Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton react to Trudeau in brownface

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau apologized Wednesday and Thursday for multiple instances of what's been called racist dress-up before he was prime minister.

"I shouldn't have done that. I should have known better, but I didn't and I'm really sorry," said Trudeau after Time Magazine released the first image. "I take responsibility for my decision to do that. I shouldn't have done it. I should have known better.

In his Wednesday apology, Trudeau admitted to a second instance of dressing in "makeup." Since then, Global News has unveiled a third instance, through an undated video of Trudeau in blackface. 

CBC Windsor reached out to local federal candidates, political analysts and the public for their take on the situation.

"It was wrong today, it was wrong 20 years ago and he acknowledges that. That's something I appreciated hearing. We're moving forward. This morning I reached out to the folks that ran with me in the nomination [run] … I wanted to listen to their reactions and what they had to say as well. Obviously there was some hurt, disappointment, but there was also an understanding that the prime minister acknowledged what he did was wrong. That was really important, for him to acknowledge he made a mistake."

- Irek Kusmiercyzk, Liberal candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh

"It's like the pot calling the kettle black. He says he's very progressive. Maybe 18 years ago he wasn't as mature as he is now. For me, I'm not going to beat someone up about this kind of thing. Sometimes it gets a little overblown." 

- Dan Burr, People's Party of Canada candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh

"Quite frankly, I accept his apologies, and what that means is, to me, it determines that he's just lacked judgment at the time. So I think it shows that he doesn't have that integrity anymore to be a leader for our country. If we accept his apology, then we have to accept that he's just not capable of running the country."

- Leo Demarce, Conservative candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh

"I think what we needed to do is have that understanding 20 years ago. Thankfully, many of us have grown to understand cultural appropriation. We've learned. Many people 20 years ago would not have found that offensive. Today, we know better."

- Sandra Pupatello, Liberal party candidate for Windsor West

"I am disappointed by the pictures of Justin Trudeau that were published yesterday. I simply don't care how old these images are. Being a teacher, my heart goes out to students everywhere who have been affected by racism, homophobia, and bullying. We've seen him apologize sincerely, and accept full responsibility. I know, as does he, how serious this is. We need to continue to have conversations about discrimination, and what we can do to teach our children, and those of us who lead, to respect the diversity of all Canadians. We all need to be better."

- Katie Omstead, Liberal party candidate for Chatham-Kent—Leamington

"Yesterday, Justin Trudeau acknowledged his racist act. He apologized to all of Canada. I can tell you in all of my discussions with him over the last five years, I have never known him to say or be anything but supportive of all Canadians ... I'm disappointed in his behaviour in 2001. As a first-generation Canadian, I'm also sensitive to hurtful comments and behaviours, but I am happy that he stood in front of all Canadians, accepted responsibility and apologized."

- Audrey Festeryga, Liberal party candidate for Essex

"Listening to people say 'We all make mistakes in the past,' ... but something like this where we have hundreds of years of [history] ... I just have to shudder. This is a 30-year-old in 2001. This is 40 years after the death of Martin Luther King. It struck me as a strange way to dismiss what people of colour have experienced their whole lives."

- Adam Kilner, NDP candidate for Sarnia—Lambton

"I am disappointed in our Prime Minister and would expect someone with his experience with the media would be more aware of the consequences of his actions.It was an insensitive action for anyone to do for the past few decades."

- Mark Vercouteren, Green Party candidate for Chatham-Kent—Leamington

Everybody makes mistakes in life and makes bad choices. However, when you because th prime minister or leader of a federal party ... you have to be able to answer those decisions that you've made. Clearly the screening process for when Trudeau became a candidate as an MP — clearly the screening process wasn't good enough then, because with this type of thing, you should never have been a candidate in the first place. 

- Dylan McLay, NDP candidate for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex

"Obviously it was a poor decision. I like the way he dealt with it. He went straight for it instead of beating around the bush, saying 'Oh that's not me.' I know it was wrong now, I didn't know it was wrong at the time. I apologize. That's acceptable."

- Linda McCurdy, Windsor lawyer

"This is a topic that we deal with regularly, cultural appropriation. As an Indigenous person it makes me angry. Going back to the idea of dressing as an Indigenous person ... people weren't allowed to be their culture, but it's okay for another group to dress up like that? For me, it makes me uncomfortable. I'm not happy with it."

- Rebecca Major, Indigenous Scholar and political science professor at the University of Windsor

"I do feel the prime minister's apologies are genuine because we all make mistakes. No one is mistake-proof. However, I do feel that visible minorities may have been offended, some people may have been offended by these pictures and video."

- Sinan Yasarlar, media director of the Windsor Mosque

"Last night, he did what he had to do in terms of apologizing and being open and frank about what his sins of omission were, and today, I think it's interesting that he's appearing with the Indigenous community to try to deal with reconciliation, because that's where he's really vulnerable, especially after an image like this. So this is really the classic political pivot."

- Lydia Miljan, associate professor of political science at the University of Windsor 

How are Windsor-Essex residents reacting?

"He was a kid. He dressed like Aladdin. When you're a kid you do things. Some people get offended … I'm not offended by it. People are so busy trying to find fault with everybody that they don't take the time to look at the big picture. When we're young we do things and we're not thinking about it and then later it comes back to haunt us."

- David Walls, grew up in Windsor and lives in Toronto

"Nothing he does surprises me. I just take it in stride. He's apologized, hopefully his apology is sincere and we just move on from there. It speaks to his personality overall. I guess we have to look at that, as a voter. I guess we're always growing as individuals, but he should know better, taking his background into consideration. I really find no reason for him to have done that in the first place."

- Thecla Moore, Windsor resident

"I was very surprised. He does try to portray such a minority-equal-feminist view to the voters. Twenty years ago things were very different … people are extremely sensitive now. You have to be careful what you say. Your past can come back to haunt you, and for him it did. You should have known better but again, a different time. There is a line that he did cross though."

- Jackie Etches, LaSalle resident