Gay rights foe Peter LaBarbera on
Thursday said that he was detained by Canadian border officials under
the nation's hate speech law.
In a series of tweets to his nearly
4,600 followers, LaBarbera, who helms the Christian conservative
group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), tweeted his
own story.
“Breaking: initial judgment by
Canadian Border Security is to NOT allow me to enter Canada based on
alleged viol. of 'hate propaganda' law.”
“I'll appeal initial judgmnt barr'g
my entry into Canada for speech Sat, based on alleg tht I violate
Canada's 'hate propaganda' law #tyranny,” he messaged.
The Weyburn
Review reported that LaBarbera appealed the decision and was
allowed to enter the country.
“Canadian customs officials reverse
earlier dec. + let me stay in country to give my speech on Saturday.
Win for true tolerance + diversity,” he tweeted.
LaBarbera is scheduled to give a talk
Saturday at the Saskatchewan Pro-Life Association (SPLA) conference
Weyburn. He was detained and initially refused entry at the Regina
airport.
“Obviously, I had been flagged as a
result of a campaign by the leftist group Intolerance Free Weyburn,
which is specifically lobbying the Canadian government to deny my
entry into Canada as the alleged purveyor of 'hate,'” LaBarbera
wrote at his group's website.
“After questioning me about the
purpose of my scheduled presentation at the SPLA event; rifling
through my luggage, which contained numerous books and literature
related to homosexuality (pro and con); examining the contents of my
laptop and my cell phone; playing a DVD of my speech Wednesday at
Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio; and critically viewing
AFTAH’s website – a preliminary decision was made to deny my
entrance into Canada on the basis that my speech at the SPLA would
violate Canada's 'Hate Propaganda' law (essentially the potential for
'public incitement of hatred' against a group of people based on
their 'sexual orientation'). The Orwellian experience at Customs
dragged on for more than three hours as a formal document was issued
outlining my denial of entry under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee
Protection Act (citing the Hate Propaganda code). Finally, after
1:00 A.M., I was released pending my appeal of the decision today
(Friday). My passport was seized until I arrive back at Customs
today at noon for my appeal before a 'Minister’s Delegate Review,'”
he added.
LaBarbera has previously argued that
the “homosexual
agenda” is corrupting “every major institution” and blamed
gays for ruining Thanksgiving.