Announcement & Appeal for Fund

Friends,

The Defend Free Speech Campaign is pleased to announce that British MP George Galloway has recently won an important victory against Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney in the Federal Court of Canada. On October 31, 2009, the Court announced that it would hear a judicial review of Kenney’s decision to ban Galloway from entering Canada. The Court is expected to issue a final decision in January 2010.

The significance of this development should not be underestimated: only about 10 to 15 per cent of all cases ever make it to the Court. This also indicates that Galloway has a serious case against Kenney - one that we can win!

But we urgently need your help!

Between now and December 21, we must raise a minimum of $20,000 CAD to cover basic legal expenses. Our dedicated legal team has been working pro-bono since the ban was announced, and will continue to do so, but they have had very little support for mounting court costs.

By contrast, Jason Kenney and the federal government have unlimited resources to undermine Galloway's case in the Court, and to attack our campaign in the media and the public. Indeed, this was their approach when the ban was first announced.

In order for the case to proceed, we're going to need your generous financial support, and we need it as soon as possible. At stake is much more than Galloway’s ability to enter and speak in Canada; at stake is the freedom of Canadians to criticize and oppose their government without fear of censorship or retribution.

Please help us to defend free speech by making a donation today!

Thank you in advance for your generous support! This is a campaign we can win, but only with your help.

Background

On March 19, 2009, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney banned British Member of Parliament George Galloway from entering Canada. Galloway learned about the ban from the British media, which had been contacted by members of Kenney's staff. Hours after the ban appeared in the media, Galloway finally received written confirmation of the ban from Canada's High Commission in London.

Read the letter from the Canadian High Commission here.

Read the response from Galloway's Canadian lawyers here.

Galloway had been scheduled to visit four Canadian cities - Toronto, Mississauga, Montreal and Ottawa - as part of a North America-wide speaking tour in March and April 2009. He had been invited by local peace coalitions, student unions and church groups to speak about his recent humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza, and to speak about his opposition to the war in Afghanistan.

Galloway spent two weeks speaking to audiences in major cities all over the United States, but was banned from entering Canada by Jason Kenney.

In response, peace activists and civil liberties campaigners launched the Defend Free Speech Campaign, which helped galvanize public opposition to the ban. Unfortunately, we were unable to overturn it before Galloway was scheduled to speak in Canada. As a consequence, Galloway was forced to speak to Canadian audiences through an online video connection from New York City.

View the talk Jason Kenney banned here.  (live from New York to a packed Toronto Audience on March 30, 2009)

Since then, the Defend Free Speech Campaign has remained committed to opposing Kenney's attack on free speech, and has supported a legal challenge in the courts. The Federal Court ruling on October 31 is our first major victory. Please make a donation today!

Support the Defend Free Speech Campaign

Thank you in advance for your generous support! With your help, we can win this campaign!