Michael Moore has been a fan of Canada ever since he mailed a VHS copy of his first documentary, 害羞草研究所淩oger & Me,害羞草研究所� in a plain brown paper bag to the Vancouver International Film Festival and it went on to win a top prize.

So the filmmaker, who has long viewed America害羞草研究所檚 northern neighbour as a more decent, humanitarian version of his home country, says it was 害羞草研究所渃rushing害羞草研究所� to see photographs of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau made up in blackface.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e living with (President Donald) Trump and we look to the north with such envy. You don害羞草研究所檛 have to live with Trump. You have a man who greets refugees at the airport. You have someone who speaks with kindness and compassion. We don害羞草研究所檛 have any of that,害羞草研究所� said Moore.

害羞草研究所淪o Trudeau, despite whatever flaws or problems there are with him, you only have to look south to see just how bad it could be.害羞草研究所�

Moore was in Vancouver to attend a special event at the city害羞草研究所檚 film festival honouring the 30-year anniversary of 害羞草研究所淩oger & Me害羞草研究所� on Saturday. In an interview Friday, Moore reflected on how the themes of the film still resonate in 2019 and offered his thoughts on the latest bombshells in American and Canadian politics.

Trudeau has apologized for wearing skin-darkening makeup in the 1990s and early 2000s, including on one instance where he was dressed like Aladdin. Trudeau has said although he didn害羞草研究所檛 think it was racist at the time, he now sees that it was.

ALSO READ:

Moore said his first thought when he saw the Trudeau photos was: 害羞草研究所淲hat is wrong with white people?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲hether it害羞草研究所檚 stealing black peoples害羞草研究所� music, whether it害羞草研究所檚 taking the best comedy 害羞草研究所� African-American comedians 害羞草研究所� you go down the whole list of things that are appropriated from people of colour and this is a long and sad tradition,害羞草研究所� he said.

Moore noted he didn害羞草研究所檛 like anyone interfering in American elections and he didn害羞草研究所檛 want to interfere in Canada害羞草研究所檚. But he said he felt sad about Canadians害羞草研究所� choices, even though the country does have the 害羞草研究所淣DP, which is rockin害羞草研究所� on as far as I害羞草研究所檓 concerned.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淵ou have an election in a couple of weeks and you basically have a choice between Aladdin and an American. I think on balance, advantage Aladdin. Right?害羞草研究所� he quipped, referencing the recent revelation that Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen.

Scheer has said he害羞草研究所檚 in the process of renouncing his American citizenship but Moore joked that the move wasn害羞草研究所檛 necessary.

害羞草研究所淚 think the best thing I can do while I害羞草研究所檓 here in Canada is escort Mr. Scheer back to his country and try to tell him to quit saying that word 害羞草研究所榬enounce.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Don害羞草研究所檛 let Americans hear they害羞草研究所檙e being renounced. We can害羞草研究所檛 take it anymore. We害羞草研究所檙e going through enough already.害羞草研究所�

ALSO READ:

The Vancouver International Film Festival was set to screen 害羞草研究所淩oger & Me害羞草研究所� and host an on-stage discussion with Moore. The film chronicles Moore害羞草研究所檚 dogged efforts to interview General Motors CEO Roger Smith about the damage done in Flint, Mich., because of the company害羞草研究所檚 mass factory closures.

Flint is Moore害羞草研究所檚 hometown and he acknowledged sadly that the situation has gotten worse in the past three decades. The number of GM workers in the city has dwindled and the city害羞草研究所檚 cost-cutting measures led to tainted drinking water, he noted.

害羞草研究所淚f you lived in Flint now, you害羞草研究所檇 look at 害羞草研究所楻oger & Me害羞草研究所� and go, 害羞草研究所楾hat害羞草研究所檚 the Flint I害羞草研究所檇 like to live in.害羞草研究所� Isn害羞草研究所檛 that sad?害羞草研究所�

Michigan was among the states Trump visited during the 2016 campaign with promises to restore manufacturing jobs. Despite his vows, the Rust Belt is still losing jobs, with GM announcing plans last November to close five plants in the U.S. and Canada.

Moore said Trump 害羞草研究所減layed害羞草研究所� the working class in the Midwest.

害羞草研究所淭rump did go into Michigan and Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and over and over again said, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 going to tax the rich. Those hedge fund guys, they害羞草研究所檙e not paying their fair share. I害羞草研究所檓 going to bring these jobs back.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚f anybody would say that to people who have suffered in the Midwest, that害羞草研究所檚 going to sound good.害羞草研究所�

Moore also wisecracked about the impeachment inquiry launched by the Democrats in the House of Representatives, pointing out Trump has openly told the media that he asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son.

害羞草研究所淲ho needs an inquiry? What害羞草研究所檚 there to inquire? He did it. He admitted he did it. He has to be impeached.

害羞草研究所淚 tweeted last night that I just went downstairs to throw another load in the laundry and I came back up and he was still president. What害羞草研究所檚 going on here?害羞草研究所�

Laura Kane, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .