Canada has objected to Sri Lanka’s deporting of Liberal MP Bob Rae, calling the allegation that he’s a security threat “absurd.”
Mr. Rae obtained a visa from Sri Lanka’s high commission in Ottawa, but when he arrived in Colombo on Tuesday night, he was told there was an intelligence report about him and he would not be allowed in. Mr. Rae was put on a plane to London this morning.
The Liberal foreign affairs critic has chastised the Sri Lankan government for human rights abuses during and since their offensive this year, which defeated the insurgent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, commonly known as the Tamil Tigers – but he has also criticized the Tigers.
The Canadian government issued a formal objection today.
“It is absurd to suggest that Mr. Rae represents a threat to Sri Lankan national security, or is a supporter of the LTTE,” Emma Welford, a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs department, said in an e-mail.
“We have registered to the Sri Lankan government our dismay and displeasure concerning this unacceptable treatment of a Canadian parliamentarian. Mr. Rae received consular assistance throughout this ordeal.”
Mr. Rae is the latest foreign official Sri Lanka has sent out of the country at the end of a 25-year war.
[More]
Updates:
3:11 pm EDT, June 10th, 2009 — CSIS beefs up screening for Tamil Tigers
Looks good on Bobby boy !
Unfortunately we were not able to deport Buffalo Bob when he was Premier of Ontario.
Now lets not let him back into Canada. The Sri Lankans know how he was pandering for votes with the Tigers, reap what you sow Bobby.
Oh Canada, what’s good for the goose is not good for the gander? Canada recently banned British anti-war MP George Galloway, right? Sri Lanka viewed Rae as a security threat and bans him. Perhaps we should mind our own business and leave the hypocracy to the opposition parties. How many votes do the CPC think they will get in Ontario with this futile unimpressive little chest thumping gesture? All this objection amounts to is a stupid politically motivated stunt IMO.
I’m not going to comment on the situtation as is, only that I am amused by the difference in terminology used when the government does something non partisan and consilatory vs the times the opposition disagrees. Funny… when it’s a ‘bad’ news story it’s “Harper” or “the Tory’s” or some such identifying language. When the government defends a MP of another party they are described as “Ottawa” as in “Ottawa blasts Rae’s absurd deportation”. Hmmm.. interesting. Why not “Harper blasts” the deportation order of a opponent. I really really hate the MSM
Annie – it is the same on the weather channel : good weather in the west is followed by a ‘but’ (fires, floods, too late, soon to change) if the east has good weather it is ‘lovely, good for cottage weekends, suntanning at the ‘beach’ welcome rain…soon to clear…beautiful sunshine. Pretty petty.
Oh he’s a threat all right: a threat to prosperity and sanity.
This is hilarious.
I bet PMSH would have done the same thing even if the person had been Lizzie, Layton or Duceppe.
Remember when Iggy had to cancel a trip to Israel because he wasn’t wanted over there and would not be allowed in.
Can we send rahy back for a ‘do over’?