Federal Court reviews Canadian ban on controversial British MP

Galloway, a Member of Parliament for the Respect Party in the U.K., was banned in March 2009 under section 34(1) of Canada's immigration act, allegedly due to his outspoken support of Palestinian group Hamas, which Canada considers to be a terrorist organisation. Galloway, at the time, described the decision to ban him -- a decision made by Immigration Minister Jason Kenney -- as "idiotic," denying that he supported terrorism, and adding that he could not support the people of Gaza without recognising and dealing with the elected Hamas government. According to a news release from the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, the Federal Court agreed on Friday to review Kenney's order. The feisty politician initially launched a libel suit against Kenney, which he eventually dropped due to the expense. He also claimed that the ban actually helped his cause, stating via a video link:

"It is poetic justice that the message I would have brought ... will now be heard and seen by so many more people than Jason Kenney could have imagined."

During the initial flap, there was a distinctly combative element to the statements on all sides. At one point, Kenney's spokesman Alykhan Velshi described Galloway as "an infamous street-corner Cromwell," to which Galloway responded:

"This may be a rather desperate election ploy by a conservative government reaching the end of the line, or by a minister who has not cottoned on to the fact that the George Bush era is over.

All right-thinking Canadians, whether they agree with me over the wisdom of sending troops to Afghanistan or not, will oppose this outrageous decision.

On a personal note – for a Scotsman to be barred from Canada is like being told to stay away from the family home.

This is not something I'm prepared to accept."

At the time, the government's decision did not sit well even with those who are politically and philosophically at odds with Galloway, so these new developments will no doubt be intriguing for interested observers, although they will likely have to wait until January 2010 when the case is expected to be heard. Galloway himself greeted the news of the court's latest decision with characteristic pugnacity:

“Jason Kenney may oppose my views, but he has no right to prevent Canadians themselves from hearing what I have to say. I look forward to challenging in court Mr. Kenney’s attack on free speech.”