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 leader香蕉视频直播檚 bona fides as a champion of tolerance and stopping the party香蕉视频直播檚 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.

香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淎rabian Nights香蕉视频直播�-themed gala event, clad in an elaborate turban and robe, his face, hands and neck covered in dark makeup 香蕉视频直播� a breathtaking contradiction to the prime minister香蕉视频直播檚 carefully cultivated image as a standard-bearer for Canadian diversity.

香蕉视频直播淚t was a dumb thing to do,香蕉视频直播� he said during an emergency news conference on board the Liberal campaign plane before taking off for Winnipeg.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 disappointed in myself, I香蕉视频直播檓 pissed off at myself for having done it. I wish I hadn香蕉视频直播檛 done it, but I did it, and I apologize for it.香蕉视频直播�

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 Belafonte香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播淏anana Boat Song (Day-O),香蕉视频直播� although he didn香蕉视频直播檛 explicitly say the makeup was dark.

He also said he香蕉视频直播檚 been calling friends and colleagues to apologize personally for the photo, adding that he expects to be making more such calls on Thursday.

香蕉视频直播淚t was something that I didn香蕉视频直播檛 think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do, and I香蕉视频直播檓 deeply sorry,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚 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 hadn香蕉视频直播檛.香蕉视频直播�

The picture depicts the now-Liberal leader alongside four young women 香蕉视频直播� his hands draped over one of them 香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淚 told him to be upfront and to own the mistake,香蕉视频直播� said Alghabra, who admitted to being upset and concerned by the photo, but also ready to forgive.

香蕉视频直播淎s disappointing as it is, it香蕉视频直播檚 not that hard for me to get over it, because I香蕉视频直播檝e seen him act in public and in private and I香蕉视频直播檝e seen what he香蕉视频直播檚 done for many people who are marginalized or being victimized by stereotypes or racism.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淲earing brownface is an act of open mockery and racism. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019,香蕉视频直播� Scheer said in a brief statement. 香蕉视频直播淎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.香蕉视频直播�

So-called 香蕉视频直播渂lackface香蕉视频直播� 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 it香蕉视频直播檚 becoming clear that Trudeau香蕉视频直播檚 public persona may not be an accurate reflection of who he is. Later, in a powerful statement on live television, Singh 香蕉视频直播� the first non-Caucasian leader of a federal political party 香蕉视频直播� made an emotional appeal to Canadians hurt by the image.

香蕉视频直播淪eeing this image is going to be hard for a lot of people; it香蕉视频直播檚 going to bring up a lot of pain, it香蕉视频直播檚 going to bring up a lot of hurt,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淧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.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭he people affected by this, the people who feel like they香蕉视频直播檝e been punched in the gut by this revelation 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 who the media should interview,香蕉视频直播� Decoste said. 香蕉视频直播淎s long as racism is part of the everyday lives of Canadians of colour, none of us have 香蕉视频直播榙one enough.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Green Leader Elizabeth May described herself as 香蕉视频直播渄eeply shocked香蕉视频直播� by the 香蕉视频直播渞acism香蕉视频直播� on display in the photo.

香蕉视频直播淗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,香蕉视频直播� May tweeted. 香蕉视频直播淚n this matter he has failed.香蕉视频直播�

People香蕉视频直播檚 Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier described Trudeau on Twitter as a 香蕉视频直播渕aster of identity politics香蕉视频直播� whose party has been accusing others of being 香蕉视频直播渨hite supremacists.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淗e definitely is the biggest hypocrite in the country.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播� With files from Joanna Smith and Joan Bryden in Ottawa.

Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .