Peace activist cancels tour due to Canadian visa problems
March 31 2010 by Liam Clifford
A Palestinian peace activist, who was forced to cancel a speaking tour of Canada when his visa was delayed, is to reschedule his visit for May.
Dr.
Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was
scheduled to speak at venues in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, including an
appointment at the University of Montreal on March 21st, but his Canadian visa was only issued the night before Dr. Barghouti was due to commence his
tour.
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, who organised
the tour, said the visa delay was part of "a broader strategy to muzzle or
obstruct any voice critical of the policies of the Israeli
government."
While the Canadian immigration department has refused to
comment on this particular case, a spokesperson has explained some of the
possible reasons why Canadian visa applications might be delayed: "Canadian
officials do their utmost to complete visa applications in a timely manner when
urgent situations arise, but in some cases, such as when information is
incomplete or arrives at the last minute, this is not possible," the
spokesperson said. "A visa can be issued only when the complete application is
received - and I'm giving you a hint here."
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