Banned British MP takes aim at Ottawa

Galloway told his New York audience he could not understand a Canadian government that would bar him, but allow George W. Bush to visit Calgary last week for a paid speech.

“Some people tried to get the Canadian government to ban him, maybe even arrest him, on the grounds that he killed a lot of people and told a lot of lies to justify it,” he said. “But of course the Canadian government would have none of that.

“I just cannot understand why Canada should want to throw away the reputation that it built over decades as being the kinder, gentler North American state.”

He said that, using Ottawa’s logic, former South African president Nelson Mandela should be banned from entering Canada.

“If you look at the banning order, it actually fits him more than it fits me,” Galloway said. “He’s actually been imprisoned for terrorist offences.”