British anti-war MP George Galloway found himself persona non grata in Canada this week when he was denied entry to the country due to “security concerns”. Citizenship and Immigration Canada denied the 54-year-old Scot because it’s alleged that he’s expressed “sympathy” for the Taliban and provided “financial support” to Hamas (deemed terrorist organizations by Canada). Galloway, a former Labour MP who founded his own party ‘Respect’ after Tony Blair’s support for the war in Iraq, has long been an outspoken member of parliament in Britain. I heard him speak a few years ago in Toronto at an event sponsored by the same anti-war group that he’s being denied for this time around. While I found his views very different from my own, it was great to hear him speak because it’s a view not being expressed publicly by most Canadians. As for him being labeled sympathetic to a group of Afghans fighting our troops, or providing aid to Palestinians elected in Gaza to be the government is beyond me. If the British public (or voters in his constituency) have no problem with his actions, why should we?
Adam Bemma is a journalist, humanitarian, and media consultant based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Adam Bemma 
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