LET GEORGE GALLOWAY SPEAK IN CANADA! March 25, 2009

LET GEORGE GALLOWAY SPEAK IN CANADA!
March 25, 2009 - YCL-LJC CEC

The Harper Conservative government has again brought down its heel on
freedom of speech.

Democratic Canadians have to reverse this decision. By banning British
MP George Galloway, minister Jason Kenney and the Harper Conservatives
are attacking the very liberties they hypocritically claim to defend
in Afghanistan. Even the corporate media has condemned this (although
they are really saying to Harper ‘don’t silence him, trust us to do
that job’).

Since when has terrorism meant donating a fire engine, twelve
ambulances, a fishing boat, trucks full of medicine, blankets, shoes
and children’s toys? Who is next – the Red Cross (or Red Crescent)?

The Palestinians live under a state of siege and occupation. (Last
week, Israel simply drove into the West Bank and arrested several
elected Hamas parliamentarians!) This announcement comes in a period
of intensifying clamp-downs against broad public discussion of
Canada’s bloody imperialist foreign policy, especially the dirty,
racist war in Afghanistan and the Canada’s support of the Israeli
apartheid government’s occupation in Palestine.

Take the deportation of the US Iraq war resisters – this week Kimberly
Rivera; or the cut backs to public funding for the Canadian Arab
Federation’s immigrant community services not because of any policy
violation, but a political statement by an unfunded part of the
organization. High school and university communities have been under
attack for Palestinian solidarity work. Immigrant workers without full
documentation have been targeted through Immigration Enforcement
raids, harassment outside women’s shelters, and rising deportations
(and today the Minister equates the UN’s announcement of a 30%
increase in refugee claims with abuse of the system! The nerve!).

In all of these heavy-handed measures Jason Kenney, Minister of
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, comes forward as the
government’s un-muzzled pit bull terrier.

The Young Communist League expresses our condemnation of the Harper
Conservative government and minister Kenney: reverse the decision,
apologize, and drop the “Terrorist lists” which criminalize legitimate
peoples movements. We stand with all democratic Canadians who are
outraged by this development, and call upon the youth to join the
rapidly growing vocal opposition to this attack on freedom of speech.

Mr. Harper – your attempt to silence the Canadian people will fail.

Young Communist League of Canada - Ligue de la jeunesse communiste du Canada.
290A Danforth Ave,
Toronto ON M4K 1N6
CANADA
Office: 416-469-2446