher before entering politics.

It depicts Trudeau at an 91裸聊视频淎rabian Nights91裸聊视频�-themed gala event, clad in an elaborate turban and robe, his face, hands and neck covered in dark makeup 91裸聊视频� a breathtaking contradiction to the prime minister91裸聊视频檚 carefully cultivated image as a standard-bearer for Canadian diversity.

91裸聊视频淚t was a dumb thing to do,91裸聊视频� he said during an emergency news conference on board the Liberal campaign plane before taking off for Winnipeg.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 disappointed in myself, I91裸聊视频檓 pissed off at myself for having done it. I wish I hadn91裸聊视频檛 done it, but I did it, and I apologize for it.91裸聊视频�

Asked whether it was the only instance of its kind, Trudeau admitted that during a high school talent show, he wore makeup while performing a version of Harry Belafonte91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淏anana Boat Song (Day-O),91裸聊视频� although he didn91裸聊视频檛 explicitly say the makeup was dark.

He also said he91裸聊视频檚 been calling friends and colleagues to apologize personally for the photo, adding that he expects to be making more such calls on Thursday.

91裸聊视频淚t was something that I didn91裸聊视频檛 think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do, and I91裸聊视频檓 deeply sorry,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚 have worked all my life to try and create opportunities for people, to fight against racism and intolerance, and I can just stand here and say that I made a mistake when I was younger, and I wish I hadn91裸聊视频檛.91裸聊视频�

The picture depicts the now-Liberal leader alongside four young women 91裸聊视频� his hands draped over one of them 91裸聊视频� in what appear to be cocktail dresses, none dressed as elaborately as Trudeau. The Time report describes the photo as having been the subject of gossip within the West Point Grey community.

Word of the photo ripped through the Liberal campaign bus like wildfire when the story broke, instantly changing what had been a convivial end-of-day mood. Staff members suddenly began talking frantically on their cellphones as reporters urgently called their newsrooms before snapping open their laptops.

One of the people Trudeau called Wednesday was Liberal candidate Omar Alghabra, who was born in Saudi Arabia to a Syrian family. In an interview Wednesday night, Alghabra said the prime minister apologized and asked for his advice.

91裸聊视频淚 told him to be upfront and to own the mistake,91裸聊视频� said Alghabra, who admitted to being upset and concerned by the photo, but also ready to forgive.

91裸聊视频淎s disappointing as it is, it91裸聊视频檚 not that hard for me to get over it, because I91裸聊视频檝e seen him act in public and in private and I91裸聊视频檝e seen what he91裸聊视频檚 done for many people who are marginalized or being victimized by stereotypes or racism.91裸聊视频�

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, however, was giving no quarter, calling Trudeau unfit to be prime minister.

91裸聊视频淲earing brownface is an act of open mockery and racism. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019,91裸聊视频� Scheer said in a brief statement. 91裸聊视频淎nd what Canadians saw this evening is someone with a complete lack of judgment and integrity and someone who is not fit to govern this country.91裸聊视频�

So-called 91裸聊视频渂lackface91裸聊视频� images have been a frequent source of controversy in recent years, predominantly in the United States, where last year a number of prominent state politicians were forced to apologize for similar yearbook images that surfaced publicly.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who was taking part in a town hall meeting when the news broke, said it91裸聊视频檚 becoming clear that Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 public persona may not be an accurate reflection of who he is. Later, in a powerful statement on live television, Singh 91裸聊视频� the first non-Caucasian leader of a federal political party 91裸聊视频� made an emotional appeal to Canadians hurt by the image.

91裸聊视频淪eeing this image is going to be hard for a lot of people; it91裸聊视频檚 going to bring up a lot of pain, it91裸聊视频檚 going to bring up a lot of hurt,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淧lease reach out to your loved ones, please reach out to people who are suffering in silence right now. Please let them know that they are loved, and they are celebrated for who they are.91裸聊视频�

Rachel Decoste, a community activist and media critic in Ottawa who has been outspoken about blackface in Quebec, said the opinions of those who have experienced racism are the ones that matter the most.

91裸聊视频淭he people affected by this, the people who feel like they91裸聊视频檝e been punched in the gut by this revelation 91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 who the media should interview,91裸聊视频� Decoste said. 91裸聊视频淎s long as racism is part of the everyday lives of Canadians of colour, none of us have 91裸聊视频榙one enough.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Green Leader Elizabeth May described herself as 91裸聊视频渄eeply shocked91裸聊视频� by the 91裸聊视频渞acism91裸聊视频� on display in the photo.

91裸聊视频淗e must apologize for the harm done and commit to learning and appreciating the requirement to model social justice leadership at all levels of government,91裸聊视频� May tweeted. 91裸聊视频淚n this matter he has failed.91裸聊视频�

People91裸聊视频檚 Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier described Trudeau on Twitter as a 91裸聊视频渕aster of identity politics91裸聊视频� whose party has been accusing others of being 91裸聊视频渨hite supremacists.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淗e definitely is the biggest hypocrite in the country.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频� With files from Joanna Smith and Joan Bryden in Ottawa.

Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press

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