Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has apologized for a historical blunder that he committed of being part of black face campaign at certain point of time by participating in some events. He has apologized profusely for this and said that he let down people but the fact is these events were some twenty thirty years back when Trudeau was a University student and may not have developed political ideology that strongly as he has today.
It is political time and in politics your history is often used to humiliate and embarrass you. BBC reported that Justin Trudeau did it at least thrice.
‘First photo is from 2001, when he was a 29-year-old teacher at a school in Vancouver
and was attending an Arabian Nights- themed gala
Second is from when he was performing in a talent show as a student at high school
Third is video footage from the early 1990s, when Mr Trudeau would have been in his late teens or early 20s’
I do not know whether politically Justice Trudeau was active in any racist campaign that mocked the indigenous people or those of the African Origin. Many people are well known before their campaign. Many people admit that they have an ideology and do not feel ashamed of it. In fact, most of the right wingers justify their misdeeds. It is such a bad time that racism, casteism, and all kind of discrimination are found to be justified in today’s time.
What is important to note here is that nature of apology and whether the person is truly regret it or not. I think, those, who have seen and observe Justin Trudeau’s governance would vouch that in these dark hours of right wing ascendancy world over where hatred and fake news ruled, he remained hope for millions of people who were being victimised. He did not follow the immediate neighbors immigration policies and ensure that Canada welcome them despite USA was openly building wall on the Mexican border and spitting venom against the immigrants.
In the past so many years, Justin Trudeau has made all of us proud by being ensuring that minorities, immigrants in his country. When Europe and US were facing the anti immigration pressure, Canada remained open. In the times of crisis, he has always spoken of sanity which in today’s time if we have to find another person, that is French President Macron otherwise, world leaders are maintaining deafening silence on such issues.
For people living in India, who have seen that political leaders refuse to admit that they have made some mistake and continue to chant anti minorities slogans and encourage fake news, I think a politician like Trudeau are a rare breed. Question is how many time politicians apologized in India for the folly of their parties, their activists in murder or massacre of minorities, Dalits, Adivasis. In fact, even today, their old habits are not dying and they continue to intimidate them. We cant expect our leaders will apologize for anything as they are supermen and cant do anything wrong. They are born heroes and only do goody goody things. They have huge bhakts following who only want them to wave at them and not seek any accountability from them. Such people will find Trudeau as unbecoming of a leader as he is simple and can mix up with people of all varieties.
We wish Justin Trudeau victory in these elections. He is voice of reason, voice of sanity and deserve a win so that Canada remain a liberal secular democracy.
