Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, who serves as the parliamentary secretary for combating crime, announced that Irish hip-hop group Kneecap is prohibited from entering Canada due to a previously dropped terror-related charge against one of its members in the U.K. However, neither Gasparro nor any officials contacted by CBC News have clarified the implications of the dropped charge on the group’s travel to Canada.
Gasparro stated that he had no further comments beyond the information provided in his video announcement and deferred any additional inquiries to immigration officials. Notably, Gasparro did not inform the public safety minister’s office or the privacy commissioner of Canada before releasing the video, according to a federal source familiar with the situation.
The public safety minister’s office only became aware of the situation after Gasparro’s video went public. The privacy commissioner’s office confirmed that they were not involved in the matter. Despite the Privacy Act’s guidelines on notifying the privacy commissioner in advance of disclosing private information, it does not apply to MPs or senators acting in their parliamentary roles.
In response to questions about Gasparro’s actions, Immigration Minister Lena Diab declined to comment, citing privacy concerns. Meanwhile, immigration officials cited privacy reasons when questioned about Kneecap’s ban status following the withdrawal of the terror charge against one of its members.
Legal experts questioned the validity of keeping Kneecap out of Canada, with some suggesting that Gasparro’s video release may have breached privacy legislation. They noted that official bans are typically communicated through written letters rather than social media videos. The dismissal of the U.K. charge could potentially benefit the band, but the government retains broad discretion in denying entry under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
While debates on privacy laws and government decision-making continue, the fate of Kneecap’s entry into Canada remains uncertain amidst ongoing discussions and legal considerations.