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By contrast, Trudeau apparently believes that an apology and an acknowledgment of his “layers of privilege” is sufficient and everyone should just move along.

That is not going to happen. It’s not only the blacking up that is a pattern of recurring bad behaviour. The Liberal leader has disillusioned just about anyone who ever believed in his rallying cries “diversity is our strength” and “doing politics differently.”

While some disenchanted progressives may opt for the Conservatives, a more likely home is the New Democrats. Scheer was astute to give Jagmeet Singh a shout-out in his press conference, saying the NDP leader “showed a lot of class and dignity” in his response, where he spoke about growing up with the “pain of racism.” The Conservatives are careful not to be seen to be gloating but there is no doubt this bombshell has the potential to change everything. Scheer did not even mention the brownface saga in his evening event in Sherbrooke but earlier said there is nothing in his past that “rises to this level — nothing like this at all.” He’d best hope not. The Liberals are wounded and will be looking to strike back.

It’s never easy to identify a game-changing moment in an election but it felt like one on Wednesday night

But their credibility has been badly damaged by this story. Even ardent supporters are becoming sceptical. At his press conference in Winnipeg, did Trudeau mist up with contrition or was he conjuring up an image of his party sitting on the opposition benches to coax a tear?

He claimed to have forgotten all about the third occasion he blacked up and could offer no concrete assurances that more disturbing images wouldn’t emerge.