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‘I shouldn’t have done it,’ Trudeau says of brownface photo

Trudeau says he also wore makeup while performing a version of a Harry Belafonte song
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Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes a statement in regards to photo coming to light of himself from 2001 wearing “brownface” during a scrum on his campaign plane in Halifax, N.S., on Wednesday, September 18, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is apologizing for wearing brown facial makeup to an “Arabian Nights” party in 2001, saying he should have known better, and he’s asking for the forgiveness of Canadians.

Trudeau also says that in high school, he wore makeup while performing a version of the Harry Belafonte song, “Banana Boat Song (Day-O).”

He made the apology — and the admission — in a news conference on board his campaign plane after the photo was published online earlier Friday by Time magazine.

More to come.

The Canadian Press

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