macadian

It's a given that opposition parties will be all over it. Personally, as has been stated, I'm reasonably certain this issue won't move the needle for Liberal voters. The issues are more important to most, as they should be. This distraction I doubt will have any impact on whether Trudeau stays at Sussex Drive post GE or not. I personally hope he will be out on his arse, this issue having zero impact on my desire to see that come about.

Oakvillian

Jagmeet Singh has a political axe to grind, clearly. I don't actually think that all that many of his constituents give a stuff. One vox-pop participant I heard on the CBC this morning said (I paraphrase loosely; I was listening in the car) that he was a Punjabi immigrant, didn't like Trudeau's politics and wouldn't have voted Liberal anyway, but can't see why anyone is offended - and is annoyed at politicians and commentators claiming offence on his behalf.

scrubbedexpat099

Oakvillian

Yes. And?

That video seems to reinforce my previous comment. Jagmeet Singh has provided a reasoned and dignified response. He has explained - citing his own personal experience - why he takes particular offence at Trudeau's past willingness to dress up in blackface. His response is heartfelt, and it is telling that Scheer has referred to it too (telling reporters "“I think I might take this opportunity to just highlight the response from Jagmeet Singh,” when he was asked for his opinion yesterday).

But it's also that case that Jagmeet Singh is the leader of a federal political party, whose job is to try and unseat Trudeau's party in this election. He is tacitly acknowledging that, while he finds Trudeau's behaviour "troubling" (his word), there are many of his own supporters who do not share his concern.

Again, despite the efforts of some pundits and media commentators, I really don't think this is an issue that's going to change much in the way of voting intentions.

scrubbedexpat091

I was 21/22 in 2001 and wearing blackface would never have crossed my mind as something to do and it was certainly not considered appropriate and was considered racist in 2001.

At least back in California.

scrubbedexpat099

The important aspect is that he is by his parties own belief system a Racist and that is bad yet they keep him on as their leader and people who support that Party vote for him.

Paul_Shepherd

My point is the casting of that movie was down to the director and a huge team of other Hollywood executives, not Robert Downey Jr alone, so I am not using him as an exemplar, yes he obviously agreed to play the part, but there were decsions made by people alongside him too, and by people higher than him in the production of that movie...that adds up to a lot of people, and no one made a fuss, the movie isnt banned, I really think this is a lot about nothing....as Shard says, its a recent thing, society is continually changing, and what was once accpetable is no longer acceptable in the present day, you cant judge actions of the past on today's standards, they were totally different times, its all relative.

I guess its no different to how people get up tight about statues of the figures of the past, which at the time achieved what were perceived as great things, but are now politically incorrect, as society becomes more civilised the level of acceptability changes,

Shard

Justin Trudeau
Andrew Scheer

Shard

Slightly different though. CALIFORNIA. USA. And blackface vs brownface for 'Arabian Nights'. It was part of his costume and Alladin does not have near the political baggage as say a contemporary American black figure.

Edo

This. People who are mocking Trudeau for blackface should not forget about the "barbaric cultural practices helpline" initiative from the Conservatives. Not endorsing Trudeau's pre-PM attempts at humor at all but overall he has been way more accepting of the minorities.

Oakvillian

You missed Elizabeth May.

And Maxime Bernier, but the less said about the People's Party, the better...

macadian

It's enough to make a Bishop burn his Bible and bag off......

Shard

I will check them out. Only looked up Scheer this week.

Oakvillian

I'd wait until you have an attack of insomnia that you're trying to overcome, if I were you

dbd33

Are you entirely automated, Boiler? If so I think you're quite impressive; the syntax is off, you don't seem like a native, or even fluent, speaker of English but it's as good as you'd get from, say, Bell Canada customer service.