Photo of Canadian PM Trudeau in racist brown-face costume surfaces

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared in a racist "brown-face" costume in a resurfaced photo that was published by Time magazine on Wednesday.

Trudeau admitted that it was him in the photo to reporters soon after the report was published.

Image Source: YouTube screenshot

The photo was taken when Trudeau was a teacher at a private school during a party in 2001.

Trudeau was 29 years old at the time of the photo, which was taken at a "Arabian Nights"-themed gala. He had his face, hands and neck colored black for the party costume.

Time said they received the yearbook from a Vancouver businessman who first saw the photo in July and thought the public should know about it.

Trudeau told reporters about the photo, "I've always — and you'll know this — been more enthusiastic about costumes than is sometimes appropriate.

"I shouldn't have done it," he added.

"I should have known better, but I didn't, and I'm sorry," he concluded.

"Disgraceful, plain and simple."

A spokesman for the National Council of Canadian Muslims called the photos "disgraceful, plain and simple."

"Seeing the prime minister in brownface/blackface is deeply saddening," said Executive Director Mustafa Farooq.

"The wearing of blackface/brownface is reprehensible, and hearkens back to a history of racism and an Orientalist mythology which is unacceptable," he added.