The curious double standard of the Harper government

You may recall that last year George Galloway was refused entry into Canada. Yet look who they just let in to speak:

A 17-year-old Muslim student sparked the testiest exchange and the loudest cheers and jeers at a speech by controversial U.S. conservative Ann Coulter at the University of Western Ontario Monday.

After a wide-ranging speech attacking gay rights activists, the mainstream media and the Barack Obama administration, Coulter took questions from an audience clearly divided in its support for her style of attack conservatism.

Fatima Al-Dhaher, a political science student from London, rose and spoke about comments Coulter made after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The firebrand Republican had suggested Muslim countries be invaded, their leaders killed and all Muslims converted to Christianity. She later suggested Muslims denied air travel take "flying carpets" instead.

"As a 17-year-old student of this university, Muslim, should I be converted to Christianity? Second of all, since I don't have a magic carpet, what other modes do you suggest," Al-Dhaher said to loud and sustained applause.

"I thought it was just American public schools that produced ignorant people," Coulter replied, prompting her own round of applause.

Coulter then noted many Japanese were converted to Christianity after the Second World War and "we haven't heard a peep out of them."

To shouts of "Answer the question," Coulter finally replied, "What mode of transportation? Take a camel."

From the London Free Press. Happily, her planned appearance in Ottawa was later cancelled.

George Galloway banned from Canada!

Even the Bush administration didn't do this:

Anti-war MP George Galloway has been banned from Canada, it emerged today.

A Canadian spokesman confirmed that the Respect MP had been deemed inadmissible on national security grounds and would not be allowed into the country.

Galloway today branded the ban "idiotic" and vowed to fight the ruling with "all means" at his disposal. He is due to give a speech in Toronto on 30 March.

Earlier today the Sun said border security officials had declared Galloway, 54, "inadmissible" because of his views on Afghanistan and the presence of Canadian troops there and would be turned away if he attempted to enter the country.

A spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada said the decision had been taken by border security officials "based on a number of factors" in accordance with section 34(1) of the country's immigration act.

From the Guardian. Immigration minister Jason Kenney says that he has given "financial support" to Hamas; as far as I can tell that refers to his participation in this. What a load of crap (though I can see why the Cons would be scared of Galloway; he can't be intimidated).