Trudeau apologises again for wearing blackface as new images emerge

A contrite Justin Trudeau has publicly apologised for his "absolutely unacceptable" behaviour, as decades-old images showing the Canadian prime minister in blackface makeup rocked his re-election campaign.

Trudeau, 47, was already under fire for an ethics lapse and other controversies, so the resurfacing of photos and videos of him engaging in activities he himself termed "racist" dealt a fresh blow to his chances.

"I recognize that it is something absolutely unacceptable to do," Trudeau, who heads the Liberal Party, told a news conference during a campaign stop in Winnipeg on Thursday.

"Darkening your face, regardless of the context or the circumstances, is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface," he said. "I should have understood that then and I never should have done it."
"The fact is that I didn't understand how hurtful this is to people who live with discrimination every single day. I have always acknowledged that I come from a place of privilege, but I now need to acknowledge that comes with a massive blind spot."
He acknowledged that these actions were "racist" and that his enthusiasm for costumes -- which has also included dressing up as comic book hero Clark Kent/Superman and a "Star Wars" rebel pilot for Halloween -- has not always been "appropriate."
"People who have faced injury both from physical violence and words, people who haven't been able to get jobs because of the colour of their skin are waking up to see the prime minister of this country mock their lived realities," he said, "in not just one but multiple images." "This is very painful for a lot of people."