Canadian Immigration minister Jason Kenney has denied entry to British MP George Galloway who was due to embark on a speaking tour of Canada.
Canadian Border officials said that Galloway was "inadmissible" because of his views on the war in Afghanistan and the presence of Canadian troops there. They said the decision had been taken in accordance with section 34(1) of Canada's immigration act.
A Canadian government spokesperson described Galloway as an "infandous street-corner Cromwell"... an attempt to be clever that comes off looking silly. What's Cromwell got to do with it? Trite populist comparisons aside, the two men couldn't be more different.
No doubt Galloway's opposition to sanctions against Hamas and support for the peace process is interpreted as support for terrorism in the cockeyed universe of infandous Tory paranoics. Say what you want about Hamas - it was democratically elected and doesn't begin to match Israel when it comes to slaughter of the innocent - that even Israeli troops are now testifying to.
The greater truth is that Harper has had to eat his boasts about Afghanistan. His absurd posturing and misplaced confidence makes him look compromised now that he has gone public with the admission that the Taleban can't be defeated. So why are our troops still there? Why are Canadian lives being lost - to what end? No wonder the Harper government has shut the door on Galloway. Inconvenient truths are hard to swallow.
Immigration minister Kenney has the power to exempt people from the act if he believes their presence would not be "detrimental to the national interest" but in Galloway's case Kenney has "declined to exercise that discretion."
Galloway who learned of the decision Friday, says he intends to take legal action against the Harper government by challenging the department's decision in Federal Court.
Commenting on the decision Galloway said:
We’ll be in court soon to try and overturn this. Canada remains a free country with an independent judiciary. They will have to review whether he has acted reasonably in these circumstances.
This may be a rather desperate election ploy by a conservative government reaching the end of line, or by a minister who has not cottoned on to the fact that the George Bush era is over.
All right-thinking Canadians, whether they agree with me over the wisdom of sending troops to Afghanistan or not, will oppose this outrageous decision.
On a personal note – for a Scotsman to be barred from Canada is like being told to stay away from the family home.
This is not something I'm prepared to accept.
This move demonstrates the controlling approach of a government that can't even see its way to allow a democratically elected politician into the country. The ban on Galloway is beyond pathetic. He isn't a supporter of terrorism. He opposes the Canadian government's approach to terrorism and is entitled to his views.
Galloway said Canada is the only country that has banned him from entry. He added that even Israel would allow him in.
MP Olivia Chow (NDP) has called Kenney the "Minister of Censorship" - never a truer word.
Link here to George Galloway's site where he has posted comments on the Canadian ban.
Link here to sign a petition to allow Galloway to speak.
Related cartoon - "Ottawa Gag Order" - here.
Galloway said Canada is the only country that has banned him from entry. He added that even Israel would allow him in.
MP Olivia Chow (NDP) has called Kenney the "Minister of Censorship" - never a truer word.
Link here to George Galloway's site where he has posted comments on the Canadian ban.
Link here to sign a petition to allow Galloway to speak.
Related cartoon - "Ottawa Gag Order" - here.
