Trudeau will not be viewed in the same light ever again

Justin Trudeau’s re-election bid is now in freefall – and he has no one to blame but himself. For a week, his Liberal Party has released old videos and social media comments made by opposition candidates related to abortion and homophobia in a smear campaign. Apologies from the opposition were forthcoming. The Liberals have also gone after Andrew Scheer, the Tory leader, for previous comments about gay marriage. Mr Scheer said his views have evolved like those of Canadians.

Now, faced with his own embarrassing past, Mr Trudeau’s apologies appear disingenuous at the least. He is hoping Canadians will accept his begging realisation that “now I recognise it was something racist to do”. Average voters may not see it that way.

Blackface/brownface has been criticised and/or condemned in polite company for decades. Al Jolson isn’t singing on the stage. The world has changed, yet Mr Trudeau only now realises the error of his ways.

He was an adult in 2001. He should have known better.

These revelations also go directly to Mr Trudeau’s credibility.

It’s difficult for voters to trust a leader who has kept past indiscretions hidden while attacking those of others. His apologies seem a tad hypocritical.

Plus, how are world leaders from East Asia and Africa going to take him seriously any more?

The Liberals will now have trouble holding on to soft progressive votes that helped them win in 2015. Mr Trudeau’s campaign was already in trouble, owing to a corruption scandal in which he is accused of pressuring his attorney-general to drop a criminal probe into an engineering firm.

It remains to be seen what happens before the Oct 21 vote. One thing seems certain: Mr Trudeau won’t be viewed by Canadians – or his Liberal fans around the world – in the same light ever again.

How are world leaders from East Asia and Africa going to take him seriously any more?