A Toronto-area Liberal candidate who is vying for re-election has apologized for what she now admits were "insensitive" comments following the leak of Justin Trudeau's infamous brown and blackface photos last month.
Judy Sgro has been serving as the Liberal MP for Humber River – Black Creek since November of 1999. The 75-year-old politician's website states that she has "advanced an agenda that is progressive and respectful of human rights, equality, and religious freedom" during her 20 years in office.
Those values are being called into question, however, as footage circulates of Sgro giving a one-on-one interview to a local news organization called Great Benin Kingdom Media.
lmao Judy Sgro (L - Humber River-Black Creek) says her Black constituents love Justin Trudeau even more because he took pride in the effort to have a black face I am finishedddddd#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/A4Qce5v2Cz
— Spooky Rexdale Mans (@andraydomise) October 9, 2019
on September 28.
"Those in the black community have told me how much more love they have for the Prime Minister, that he wanted to have a black face. That he took great pride in that, too," said Sgro when asked about the Trudeau photo scandal during the interview on September 28.
"And that it's the media that have blown this into something that it shouldn't be and that they're very supportive."
Needless to say, her comments did not resonate among constituents.
How Does the interviewer let Judy Sgro get away with saying something like this? You don’t need to be Peter Mansbridge to know that is malpractice! Unbelievable!https://t.co/lpxtIPY121
— Archel Brathwaite (@archeltb) October 9, 2019
This afternoon, in light of the backlash she was receiving, Sgro apologized for essentially suggesting that blackface is the sincerest form of flattery.
"The comments I made on GBKM FM were insensitive. I should have known better, and I apologize," she wrote in a statement published to Twitter.
"The history of blackface is deeply racist and it is nothing other than discriminatory. This issue has sparked an important conversation in our country and needs to be treated with great seriousness and sensitivity. I will continue to have these important conversations with my constituents."
The problem is Judy that 1) you did not treat the #blackface issue with seriousness or sensitivity. You got your ass handed to you and then decided to put out a statement. https://t.co/8HuTGOUWxg
— Celina Caesar-Chavannes (@MPCelina) October 9, 2019
As Sgro's statement circulates, Torontonians are weighing in with their thoughts on how she could have made such a comment to begin with — and many say that an apology isn't enough.
"We are all tired of 'I should have known better', 'I thought she was much older', 'I wasn't aware', 'it was meant with best intentions', 'At the time I didn't think it was a conflict of interest'... and then the act is repeated," wrote one person on Twitter to Sgro. "Please just go home and write up your resignation."
"Yes, your comments were insensitive but can you now tell us which of your constituents had expressed such views to you?" asked another. "Or did you just make that up, Trump-style?"
It's a fair question.
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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