A man who attended an 香蕉视频直播淎rabian Nights香蕉视频直播� gala held by a private school in Vancouver says no one besides Justin Trudeau attended in skin-darkening makeup 香蕉视频直播� 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 leader香蕉视频直播檚 costume was 香蕉视频直播済reat香蕉视频直播� 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 doesn香蕉视频直播檛 recall anyone being offended by Trudeau香蕉视频直播檚 costume or makeup.

香蕉视频直播淗e didn香蕉视频直播檛 do anything out of the ordinary. That香蕉视频直播檚 what he did. He was a drama teacher,香蕉视频直播� said Hamill, who is white. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a costume and it was in the context of the theme of the party.香蕉视频直播�

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 Trudeau香蕉视频直播檚 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 didn香蕉视频直播檛 view the costume as racist and the school had no tolerance for discrimination.

Hamill, a real estate agent, said he香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播渆xpose香蕉视频直播� Trudeau for his costume at the event.

香蕉视频直播淓xpose him for what? For being a good costume-dresser?香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 so taken out of context. It香蕉视频直播檚 applying today香蕉视频直播檚 standards to yesterday香蕉视频直播檚 actions. 香蕉视频直播� At the time, it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 as much of an issue to do that.香蕉视频直播�

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, 香蕉视频直播淐ommon Ground,香蕉视频直播� that teaching at West Point Grey gave him new insights into the 香蕉视频直播減rivileged lives香蕉视频直播� of private-school students that he didn香蕉视频直播檛 glean from his own advantaged upbringing.

香蕉视频直播淲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,香蕉视频直播� he wrote.

香蕉视频直播淎nd many of the students had little exposure to or understanding of the larger society around them or the challenges faced by ordinary people.香蕉视频直播�

Laura Kane, The Canadian Press

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