Images of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau in blackface produced widespread reaction to the images themselves, and on the issue of race and racism in Canada.

Here is some of what was said by politicians, federal party leaders and candidates:

sa国际传媒淚 never talked about this. Quite frankly, I was embarrassed. It was not something that represents the person Isa国际传媒檝e become, the leader I try to be and it was really embarrassing.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau

sa国际传媒淭he fact is, I didnsa国际传媒檛 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.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Trudeau

sa国际传媒淲hen we reflect on mistakes wesa国际传媒檝e made in the past, thatsa国际传媒檚 a question that wesa国际传媒檙e always going to be asking sa国际传媒� why did we do that? Why did we think it was OK? Why did we think it was a good idea at the time? It wasnsa国际传媒檛 a good idea. It was a terrible idea. It was something that minimizes and takes advantage of a reality that I have not had to live with sa国际传媒� of being discriminated against, of being marginalized, of being judged, for the colour of my skin, for my language, my background.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Trudeau

sa国际传媒淚 have to recognize I let a lot of people down with that choice, and I stand here today to reflect on that and ask for forgiveness.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Trudeau

READ MORE: Trudeausa国际传媒檚 racist photos worry B.C. First Nation chief

sa国际传媒淚 believe that Canadians might have been able to accept his apology if he had been truthful and open, if he hadnsa国际传媒檛 based that apology on a lie, but he was specifically asked if there were other incidences where he engaged in this type of racist behaviour and he indicated that there was only one other incident and now we know that there was at least three.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer

sa国际传媒淚 first saw the video this morning when it was published this morning, and I can say there was an individual who was concerned by this and brought it to our campaign and our campaign did turn it over to a news outlet for verification. We left it in their hands.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Scheer

sa国际传媒淲hen yousa国际传媒檝e got a prime minister that is mocking the lived realities of Canadians, it can inflame those tensions and give more oxygen to those who believe in discriminating (against) people based on the way they look. Thatsa国际传媒檚 why itsa国际传媒檚 deeply concerning. The impacts that this has on Canada and on the lives of Canadians cansa国际传媒檛 be underestimated. This is massive. And thatsa国际传媒檚 why itsa国际传媒檚 so important for us to think about what people are going through right now and how they might be hurting.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

sa国际传媒淚 thought he (Singh) showed genuine concern, and as someone who obviously has been victim of these types of things in a way that I never have, I think he responded with a lot of class and dignity and, obviously, he was speaking on behalf of so many Canadians who have been victims of racist acts or mockery like that.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Scheer

sa国际传媒淚 can understand that some people were hurt with these pictures. But Mr. Trudeau said that he was sorry, so we have to talk about something else.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Quebec Premier Francois Legault

sa国际传媒淚 told him, sa国际传媒楶rime Minister, people are going to hurt, but I think the black community will be forgiving.sa国际传媒� The reason why they are going to be forgiving is because they have seen what he has done and they have appreciated what he has done.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Greg Fergus, Liberal candidate, chair of Parliamentsa国际传媒檚 black caucus

sa国际传媒淭here is no place in our country to take pictures or act in that way. As Indigenous people, as an Indigenous person myself who has faced racism and discrimination, itsa国际传媒檚 entirely unacceptable.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Jody Wilson-Raybould, Independent candidate and former Liberal cabinet minister

READ MORE: Liberal candidate Stephen Fuhrsa国际传媒檚 B.C. campaign signs vandalized with blackface

sa国际传媒淲hen I saw that picture last night, certainly it was a sucker-punch. I think for me and for a lot of people from minority communities it really makes you start to think, sa国际传媒榃hen is this ever going to end?sa国际传媒� You work so hard, you go to school, you know you have to be just a little bit better than the next person because you have to prove just a little bit more, you succeed, you go on in your career sa国际传媒� maybe you even become the mayor sa国际传媒� and then yousa国际传媒檙e reminded in the worst possible way that people you respect, people you admire, people who are allies in the battle with you, still need a little bit of education.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi

sa国际传媒淚 donsa国际传媒檛 know what to say. Isa国际传媒檓 sick about it. And I think about the impact for every child in this country, Indigenous or people of colour, and how it impacts them personally. It does harm. Itsa国际传媒檚 racist.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Green Leader Elizabeth May

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檒l just make three brief comments of principles that I think we need to keep in mind in response to this. One is that when we see acts of racism, we should call them out as well as understanding their systemic roots and that theresa国际传媒檚 something deeper going on. The second is that I think we should expect the highest levels of integrity from our leaders and that means that nothing should be hidden from us, certainly not for a long period of time. And the third is that I think we need to hold our representatives to account. And in the case of party leaders, I think other representatives of that party should hold their leader to account.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Jane Philpott, Independent candidate and former Liberal cabinet minister

sa国际传媒淭his is not about whether or not the prime minister is racist, itsa国际传媒檚 about the system in which we live in that is inherently racist and makes people think it is OK to mock racialized peoplesa国际传媒檚 lived experiences and appearances. People should be looking at this and talking about this; not just in respect to the prime minister, but critically looking at the racism, oppression and hate that us brown, black, and Indigenous people experience in our day-to-day lives.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Samya Hasan, executive director, Council of Agencies Serving South Asians

READ MORE: Photos surface of Conservative candidate at B.C. event with people in blackface

sa国际传媒淚 was very disheartened and disappointed to see these images. These indefensible images bring back many painful memories of racism that I and other racialized Canadians have experienced throughout our lives. The prime minister has sincerely apologized and expressed his regret. The Justin Trudeau that I have come to know over the last four years is a champion of diversity and inclusion, and a strong ally of racialized communities.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� Amarjeet Sohi, Edmonton Liberal candidate and cabinet minister

The Canadian Press

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