Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got his first day out of the spotlight on Saturday after being hammered for images showing him in blackface, which have threatened to derail his re-election campaign. Trudeau, 47, was in eastern Canada when pictures first emerged on Wednesday showing him in brown makeup at a 2001 "Arabian Nights" party when he was a 29-year-old teacher. He held a hasty press conference on his plane and apologized, ashen-faced, before travelling to other western cities where the scandal dominated questions.
The revelations were followed by two days of uproar, international ridicule and attacks by the Canadian opposition who called him a hypocrite and demanded he resign. Trudeau apologized repeatedly and begged Canadians for forgiveness, but said he will not step down. Arriving in Toronto on Friday, home to key ethnic ridings that he needs to win, Trudeau attempted to pivot back to policy issues with an assault rifle ban.
"Hi Mr. Blackface! Nice to meet you," one woman said to the prime minister as he strolled in Toronto's Greektown neighbourhood. Canadian public reaction to the images has been mixed and it is too early to say whether the scandal will radically shift votes ahead of an October 21 election.