George Galloway Speaks: Free Palestine, Free Afghanistan, Free Speech

Date: Monday, November 22, 2010
Time: 7:30pm (Doors at 6.30pm)
Location: St Andrew’s-Wesley United Church (Corner of Burrard & Nelson Street, Vancouver)
Admission: Tickets: $15 / unwaged or low-income $10. Available soon at People’s Coop Bookstore (1391 Commercial Dr.)

Come and hear the person Jason Kenney and his office tried and failed to prevent from speaking in Canada. George Galloway’s Vancouver appearance is part of a 10-day, 10-city pan-Canadian speaking tour.

Organized locally by StopWar.ca Coalition. Co-sponsored by Canadian Boat to Gaza, Seriously Free Speech Committee and UBC-Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights. For more information contact [email protected] or call 604.737.1299.

Background:

Eighteen months ago, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney blocked then-British MP George Galloway from Canada, labeling him a terror supporter and a national security risk. At the time, Galloway was scheduled to appear in four Canadian cities on a speaking tour called “Resisting War: from Gaza to Afghanistan.”

Galloway and his supporters protested, saying the move was a crass political attempt to silence criticism of Canadian foreign policy on Afghanistan and Palestine. Weeks before the ban, Galloway had led a humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza as part of an international campaign to break Israel’s illegal blockade.

Galloway and his supporters were vindicated Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley issued his 60-page decision on the matter. (Read more here: http://www.rabble.ca/news/2010/09/what-galloway-court-decision-means-free-speech-canada).