Canada Refuses Entry to CODEPINK Cofounder Medea Benjamin and Retired Colonel Ann Wright

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/27415

Canada Refuses Entry to CODEPINK Cofounder Medea Benjamin and Retired Colonel Ann Wright
Submitted by davidswanson on Wed, 2007-10-03 21:01. Media

From Code Pink

Two well-respected US peace activists, CODEPINK and Global Exchange cofounder Medea Benjamin and retired US Army Colonel and diplomat Ann Wright, were denied entry into Canada today (Wednesday, October 3). The two women were headed to Toronto to discuss peace and security issues at the invitation of the Toronto Stop the War Coalition. At the Buffalo-Niagara Falls Bridge they were detained, questioned and denied entry. They will hold a press conference on Thursday afternoon in front of the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC to ask the Canadian government to reverse its policy of barring peaceful protesters.

The women were questioned at Canadian customs about their participation in anti-war efforts and informed that they had an FBI file indicating they had been arrested in acts of non-violent civil disobedience.

PRESS CONFERENCE:
WHEN: Thursday, October 4th at 1pm
WHERE: Canadian Embassy, 501 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC

"In my case, the border guard pulled up a file showing that I had been arrested at the US Mission to the UN where, on International Women's Day, a group of us had tried to deliver a peace petition signed by 152,000 women around the world," says Benjamin. "For this, the Canadians labeled me a criminal and refused to allow me in the country."

"The FBI's placing of peace activists on an international criminal database is blatant political intimidation of US citizens opposed to Bush administration policies," says Colonel Wright, who was also Deputy US Ambassador in four countries. "The Canadian government should certainly not accept this FBI database as the criteria for entering the country."

Both Wright and Benjamin plan to request their files from the FBI through the Freedom of Information Act and demand that arrests for peaceful, non-violent actions be expunged from international records.

"It's outrageous that Canada is turning away peacemakers protesting a war that does not have the support of either US or Canadian citizens," says Benjamin. "In the past, Canada has always welcomed peace activists with open arms. This new policy, obviously a creature of the Bush administration, is shocking and we in the US and Canada must insist that it be overturned.

Four members of the Canadian Parliament--Peggy Nash, Libby Davies, Paul Dewar and Peter Julian-- expressed outrage that the peace activists were barred from Canada and vow to change this policy.

[Solly Mack]

1. that's exactly what it is

"The FBI's placing of peace activists on an international criminal database is blatant political intimidation of US citizens opposed to Bush administration policies,"

it's trying to scare others into silence

intimidate/harass/harm one...scare the rest off

[babylonsister]

2. I didn't think I could be more disgusted w/my gov't-I was wrong. nt

[Solly Mack]

6. mine grows more and more each day

[robinlynne]

3. If anyone still needs proof, here it is. Didn't the FBI say they had made a

"mistake" watching peace protests? something like the "mistaken" Iraq war?
scary. Let's rally behind them to change this in whatever way they need.

[Solly Mack]

9. We have to - and need to - show the government that we won't be intimidated

into silence

Through donations for legal defense and marching with them...whatever we can do, we must do

[EFerrari]

31. Yes! We can't have small uppity women peacefully protesting

against the Empire, can we?

[Solly Mack]

34. I know! They might demand stuff...like justice.

[High Plains]

35. This is probably the NCIS data base...

...which is a CRIMINAL data base the US generously shares with Canadian customs. Canada is very strict--one might even say dick-headed--about who it allows in the country, and people with arrest records of any sort are going to have a problem. Both these women have arrest records, even if it is for non-violent political actions.

I suspect this is a case of a local customs guy being particularly dick-headed, not a giant plot between the FBI and Canada to stifle political dissent. Welcome to Canada, eh?

[GliderGuider]

42. Yeah, that's the one

Ann Wright had trouble getting into the country for the anti-SPP protests in Montebello last month. She saw the Canadian borders guards pull up her record on the NCIS database and, of course, recognized it immediately. She called him on it and he was all startled that she knew what it was. She replied something to the effect that she was a Colonel and a diplomat and what the hell are Canadians doing with access to US citizens' records.

We're fighting this on our end too, guys.

Also, FYI, those members of Parliament are all New Democrats. Our party has been anti-war/pro-peace since it was founded.

[flordehinojos]

4. this is the tightening up of the fascist/police state bush noose on dissenters, war protesters,

pro-democracy activists and other opponents of the bush regime and their evil family empire.

[burythehatchet]

26. youbetcha. they won't take

me alive

[OzarkDem]

5. A retired US Army Colonel is being treated like a terrorist?

What's wrong with Canada?

[babylonsister]

8. I imagine the FBI inspired the Canadians to do this:

"The FBI's placing of peace activists on an international criminal database is blatant political intimidation of US citizens opposed to Bush administration policies," says Colonel Wright, who was also Deputy US Ambassador in four countries. "The Canadian government should certainly not accept this FBI database as the criteria for entering the country."

[Cleita]

7. Canada seems to do that to people who have a jail record.

When I was working near the USA/Canada border, I heard stories of Americans being refused entry because of some DUI they got twenty or thirty years before. They ask you if you've ever been arrested and put in jail. If you honestly answer, yes, they don't let you in. I think they will probably have to change their policy in the case of those two women though, particularly since they were invited in by Canadians.

[Bassic]

10. That's true.

The US does the same, I believe.

[MetaTrope]

12. Unless they're Latin American paramilitarists, presumably

[Bassic]

14. Indeed. nt

[Cleita]

16. Also, Canada let Bush in. Didn't he spend a night in jail for a DUI?n/t

[Cha]

27. Yeah, but they made an exception for

the drunken grinch.

