(The following article is from the May 1-15,  2010 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)

People's Voice Editorial

The story behind the March 2009 decision to ban British MP George Galloway from Canada has been revealed, and the facts are chilling. After Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's communications director sent an email flagging Galloway's speaking tour, it took just 102 minutes for an official in the National Security section of the Canadian Border Services Agency to rule Galloway inadmissible as "a member of a terrorist organization."

     In reality, George Galloway was helping to ship desperately needed medical aid to Gaza, where Palestinian civilians live under a deadly blockade by Israeli authorities. The Palestinians, of course, had democratically elected a government led by the Hamas movement. For this "crime," they were punished by the Harper Tories, who immediately cut off all aid programs, making them accomplices in mass murder of the Palestinians.

     Mr. Galloway was targetted, not for "membership" in Hamas, but for his pro-Palestinian views. This action was part of the Tory drive to criminalize criticism of Israel, on the absurd claim that such criticism constitutes "anti-Semitic hate crimes."

     Jason Kenney lied to Parliament and to Canadians to cover up the truth: his office used political strong-arm tactics to force the CBSA to act on the whims of the Tory government. For this Mr. Kenney should immediately resign.

     And consider the broader implications. If the federal government can treat a British member of Parliament this way, how safe are the freedoms of ordinary Canadians? The record shows that for the Harper Tories, democracy and civil liberties are dirty words, not freedoms to be defended.