Trudeau won’t dress up for Halloween this year

Trudeau will be “trick or treating with kids, but not going to Rideau Hall or doing a photo op,” a spokesperson told the Canadian Press.

Trudeau’s office did not provide a reason for the decision, though some are pointing to obvious reasons that remain in the public consciousness, specifically the blackface scandal.

The 2019 Canadian federal election made international headlines in September due to Trudeau’s admitted wearing of racist blackface makeup on multiple occasions, as well as lying about the number of times he wore the makeup.

“I should have known better but I didn’t, and I’m really sorry,” said Trudeau to reporters hours after the photo had surfaced. “The fact of the matter is that I’ve always … been more enthusiastic about costumes than is somehow — is sometimes appropriate.”

Trudeau and his costumes made headlines again in 2018 during his trip to India in 2018. The leader was subject to fierce backlash for him and his family’s traditional Indian attire, a full wardrobe made up of multiple different outfits that had many wondering if his enthusiasm may have crossed into mockery.

Indian politician Omar Abdullah even shared several photos of the Trudeaus on Twitter during the trip, stating: “FYI we Indians don’t dress like this every day sir, not even in Bollywood.” He added that the “choreographed cuteness” was “a bit much.”

In other years of his leadership, Trudeau has dressed up along with his family to go trick-or-treating. Trudeau has dressed up as Clark Kent, Han Solo, Sherlock Holmes, and the pilot from The Little Prince in years prior.

If Trudeau did want to dress up for the occasion, though, TPM has compiled a nice list of six totally appropriate costumes for Trudeau to wear this Halloween. Just saying!