The federal immigration minister is going through growing strain to make clear whether or not the Irish hip-hop group Kneecap is certainly banned from coming into Canada, or if the Liberal official who introduced the transfer was accredited to make that assertion in a contentious social media submit.
In a letter to Immigration Minister Lena Diab on Thursday, NDP MP Jenny Kwan, the celebration’s immigration critic, urged Diab to say whether or not the group is certainly banned after the minister and different officers have repeatedly refused to reply questions on the case for nearly two weeks.
The band says it has but to obtain any official discover about an entry ban or denial of their digital visa authorizations.
“Canadians and guests to Canada need to know that they aren’t topic to arbitrary and politicized weaponization of public coverage for political functions,” Kwan wrote.
“We have to rebuild integrity into the system on this time of misinformation.”
Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, the parliamentary secretary for combating crime, introduced on Sept. 19 “on behalf of the Authorities of Canada” that the band’s members had been deemed ineligible for entry forward of scheduled concert events this month, based mostly “on the recommendation of our officers.”
Kwan desires Diab to reply if the officers Gasparro referenced are in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and if she or different IRCC officers licensed Gasparro to talk on their behalf publicly.
The letter additionally asks if Kneecap had been ever formally banned from coming into Canada or if they’re permitted to enter, and if the Prime Minister’s Workplace or some other authorities officers or companies had been concerned in approving Gasparro’s announcement.
Kwan pressed Diab on a few of these questions throughout query interval on Thursday, however Diab declined to instantly reply.
“If nobody licensed it, can the minister advise what formal motion will probably be taken to deal with this severe misrepresentation of authority? Canadians need to know,” Kwan mentioned.
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Diab responded by studying practically verbatim a press release IRCC despatched to International Information earlier this week — a message that has developed in actual time — that didn’t touch upon Kneecap’s particular case.
“Individuals searching for to come back to Canada should meet eligibility and admissibility necessities of the Immigration and Refugee Safety Act,” Diab mentioned.
“Every case is assessed individually. Entry to Canada could also be refused for quite a few causes. People whose digital journey software has been declined can re-apply by doing an eTA as soon as they deal with the explanations that it has been refused.”
Kneecap’s supervisor has informed International Information the band has heard nothing from the Canadian authorities about members’ eTAs being denied past Gasparro’s video, and has not acquired steering on their present standing since.
A spokesperson for Kwan mentioned she intends to submit a written order paper query on the difficulty, which would require the federal government to reply in writing inside 45 days.
Ought to a probe ask whether or not MP ‘lied?’
Kwan’s letter provides to the strain on the Liberal authorities to elucidate why no additional clarification or official discover has been supplied to the band or the general public since.
Conservative Deputy Chief Melissa Lantsman informed International Information in an interview Wednesday she would help an investigation into whether or not Gasparro “lied” in saying the obvious entry ban or if he contradicted official coverage.
“I might suspect that in some other office you’ll be reprimanded for that. And on this case, you wouldn’t be a parliamentary secretary anymore,” she mentioned.
Kwan’s spokesperson mentioned she would request a research at both the Home of Commons ethics or immigration committee, however she’s going to want a sitting member to help her name. The NDP has no everlasting membership on Home committees after dropping official celebration standing within the final federal election.
A spokesperson for Gasparro’s workplace mentioned he had “no additional remark” in an electronic mail Wednesday and deferred inquiries to IRCC, after making the same remark final Friday.
Diab didn’t cease to reply questions from reporters on Kneecap’s case whereas heading into the Liberal caucus assembly in Ottawa on Wednesday.
Public Security Minister Gary Anandasangaree’s workplace has additionally deferred inquiries to IRCC, and the Prime Minister’s Workplace has not responded to requests for remark.
In his video announcement on Sept. 19, Gasparro cited a U.Ok. terrorism-related cost towards Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh as a motive for denying entry to Canada. A British choose tossed out the legal case final Friday, however nobody within the authorities has mentioned if the obvious entry ban stays in place.
The cost, which was dismissed after a British court docket mentioned it had been laid too late, got here after authorities had alleged Óg Ó hAnnaidh waved a flag of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah throughout a London live performance final 12 months.
Hezbollah is a listed terrorist group in each the U.Ok. and Canada.
Kneecap has accused critics of attempting to silence the band due to its help for the Palestinian trigger all through the Israeli navy’s destruction of Gaza. The band says it doesn’t help Hezbollah and Hamas, nor condone violence.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada, which had advocated for the ban, have praised the federal government for Gasparro’s announcement.
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