[Bassic]

39. He got a special dispensation.

They actually talked about it in the news.

[Matariki]

28. My ex was detained for over an hour when we took the ferry to Victoria

Turned out it was because he didn't have a driver's license and they were (very indirectly) trying to determine if it was because he'd had a DUI, which I believe is a felony in Canada. If you have a felony you can't enter Canada. Even if the DUI isn't a felony in your home country it counts as one in Canada. Or at least that's what the Canadian immigration guys *finally* explained to the boyfriend. This was 10 years ago, pre Bush and pre Conservative party PM Stephen Harper.

I've known one person denied entry at the Toronto airport just because the agent didn't like the way she looked. She had to spend the night in custody until she could get a plane home the following day.

I think the problem could very well be on the Canadian side and not necessarily due to 'American fascism' as some people seem to be implying in this thread.

[LittleClarkie]

33. How long has that been the policy, do you know?

I have a friend with a DUI who wanted to got through Canada on his way to an Alaskan cruise. It seems to me that they'd have let him go through if he wasn't right in the middle of going through his punishment. Or maybe he was negotiating with the judge to be sentenced after the cruise. I can't remember.

If they do this to everyone with a record, it's hard to call it discrimination against peace activists. On the contrary if that would be the case, then the peace activists are looking for special treatment.

I ask how long the policy has been in effect only because I wonder if it was put in place because of their current PM.

[Cleita]

37. This was ten years ago when I was working in North Idaho.

However, they did make an exception for Bush, so why not a peace activist to be fair and balanced? I disembarked on a cruise ship in Victoria, showed them my passport and went on my way to spend my American dollars there. No one asked me if I had ever been in jail, but I probably wouldn't have told them anyway if I had. Now that I think about it, my passport has been chipped so they already knew. :dunce:

[applegrove]

11. Another great move by Canada's "New Government". Idiots.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. They hassled Ann when she went to Toronto a few months ago

I wondered if this would be the next step. Damn.

Is is fascism yet?

[tom_paine]

15. Virtual Anschluss continues unabated.

I STILL question Harper's victory, in the context that the entire "Anschluss Area" ALL went the Bushie way, especially given the malfesance in Mexico to make the Bushie Calderon "win".

But, because of the bad PR a North American actual Anschluss would create bad associations in people's minds (and rightfully so), the Bushies will and likely have been pursuing it by other means.

And that means Bushie Canada and Bushie Mexico are not likely to ever have leaders that aren't Bushies again.

Hopefully my assessment is too bleak, and it is only speculation.

In any case, I believe that Virtual Anschluss, which is much more palatable and sellable, is continuing apace and this is just one other way.

Sure it's harassment. The Empire has long arms.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Of plans and of mice and men

don't worry, like all empires this one will go down the tubes too

[tom_paine]

41. That's supposed to make me happy? We live here!

When it goes, we go. I can't take any pleasure in that.

[SteveM]

17. Canadians don't like this, but when the U.S. snaps fingers on wars and drugs...

they snap to it. And fast, too.

[leftchick]

18. ironic it is called the "Peace Bridge"

I went over last year. I guess I am lucky they let me in. :(

[superkia]

19. And Blackwater has a $15 billion contract to fight the drug war...

I would bet the house that its not a contract to fight a drug war. Our country has been taken over by terrorists and what country will help us in the future? When Hitler was on his march, there were countries that stood together to stop him, I think we will be on our own defending our rights in the future.

[Canuckistanian]

20. This is outrageous

I'll be sending an email to my MP.

I'm hoping this is a mistake and is going to be reversed immediately by Customs & Immigration.

If not, there will be hell to pay for the Conservatives.

The war is opposed by about 90% of Canadians.

[Bitwit1234]

21. I have a "cousin" in Canada

he and his family are really upset as to what the PM is doing. They think they are going to end up being as bad as America under bush. The are scared crapless.

[Dave From Canada]

29. I'm not scared crapless at all. A non-confidence vote can trigger a new election at any time.

No Prime Minster can be extreme with a minority government. Also, criminal records effecting one's access into our country isn't a new policy. It's been around for quite a while, although there are incidents like this one, which are inappropriate. I'm sure this situation will be corrected, and they'll be allowed in enter the country in a short while. At least one can hope.

[spanone]

22. there is more than one way to stifle freedom

and these criminals will use every possible fashion

[TheWraith]

23. Have we heard about this from any reliable sources?

If the FBI is doing this, it's important to know, but I don't trust Medea Benjamin to be truthful.

[babylonsister]

25. Why on earth don't you trust Medea Benjamin? nt

[EFerrari]

30. Wtf?

:wtf:

[Richard Steele]

36. Maybe Rush will mention it tomorrow.

:eyes:

[babylonsister]

38. Here:

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/1003-15.htm

[mhatrw]

44. So you trust the 9/11 Commission, but not Medea Benjamin? n/t

[QueenOfCalifornia]

32. BabylonSister

Thanks for posting this.

The world is a scary place but wtf is up with not allowing these 2 women to attend a peace conference?

Recommended

[proud patriot]

40. Son of a

Gun

[Lasher]

43. Junior and President Cheney both have DUI convictions.

I wonder if they let them in.

[Spazito]

45. Here is an interview with Medea about this, it is worth listening to, imo

The interview is on "As It Happens", an excellent CBC program. Click on part 1, Medea is the first story. (Thanks to CHIMO for the link)


http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/asithappens/20071004-aih-1.wmv

I am livid at my government over this and have been doing some work in protesting this disgusting action.