THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 The Boston Globe TheWorld A

By Ian Austen
and Dan Bilefsky
NEW YORK TIMES
OTTAWA — The reelection
campaign of Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau of Canada was
thrown into turmoil Wednes-
day when a photograph sur-
faced of him wearing brown-
face makeup at a 2001 private
school party.
The photo had been taken
when Trudeau, then a 29-year-
old teacher, attended an “Arabi-
an Nights” themed costume ga-
la at West Point Grey Academy
in Vancouver, according to
Time magazine, which pub-
lished the image.
Speaking with reporters on
board his campaign plane,
Trudeau, who has long champi-
oned the rights of racial minori-
ties in Canada, confirmed the
photo showed him at a costume
party dressed as a character
from Aladdin with his arms
wrapped around a women he
described as “a close friend.”
“This is something I
shouldn’t have done many
years ago,” Trudeau said. “I take
responsibility for my decision
to do that. I didn’t think it was
racist at the time. I now realize
it was racist.” He added: “I’m
going to be asking Canadians to
forgive me.”
Trudeau said that he also
wore blackface in high school
while performing “Day-O,” the
Jamaican folk song.
The newly surfaced photo
appeared in the academy’s
2000-01 yearbook, The View,
Time said, adding that it had
obtained a copy of the yearbook
from a Vancouver businessman
who felt it should be public.
The news injected uncer-
tainty into the political pros-
pects of Trudeau, the Liberal
Party leader who began his re-
election campaign a week ago
for the Oct. 21 vote. He has cast
himself as a champion of Cana-
da’s racial and ethnic minorities
and promoted immigration
during his nearly four years as
prime minister.
Many Canadians are of
South Asian and Middle East-
ern descent, and Trudeau has

four Sikhs in his Cabinet. Those

communities have been an im-

portant source of support for

the Liberals and Trudeau, par-

ticularly in suburban areas

around Toronto, which are seen

as key electoral battlegrounds.

But on a disastrous state trip

to India earlier in the year,

Trudeau attracted ridicule for

wearing flashy silk and gold-

embroidered outfits and point-

ed red-silk shoes. Though in-

tended as a gesture of respect

for Indian culture, it was widely

seen in Canada as a cringe-in-

ducing game of dress-up.

Wednesday night, repeated-

ly apologizing for the brown-

face makeup and the hurt it can

cause people who have faced

discrimination, Trudeau said he

had “always been more enthusi-

astic about costumes than

sometimes is appropriate.”

On Wednesday, Jagmeet

Singh, leader of the New Demo-

cratic Party, who is a Sikh, said

Trudeau’s costume was “insult-

ing” and suggested the prime

minister’s behavior shows he

may not be the same person in

private as he portrays himself

in public.

Trudeau said that he had be-

gun calling supporters who be-

long to racial minority groups

and members of his caucus and

Cabinet to apologize personally.

Political analysts noted that

for Trudeau, a prime minister

of the Instagram age, who had

meticulously constructed a

global image as a progressive

on issues such as gender equali-

ty, indigenous and minority

rights, the image of him in

brownface could be politically

damaging.

“It could repel some progres-

sive voters who are against any

kind of cultural appropriation

and especially blackface,” said

Jean-François Daoust, an ex-

pert in public opinion at McGill

University. “It can undermine

the aura he has tried to create.”

But Daoust added it was im-

portant not to overstate the ef-

fects of an event that happened

18 years ago. He noted Conser-

vative leader Andrew Scheer,

was also being taken to task for

past behavior, including com-

ments in 2005 that same-sex

couples should not be equally

entitled to wed because mar-

riage was meant for “natural

procreation.”

Barry Kay, a political science

professor at Wilfrid Laurier

University, said the revelation

was embarrassing and poten-

tially damaging but cautioned it

was too early to determine its

effect on the campaign. He said

the image could reinforce exist-

ingimpressionsofTrudeauas

inauthentic. “I am not sure the

extent that it will resonate in

public opinion in a campaign

where everyone has been turn-

ing on everyone,” Kay said.

By Joanna Slater
WASHINGTON POST
NEW DELHI — When Presi-
dent Trump and Narendra Mo-
di met last month in France,
their camaraderie was on full
display as they smiled, laughed,
and even clasped hands in front
of reporters. Now the leaders of
the world’s two largest democ-
racies are taking their relation-
ship to the next level: On Sun-
day, they will appear together at
a rally in Houston in front of
tens of thousands of people.
For the Indian government,
Trump’s presence at the rally is
a diplomatic triumph. It marks
the first time that any US presi-
dent and Indian prime minister
have addressed such an event
together, and it comes at a criti-
cal juncture.
In recent months, the Unit-
ed States and India have be-
come embroiled in a trade war,
and Trump has complained vo-
ciferously about Indian tariffs,
even as he has touted his per-
sonal rapport with Modi.
India, meanwhile, has faced
criticism for its recent moves to
strip Kashmir of its autonomy
and institute a communications
crackdown in the restive Mus-
lim-majority region. The steps
sparked tensions with Pakistan
and expressions of concern
from the State Department and
some members of Congress,
who have urged India to end its
detentions of Kashmir’s politi-
cal leaders.
Now, with Modi and Trump
sharing a stage, the two coun-
tries will emphasize their affini-
ties rather than their differenc-
es. Modi’s supporters can point
to Trump’s presence at the rally
as ‘‘virtual approval of what

[Modi] has done’’ in Kashmir,

said Varghese George, the au-

thor of a new book on India-US

relations. It’s ‘‘a very big deal for

Modi and his politics.’’

