A Canadian teacher who lost his job after purportedly showing up to class in blackface as part of a Halloween costume has been reinstated with back pay.
The story highlights the culture of the left: If you’re a regular person, they will destroy your life. If you’re a powerful far-left politician, you get a free pass.
The U.S. saw the same situation play out in 2020, when Joe Biden was accused of sexual assault by former Senate staffer Tara Reade in the middle of the #MeToo movement. He wasn’t canceled and was instead crowned as his party’s nominee.
The Daily Mail reported that Gorian Surlan, a teacher at Parkdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto, was fired in 2021 after wearing what he said was a zombie costume to school.
He painted his face black using his daughter’s makeup and covered it with a mask to follow COVID rules.
An arbitrator has ordered that Toronto teacher Gorian Surlan, who was terminated for wearing blackface to school for Halloween, be reinstated and compensated for all wages and benefits lost in the last 20 months https://t.co/hZDgf8YOSj pic.twitter.com/oFPEQGtWfl
— National Post (@nationalpost) August 19, 2025
Students were reportedly shocked. A photo of the teacher was sent to their parents. Complaints flooded the school.
The Toronto District School Board launched an investigation.
Surlan admitted misconduct and had his teaching license suspended in 2023. But an arbitrator has now ruled he must be reinstated.
Arbitrator Norm Jesin found Surlan guilty of “culpable misconduct” but said his career record justified suspension, not dismissal.
Jesin noted Surlan had acknowledged his mistake, adding, “This is an appropriate case for reinstatement.”
Surlan will return to work with a bonus — full compensation for lost wages dating back to October 2023, according to the Daily Mail.
Compare that with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had a habit of engaging in blackface in his youth.
the original Trudeau photo really is wild, not only is he in blackface but he’s the only one going that far at an event already full of white ppl in “Arabian” costumes AND he’s got his paws all over ladies of various backgrounds. the man was truly the demon of west point grey pic.twitter.com/KQcQyEcAY8
— Coconut Tree Faller Outer Ofer (@Cam_Oflage) August 2, 2024
As the BBC noted, Trudeau admitted in 2019 that he couldn’t even recall how many times he wore blackface.
Justin Trudeau, Canada’s blackface prime minister, resigns. He also invited a Nazi to speak to Canada’s parliament. pic.twitter.com/dCnQ7jDt7D
— Margaret Kimberley (@freedomrideblog) January 6, 2025
Video has emerged showing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in black face (and black knees). pic.twitter.com/fX7c7rt3tT
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) September 29, 2019
Photos and videos that circulate online from time to time show him painted head to toe at parties and other events.
He admitted he dressed up in brownface as “Aladdin” in 2001.
Another image showed him in blackface performing a Jamaican folk song as a student.
He told the media, “Darkening your face, regardless of the context or the circumstances, is always unacceptable.”
Yet Trudeau was neither fired nor suspended.
He was not denied the power to meddle in the lives of Canadians and went on to serve as prime minister for a decade.
The lesson is obvious: If you’re in the political elite, you can get away with anything.
If you’re not, the left will gleefully destroy you, unless, as in this rare case, an arbitrator forces them to back off.
Surlan’s reinstatement is a win not only for himself, but for normal people whose actions offend the left, despite no ill intent.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
