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 leadersa国际传媒檚 bona fides as a champion of tolerance and stopping the partysa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒淎rabian Nightssa国际传媒�-themed gala event, clad in an elaborate turban and robe, his face, hands and neck covered in dark makeup sa国际传媒� a breathtaking contradiction to the prime ministersa国际传媒檚 carefully cultivated image as a standard-bearer for Canadian diversity.

sa国际传媒淚t was a dumb thing to do,sa国际传媒� he said during an emergency news conference on board the Liberal campaign plane before taking off for Winnipeg.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 disappointed in myself, Isa国际传媒檓 pissed off at myself for having done it. I wish I hadnsa国际传媒檛 done it, but I did it, and I apologize for it.sa国际传媒�

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 Belafontesa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒淏anana Boat Song (Day-O),sa国际传媒� although he didnsa国际传媒檛 explicitly say the makeup was dark.

He also said hesa国际传媒檚 been calling friends and colleagues to apologize personally for the photo, adding that he expects to be making more such calls on Thursday.

sa国际传媒淚t was something that I didnsa国际传媒檛 think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do, and Isa国际传媒檓 deeply sorry,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淚 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 hadnsa国际传媒檛.sa国际传媒�

The picture depicts the now-Liberal leader alongside four young women sa国际传媒� his hands draped over one of them sa国际传媒� 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.

sa国际传媒淚 told him to be upfront and to own the mistake,sa国际传媒� said Alghabra, who admitted to being upset and concerned by the photo, but also ready to forgive.

sa国际传媒淎s disappointing as it is, itsa国际传媒檚 not that hard for me to get over it, because Isa国际传媒檝e seen him act in public and in private and Isa国际传媒檝e seen what hesa国际传媒檚 done for many people who are marginalized or being victimized by stereotypes or racism.sa国际传媒�

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

sa国际传媒淲earing brownface is an act of open mockery and racism. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019,sa国际传媒� Scheer said in a brief statement. sa国际传媒淎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.sa国际传媒�

So-called sa国际传媒渂lackfacesa国际传媒� 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 itsa国际传媒檚 becoming clear that Trudeausa国际传媒檚 public persona may not be an accurate reflection of who he is. Later, in a powerful statement on live television, Singh sa国际传媒� the first non-Caucasian leader of a federal political party sa国际传媒� made an emotional appeal to Canadians hurt by the image.

sa国际传媒淪eeing this image is going to be hard for a lot of people; itsa国际传媒檚 going to bring up a lot of pain, itsa国际传媒檚 going to bring up a lot of hurt,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淧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.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淭he people affected by this, the people who feel like theysa国际传媒檝e been punched in the gut by this revelation sa国际传媒� thatsa国际传媒檚 who the media should interview,sa国际传媒� Decoste said. sa国际传媒淎s long as racism is part of the everyday lives of Canadians of colour, none of us have sa国际传媒榙one enough.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

Green Leader Elizabeth May described herself as sa国际传媒渄eeply shockedsa国际传媒� by the sa国际传媒渞acismsa国际传媒� on display in the photo.

sa国际传媒淗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,sa国际传媒� May tweeted. sa国际传媒淚n this matter he has failed.sa国际传媒�

Peoplesa国际传媒檚 Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier described Trudeau on Twitter as a sa国际传媒渕aster of identity politicssa国际传媒� whose party has been accusing others of being sa国际传媒渨hite supremacists.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淗e definitely is the biggest hypocrite in the country.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒� With files from Joanna Smith and Joan Bryden in Ottawa.

Teresa Wright, The Canadian Press

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