Justin Trudeau insists his 'brownface incident' no reason to resign because he is REALLY sorry & promises to do better

A photograph of a grinning 29-year-old Trudeau in a turban, brown makeup on his face, neck and hands, and billowing white robe surfaced earlier this month in a yearbook from West Point Grey Academy, the ultra-high-end private school where the PM taught. Vancouver businessman Michael Adamson reportedly gave the yearbook to Time magazine after spotting the photo in July, believing "it should be made public."

"I have worked all my life to fight against racism and intolerance," Trudeau protested in a groveling press conference Wednesday night, begging for Canadians' forgiveness. "It was a dumb thing to do. I'm disappointed in myself, I'm pissed off at myself for having done it," Trudeau repeated over and over. "I made a mistake in the past and I'm taking responsibility for it," he self-flagellated bilingually, as reporters hinted he should resign.

Trudeau acknowledged that it was racist to wear blackface, but through some logical gymnastics absolved himself of racism, insisting that he had fought for minorities his entire career and would continue to do so, should Canadians decide to give him (another) chance. He wouldn't consider resigning, because nobody's perfect, and if not him, who would be left to fight for diversity?

Trudeau's Liberal Party finally confirmed it was him in the photo earlier on Wednesday, via media relations head Zita Astravas. "It was a photo taken while he was teaching in Vancouver, at the school's annual dinner which had a costume theme of 'Arabian Nights,'" she told Time. "He attended with friends and colleagues dressed as a character from Aladdin." He was the only person at the party photographed wearing blackface.

The Canadian PM, who launched his reelection campaign earlier this month, has already been dogged by allegations he is insensitive to the needs of ethnic minorities, accused of performing superficial acts of virtue signaling to camouflage his real aims. Earlier this summer, he declared a national climate emergency the day before green lighting a controversial pipeline expansion that would have an outsize negative impact on the First Nations peoples living in its path, in addition to the "significant adverse environmental effects" Canada's own National Energy Board found. He was forced to retract an invitation to asylum-seekers rejected by the US as they began streaming into Canada by the thousands, overburdening the country's resources in response to his public show of tolerance-on-steroids.

Trudeau is only the latest of many politicians to be ambushed by a blackface photo from his past. Belgium's Didier Reynders, recently nominated EU Commissioner for Justice, sported blackface as recently as 2015, a fact which is coming back to haunt him as he prepares for his new role. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam appeared in a yearbook photo showing two men, one in blackface and one in KKK attire, but refused to acknowledge the photo was of him. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey underwent the pageantry of apology for merely being described as wearing blackface in a five-decade-old radio interview.

Red-handed in blackface: THIRD example of Justin Trudeau in 'racist' makeup surfaces after PM swears he only did it 'twice'

There's just no end to revelations of embarrassing imagery for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, with the media digging up the third alleged instance of him wearing blackface in 24 hours. Worse yet, it appears to point at him lying.

The latest video clip - which shows Prime Minister Trudeau in dark face and body paint, laughing and waving his hands in the air - was obtained by Canada's Global News. Though it is not clear where the footage was captured, it is believed to have been shot in the 1990s and at a different location from the other images that have recently come to light.

The prime minister rushed out an apology on Wednesday, after a photo emerged showing a 29-year-old Trudeau sporting full "brownface" - along with a turban and thawb - for an 'Arabian Nights' themed party in 2001. The PM denounced his bizarre makeup as racist and apologized for his love for costumes, telling reporters "I've always - and you know this - been more enthusiastic about costumes than is sometimes appropriate, but these are the situations that I regret deeply."

Trudeau, who is currently running for reelection, then admitted he may have also worn blackface for a high school talent show, where he performed Jamaican music in face paint and an afro wig, but insisted that was all. That photo, too, was soon found - but within hours, the third image was already making the rounds.

A senior member of Trudeau's campaign confirmed the footage was genuine, but refused to comment further, according to Global News.

At a press conference on Thursday, the prime minister addressed the new footage and apologized again. He did not offer to resign from his post in government.

Pressed about him not mentioning the third instance of blackface, Trudeau said he shared what he "recollected," and admitted that the act was "something that is absolutely unacceptable to do."

"The choices I made hurt people," he added.

For an avowedly progressive leader who has urged Canadians to "accept" and not merely "tolerate" each other's differences, Trudeau's failure to avoid racial caricatures must have come as a surprise for citizens regularly lectured about their country's liberal values.

Reacting to the footage, New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh slammed Trudeau for an "ongoing pattern of behaviour," and said it was up to Canadians whether they wanted to forgive the leader of the country that prides itself on its multiculturalism and "progressive" views.

"It was racist in 2001, it's racist now," shot back Trudeau's chief Conservative rival, Andrew Scheer, who added he was "extremely shocked and disappointed" by the images.

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"I am interested and intend to form a broad and liberal unity government led by me," he wrote in a tweet.

Speaking with reports, Gantz stressed that his Blue and White alliance "will listen to everyone, but we will not accept mandates imposed on us" - an apparent swipe at Netanyahu's insistence that the pair should meet.

Blue and White won 33 seats in the Knesset in Tuesday's snap election, while Likud only secured 31. Gantz said that the results pave the way for him to become prime minister, assuming that a coalition, minus Bibi, can be formed.

If Gantz fails to secure 61 seats in the Knesset, Israel's political deadlock could continue, forcing the third election this year.

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