Modi entered office in 2014

and recently won a landslide re-

election victory. Like Trump, he

has motivated voters with

promises to safeguard the na-

tion and restore its greatness.

Modi is very popular at

home — his approval ratings far

outstrip Trump’s — and he

draws large audiences from the

Indian diaspora when he trav-

els abroad. About 50,000 peo-

ple are expected at the rally at

Houston’s NRG Stadium, an

event aptly titled ‘‘Howdy, Mo-

di!’’ Hundreds of Indian Ameri-

can groups have helped boost

attendance.

Trump’s presence at the

event is a ‘‘recognition of the

importance of the Indian

diaspora in the US’’ and ‘‘defi-

nitely a recognition of Prime

Minister Modi as a global lead-

er,’’ said Vijay Chauthaiwale,

who heads foreign affairs and

overseas outreach for India’s

ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The US-India relationship is

anchored by shared strategic

interests, added Chauthaiwale.

‘‘There will be some differences

of opinion on certain issues,

maybe on trade or maybe even

our move in Kashmir,’’ he said.

‘‘But there is enough maturity

to deal with it in a friendly

manner.’’

For Trump, the rally pro-

vides access to a pool of voters

— Indian Americans — that he

hopes to court in next year’s

presidential elections.

Officials from both countries

have dropped strong hints that

they hope to announce progress

toward reducing the current

trade frictions while Modi is in

the United States. If so, it would

allow Trump to claim a victory

on one of his signature issues.

Photo shows Trudeau in brownface

Primeminister

apologizesafter

jolttocampaign

SEAN KILPATRICK/CANADIAN PRESS VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS

A photo of Justin Trudeau at age 29 showed him in

brownface at an “Arabian Nights” themed costume gala.

India’s Modi gets win

in rally with Trump

Bysharingstage,

endorsement

seenforpolicies

2 Hour Private Group Hayride(Appointment Only)

To schedule your private group hayride please call978-657-

Pick Your Own Pumpkins!

We offer Cornstalks, Gourds & Apples.

31Jennies Way•Tewksbury, MA

krochmalfarms.com•978-658-

Elementary & preschools welcome

weekday mornings, call 978-657-

FREE

PARKING

Weekends 10am - 5pm

Sept 21, 22, 28, 29

Oct 5, 6, 12, 13, 14 (Columbus day) 19, 20, 26, 27th

KROCHMAL FARMS

Horse Drawn Hay Rides • Pony rides • Food & Crafts • Corn Maze

Agricultural exhibits • Free Pony Rides Saturdays & Sundays • 10-11AM

Back for

Come see profession2ndyear!

Pumpkin Carver al

PaulDever

9/29 and 10/

from 12-

FREE

MUNCHKIN

PUMPKIN

WITH THIS

AD

Free

Park ing!

Pictures are for display purposes only.

Prices and offers are subject to change. © 2019 Retail Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved. 19080065 090519 sunandski.com/patio

PEMBROKE:296 OLD OAK STREET (ROUTE 139) | 781.826.

WOBURN:406 WASHINGTON STREET (I-95/128, FORMER WEST MARINE) | 781.897.

Vienna 5-pc Dining Set

4 Vienna chairs with cushions and an Valencia 43"

square dining table.

Penelope Brown Wood 5-pc Dining Set

4 dining chairs and a 36" Oden square dining table

with hole.(7-pc shown)

Reg:$2500 SALE$ 750 70% OFF

SAVE

$

1750

SAVE

$

3200

Amari Flint 5-pc Dining Set

4 Amari dining chairs and a 48" round dining

table.

Reg:$3100 SALE$ 620 80% OFF

SAVE

$

2480

Lisbon Fern 5-pc Dining Set

4 dining chairs and a 54" round dining table.

SAVE

$

2240

Reg:$4000 SALE$ 800 80% OFF Reg:$3200 SALE$ 960 70% OFF

80 %

OFF

UP

TO

Making room for SKI

& SNOW

ALL FURNITURE

&

ACCESSORIES

PATIO SALE

EVERYTHING has gotta go!

30%

OFF

ENVIROWOOD

FURNITURE

ALL

UMBRELLAS

UPTO

40%

OFF