OTTAWA — The House of Commons on Tuesday made Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen of Canada, a week after a lone politician blocked a similar motion.
The measure makes Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and South Africa’s first black president, the second person to receive the honor. Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with helping European Jews escape the Nazis, was the first.
A routine matter became a national issue last week when Rob Anders, a member of Parliament from the opposition Canadian Alliance, shouted his opposition to the motion that required unanimous approval.
Anders was criticized from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Jean Chretien calling him “stupid” and members of his own party expressing regret.
Anders said he opposed giving citizenship to someone who advocated violence, and also indicated his move was revenge for heavy handed tactics by the governing Liberal Party.
He was absent from the House of Commons when a similar motion was debated and approved unanimously on Tuesday.
Mandela, who turns 83 next month, is expected to visit North America later this year, with a possible stop in Ottawa to formally receive the honor.
