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Liberal MP Linda Lapointe deletes photos of her 'unacceptable' Halloween costume cbc.ca/1.3321990https://t.co/XbBEfU02WU —

CBC News (@CBCNews) November 17, 2015

The CBC had an opportunity to do something beneficial on Tuesday. Too bad it ignored the opportunity.

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The national broadcaster happened upon a photo of Linda Lapointe, newly elected Liberal MP for the Montreal riding of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, wearing a Halloween costume. The costume, it said, was “based on an Asian ethnic stereotype” and included a “stereotypical hat and robe” The photos were posted on her Facebook page, but disappeared “after CBC News reached out to ask about them.”

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to prevent the obligatory rote denunciation. Laurin Liu, who previously represented the riding for the NDP, declared that the costume left her “shocked and offended.”

“I can’t imagine how a little girl would feel on Halloween upon seeing her MP wearing a costume based on an ethnic stereotype of her culture,” she said. “It’s 2015. It’s unacceptable to dress up as another culture, on Halloween or any other day. Pleading ignorance doesn’t excuse the fact that her actions further stigmatized Chinese-Canadians. I am not sure she understands how hurtful her actions were, and if she does, I want her work in Parliament to reflect cultural inclusion and tolerance.”