A man who attended an 害羞草研究所淎rabian Nights害羞草研究所� gala held by a private school in Vancouver says no one besides Justin Trudeau attended in skin-darkening makeup 害羞草研究所� but no one else was dressed as Aladdin, either.

Wayne Hamill went to the 2001 party because his kids went to West Point Grey Academy and he said the future Liberal leader害羞草研究所檚 costume was 害羞草研究所済reat害羞草研究所� and in keeping with the theme.

Other attendees, including other white people, were dressed as belly dancers or wearing saris or veils, Hamill said. He doesn害羞草研究所檛 recall anyone being offended by Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 costume or makeup.

害羞草研究所淗e didn害羞草研究所檛 do anything out of the ordinary. That害羞草研究所檚 what he did. He was a drama teacher,害羞草研究所� said Hamill, who is white. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a costume and it was in the context of the theme of the party.害羞草研究所�

Trudeau has apologized after photographs from the event surfaced along with other images of him made up in brownface or blackface. He said he had a blind spot because of his privilege and he deeply regrets behaviour he now recognizes as racist.

Numerous Canadians of colour, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Indigenous federal candidates, have said Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 use of dark face paint is hurtful and insulting. Trudeau said Friday he would call Singh to personally apologize.

West Point Grey Academy released a statement Thursday saying its 2001 gala was organized by a culturally diverse group of parent volunteers and was intended to be celebratory and respectful. However, it said, it recognizes that cultural sensitivities have evolved over the past 18 years.

Sunny Khurana, a turban-wearing Sikh, also attended the party and was photographed with Trudeau.

He said Thursday he didn害羞草研究所檛 view the costume as racist and the school had no tolerance for discrimination.

Hamill, a real estate agent, said he害羞草研究所檚 not a Trudeau supporter but he believes the uproar is unfair. He said he never once, over the years, thought of coming forward with a yearbook photo to 害羞草研究所渆xpose害羞草研究所� Trudeau for his costume at the event.

害羞草研究所淓xpose him for what? For being a good costume-dresser?害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 so taken out of context. It害羞草研究所檚 applying today害羞草研究所檚 standards to yesterday害羞草研究所檚 actions. 害羞草研究所� At the time, it wasn害羞草研究所檛 as much of an issue to do that.害羞草研究所�

He said Trudeau, who was 29 at the time, was a very expressive, enthusiastic and friendly teacher. Hamill also said the student population was diverse and included kids of South Asian, Middle Eastern, East Asian and First Nations descent.

Trudeau wrote in his 2014 memoir, 害羞草研究所淐ommon Ground,害羞草研究所� that teaching at West Point Grey gave him new insights into the 害羞草研究所減rivileged lives害羞草研究所� of private-school students that he didn害羞草研究所檛 glean from his own advantaged upbringing.

害羞草研究所淲henever I discuss the problem of income inequality in our society, I think about the children and their families I met when teaching at that school. The parents I encountered at parent-teacher nights were successful, hard-working people, but their wealth gave some of them an excessive sense of entitlement,害羞草研究所� he wrote.

害羞草研究所淎nd many of the students had little exposure to or understanding of the larger society around them or the challenges faced by ordinary people.害羞草研究所�

Laura Kane, The Canadian Press

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