It seems remarkable that Canada’a Immigration Ministry should bar George Galloway from entering Canada and making several speeches throughout the country. This British parliamentarian has much to say about the violence of war and its reasons for being fought, about who’s fighting. He has much needed comments about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s even had the effrontery to offer aid to Fatah and to Hamas, to recognize that open discussion is what’s required in these cases, and not invasion and destruction and blockades.
This man is not admitted, and yet, former president George W. Bush was, as recently as last week, when 1,500 of his well wishers at $400 a plate sat and listened to 35 minutes of anecdotes from his time in office. His invitation missed the 6th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by three days, and word has it he was payed a six figure stipend for his talk.
This man, alas, was welcomed. Mr. Galloway wasn’t. There’s something inconsistent about these decisions. One would think the reverse would be the case.
Published by the Toronto Star, March 25, 2009