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“He didn’t try to diminish it or deny that it was racist,” Cameron said. “He took responsibility for it and acknowledged the harm that this kind of behaviour can do. He clearly gets that this is a problem. But there’s a question in my mind, ‘Is this something you can come back from?’ He embodies white privilege and he should have known better.”

In the 2015 federal election, the Liberals won 17 of B.C.’s 42 seats — compared with the two they held after the 2011 election.

Cameron said that recent polls had shown an “uptick” in support for the Tories and that the two main parties were neck-and-neck.

“There are many ridings where the margin of victory is very narrow,” he said, noting many Metro Vancouver ridings had a culturally diverse electorate. “In the context where every vote matters this could have a real impact.”

The tight ridings that Cameron was referring to included South Surrey-White Rock, Richmond Centre, Burnaby South, Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam and Port Moody-Coquitlam.

Cameron said that one of Trudeau’s strengths had been his defence of multiculturalism and tolerance.

“This is a real dent in the strongest part of his armour,” he said.

In the heart of the Surrey Centre riding, which Liberal candidate Randeep Sarai won with 45 per cent of the vote in 2015, locals expressed support for Trudeau after learning about the photo.Nematullah Fahim, owner of the Habib Market, said he would vote for the Liberals again Oct. 21.