Bring Galloway To Canada

(Live feed broadcast on Monday March 30th to 10s of Universities
across Canada check www.sphr.org for updates)

MEDIA RELEASE

Peace movement condemns Kenney’s attack on free speech

British MP George Galloway will challenge ban at Canada – US border

Organizers of the four-city speaking tour of British MP George
Galloway condemn the decision by Immigration and Citizenship Minister
Jason Kenney to block Galloway from entering Canada. Kenney has banned
Galloway because of his opposition to the war in Afghanistan and has
labeled him a threat to “national security”.

“This is a full frontal attack on free speech in Canada, and one that
all supporters of civil liberties must challenge,” says James Clark of
the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, one of the groups organizing
Galloway’s tour. “Kenney’s ban is an unprecedented move to censor
someone whose views are critical of our own government’s foreign
policy. We will not accept this ban, and we plan on defying it.”

Organizers will continue organizing the four events in Canada where
Galloway is expected to speak: March 30 in Toronto, March 31 in
Mississauga, April 1 in Montreal and April 2 in Ottawa. Organizers are
encouraging the public to continue buying tickets to show their
support for free speech.

“One way or another, we will bring George Galloway to Canada,” says
Laith Marouf, national branches coordinator of Solidarity for
Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR). “We have already been overwhelmed by
messages of support, and we’re currently planning a delegation of MPs,
lawyers and activists to escort Mr. Galloway from the US across the
Canadian border. We plan to challenge this ban directly.”

Organizers will host an emergency planning meeting on Sunday, March 22
at 3pm at the Ryerson Student Centre at Ryerson University in Toronto
to prepare a pan-Canadian campaign to defend free speech and to
reverse the ban. A media conference will be held on Monday, March 23
in Toronto (details to be announced) to launch the campaign.


For further information: James Clark, spokesperson, 416-795-5863
(cell); Laith Marouf, spokesperson, 514-999-1948 (cell)