Michael Moore has been a fan of Canada ever since he mailed a VHS copy of his first documentary, sa国际传媒淩oger & Me,sa国际传媒� in a plain brown paper bag to the Vancouver International Film Festival and it went on to win a top prize.

So the filmmaker, who has long viewed Americasa国际传媒檚 northern neighbour as a more decent, humanitarian version of his home country, says it was sa国际传媒渃rushingsa国际传媒� to see photographs of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau made up in blackface.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e living with (President Donald) Trump and we look to the north with such envy. You donsa国际传媒檛 have to live with Trump. You have a man who greets refugees at the airport. You have someone who speaks with kindness and compassion. We donsa国际传媒檛 have any of that,sa国际传媒� said Moore.

sa国际传媒淪o Trudeau, despite whatever flaws or problems there are with him, you only have to look south to see just how bad it could be.sa国际传媒�

Moore was in Vancouver to attend a special event at the citysa国际传媒檚 film festival honouring the 30-year anniversary of sa国际传媒淩oger & Mesa国际传媒� on Saturday. In an interview Friday, Moore reflected on how the themes of the film still resonate in 2019 and offered his thoughts on the latest bombshells in American and Canadian politics.

Trudeau has apologized for wearing skin-darkening makeup in the 1990s and early 2000s, including on one instance where he was dressed like Aladdin. Trudeau has said although he didnsa国际传媒檛 think it was racist at the time, he now sees that it was.

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Moore said his first thought when he saw the Trudeau photos was: sa国际传媒淲hat is wrong with white people?sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淲hether itsa国际传媒檚 stealing black peoplessa国际传媒� music, whether itsa国际传媒檚 taking the best comedy sa国际传媒� African-American comedians sa国际传媒� you go down the whole list of things that are appropriated from people of colour and this is a long and sad tradition,sa国际传媒� he said.

Moore noted he didnsa国际传媒檛 like anyone interfering in American elections and he didnsa国际传媒檛 want to interfere in Canadasa国际传媒檚. But he said he felt sad about Canadianssa国际传媒� choices, even though the country does have the sa国际传媒淣DP, which is rockinsa国际传媒� on as far as Isa国际传媒檓 concerned.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淵ou have an election in a couple of weeks and you basically have a choice between Aladdin and an American. I think on balance, advantage Aladdin. Right?sa国际传媒� he quipped, referencing the recent revelation that Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen.

Scheer has said hesa国际传媒檚 in the process of renouncing his American citizenship but Moore joked that the move wasnsa国际传媒檛 necessary.

sa国际传媒淚 think the best thing I can do while Isa国际传媒檓 here in Canada is escort Mr. Scheer back to his country and try to tell him to quit saying that word sa国际传媒榬enounce.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Donsa国际传媒檛 let Americans hear theysa国际传媒檙e being renounced. We cansa国际传媒檛 take it anymore. Wesa国际传媒檙e going through enough already.sa国际传媒�

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The Vancouver International Film Festival was set to screen sa国际传媒淩oger & Mesa国际传媒� and host an on-stage discussion with Moore. The film chronicles Mooresa国际传媒檚 dogged efforts to interview General Motors CEO Roger Smith about the damage done in Flint, Mich., because of the companysa国际传媒檚 mass factory closures.

Flint is Mooresa国际传媒檚 hometown and he acknowledged sadly that the situation has gotten worse in the past three decades. The number of GM workers in the city has dwindled and the citysa国际传媒檚 cost-cutting measures led to tainted drinking water, he noted.

sa国际传媒淚f you lived in Flint now, yousa国际传媒檇 look at sa国际传媒楻oger & Mesa国际传媒� and go, sa国际传媒楾hatsa国际传媒檚 the Flint Isa国际传媒檇 like to live in.sa国际传媒� Isnsa国际传媒檛 that sad?sa国际传媒�

Michigan was among the states Trump visited during the 2016 campaign with promises to restore manufacturing jobs. Despite his vows, the Rust Belt is still losing jobs, with GM announcing plans last November to close five plants in the U.S. and Canada.

Moore said Trump sa国际传媒減layedsa国际传媒� the working class in the Midwest.

sa国际传媒淭rump did go into Michigan and Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and over and over again said, sa国际传媒業sa国际传媒檓 going to tax the rich. Those hedge fund guys, theysa国际传媒檙e not paying their fair share. Isa国际传媒檓 going to bring these jobs back.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚f anybody would say that to people who have suffered in the Midwest, thatsa国际传媒檚 going to sound good.sa国际传媒�

Moore also wisecracked about the impeachment inquiry launched by the Democrats in the House of Representatives, pointing out Trump has openly told the media that he asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son.

sa国际传媒淲ho needs an inquiry? Whatsa国际传媒檚 there to inquire? He did it. He admitted he did it. He has to be impeached.

sa国际传媒淚 tweeted last night that I just went downstairs to throw another load in the laundry and I came back up and he was still president. Whatsa国际传媒檚 going on here?sa国际传媒�

Laura Kane, The Canadian Press

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