REX MURPHY: Trudeau’s ‘awakening’ on groping allegations is (ahem) a bit of a reach.

“I’m sorry. If I had known you were reporting for a national paper, I never would have been so forward.”

That’s the apology Justin Trudeau gave a young woman — a “day late” (her words) — following the “not negative interactions” (his words) that allegedly included “manhandling” and “groping” (her words) at an immortal beer festival and charity day in Creston, B.C., in August 2000.

The power of a full week’s reflection on the “no negative interactions” has summoned this apology back to the prime minister’s memory. He now says he “gave (the apology) in the moment,” a combination of words I have never met before. Whatever it may be taken to mean, as an apology, given in the moment or otherwise, it’s hardly blue-ribbon repentance. It was a pure dud.

For what he apologized for was his failure to recognize her status — she was, that day, a “national” reporter. . . .

And when you think about it — I only have “interactions” with “local” female reporters — is not really much of an apology. As illustration, we can easily imagine a speculative exchange:

To national reporter: So you flew in from Toronto. Hope the flight was OK? Let me get you a cushion. Great column last week. How about a nice Chardonnay?

To local scribbler: So, you’re with … (checks briefing notes) aha, the Creston Valley Advance. Sit a little closer.

In other words, the apology reveals his sexism as snob-based. I’m not sure it’s as exculpatory as Mr. Trudeau evidently felt it was.

Well, like most lefties he’s acutely status-conscious.