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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under withering criticism Thursday after a sarcastic put down of a protester highlighting mercury poisoning in a First Nations community.

Trudeau offered a swift apology for his lack of respect, but his comments at a high-end Liberal fundraising event on Wednesday drew widespread condemnation.

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“Trudeau’s apology rings hollow while our people are suffering without the care and support that we need,” said Rudy Turtle, the chief of the Grassy Narrows First Nation, the northern Ontario community suffering the impact from mercury poisoning.

Perry Bellegarde, chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said the prime minister’s comments were “completely unacceptable and offensive,” and called on Trudeau to visit the affected communities in order to “see the impacts of the mercury contamination firsthand.”

Last night I lacked respect towards them and I apologize for that

Trudeau apologized after a video surfaced of him making a snide remark to protester Lana Goldberg after she unfurled a banner in front of the prime minister as he addressed a $1,500-a-ticket fundraiser in Toronto.