A federal judge today denied the group representing George Galloway an injunction to allow him into Canada. Galloway, a British MP who is the sole MP for the Respect party (which he founded), was denied entry to Canada by the Canadian Border Service. He was to be in the country on an anti-war speaking tour.

The judge ruled:

“The admission of a foreign national to this country is a privilege determined by statute, regulation or otherwise, and not a matter of right,” Martineau wrote in his ruling. “In this respect Parliament has expressly given the CBSA officers legal authority to exclusively determine whether a foreign national who seeks to enter this country is admissible”

The group, Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, argued that Galloway’s exclusion was as the result of political interference and was an issue of free speech. The judge didn’t completely rule out the political interference by declined to directly express an opinion. A judicial review of the decision will take place. More >

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