Freedom of Speech
By banning British MP George Galloway from Canada this week, immigration minister Jason Kenney is stifling freedom of speech.
Galloway is on a tour of North America speaking about the war in Afghanistan and the Middle East conflict, but the government has designated him as a terrorist sympathizer. Galloway’s supporters say that he simply participated in a humanitarian convoy to war-torn Gaza earlier this month and that his $45,000 contribution to the Hamas government was a contribution to a democratically elected government.
Eminent American linguist and political activist Noam Chomsky said, “If we don’t believe in freedom of speech for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.”
Whether we agree or disagree with Mr. Galloway’s point of view, we must respect his right to express it. How can Canadians develop informed opinions about the Afghan war and the Middle East conflict if they can’t hear the arguments from both sides? Mr. Kenney must allow us to make up our minds for ourselves.
Katy Austin
Simcoe Grey New Democrats
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