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B.C. Premier John Horgan worried about 91Ƶrise of racism91Ƶ in Canada

Asked to comment on Justin Trudeau91Ƶs 91Ƶblackface91Ƶ incidents
18604036_web1_20190919-BPD-Horgan-salmon-farms.BCG
Premier John Horgan talks with coastal Indigenous chiefs at event marking salmon farm monitoring agreement, B.C. legislature, Sept. 19, 2019. (B.C. government)

Premier John Horgan91Ƶs announcement Thursday was about Indigenous reconciliation, but he couldn91Ƶt avoid a question about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau91Ƶs 91Ƶblackface91Ƶ photos surfacing from 2001 and their effect on race relations.

Trudeau has been called on to explain a series of pictures and a video that surfaced this week, depicting him in blackface makeup. The incidents date from 2001 when he was a teacher at a Vancouver private school, and earlier.

91ƵI was as shocked as all Canadians to see the images and the prime minister91Ƶs response,91Ƶ Horgan said Thursday. 91ƵI spoke with my parliamentary secretary Ravi Kahlon today, who has been a racism outreach and education tour of British Columbia. We91Ƶve seen a rise in racism here in B.C. and in fact across North America and in Europe over the past number of years.91Ƶ

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Horgan said he doesn91Ƶt believe he has done anything 91Ƶculturally insensitive91Ƶ in his life, 91Ƶbut have I done stupid things in my life? Absolutely.91Ƶ

He said people should be accountable for all of their conduct, even if it occurred many years ago.

91ƵIf I could offer any advice to the prime minister, it is to acknowledge that it was absolutely foolish, and to put it in the context of school setting, even harder to get your head around,91Ƶ Horgan said. 91ƵBut I am not without fault when it comes to stupidity, I assure you of that. I grew up in an era before Facebook, and I91Ƶm very grateful for that.91Ƶ



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