Winnie Mandela, Snoop Dog and Conrad Black

If Winnie Mandela was barred from Canada (Winnie Mandela and Snoop Dog, June 5-07) as a result of her criminal conviction, does that mean that the Department of Foreign Affairs will prevent the Hon. Conrad Black from entering Canada should he be convicted of fraud in Chicago?

Neither is a Canadian citizen, after all.

How could they not? Federal bureaucrats wouldn’t want to be seen to be blocking a visit by a Black female human rights leader, and then apply the rules differently to a wealthy White man. Particularly given Lord Black’s longstanding financial and organizational support of the P.C.s, Reform and Conservative Party. Even if he happens to cling to his Green-covered Canadian “Special Passport” (Red represents diplomatic standing, Green is for sitting Parliamentarians and Privy Councillors, Blue is for the rest of us), courtesy of the Privy Councillorship he received in 1992 (along with Mr. Desmarais and Mr Bronfman, among others, in celebration of Canada’s 125th birthday), Mr. Black is no more a citizen today than Ms. Mandela or Rapper Snoop Dog.

Interesting timing. Is Foreign Affairs giving us a hint of what’s to come, should Lord Black not succeed with his criminal defence?

MRM