Posted on 07/14/2004 8:46:10 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TORONTO - An Ontario university student is urging Elections Canada to charge American filmmaker Michael Moore over comments he made during the recent federal election campaign.
While promoting his movie in Toronto days before the election, Moore weighed in on the issue of who should lead Canada. He urged Canadians to reject the Conservatives and its leader, Stephen Harper.
Viewpoint: Michael Moore doesn't belong in Canada Moore was in Canada to promote his latest film, Fahrenheit 9/11, which questions U.S. President George W. Bush's actions during the Sept. 11 attacks.
Kasra Nejatian, a member of the Ontario Campus Conservatives and Queen's University student, says he was angered by Moore's comments.
He started an internet petition to have Moore charge under the Canada Elections Act.
"Michael Moore came to our country, stuck his nose in our election, and broke the law," said Nejatian. "So I just want Elections Canada to charge him for breaking country's law." According to section 331 of the Act:
"No person who does not reside in Canada shall, during an election period, in any way induce electors to vote or refrain from voting...for a particular candidate unless the person is
(a) a Canadian citizen; or
(b) a permanent resident..."
Nejatian's lawyer says the complaint to Elections Canada will likely be in before the end of this week.
However, constitutional lawyer Julius Grey says he's not sure how successful the complaint will be.
"The question is, is he allowed to influence voters? I think if he is influencing voters, it's because he is of interest to the media, he expresses his opinion, that's legitimate in a democracy," said Grey.
"If we interpret the law to prevent him from doing it, I think the law would be unconstitutional."
One Canadian mayor has come to Moore's defence.
Mike Bradley, the mayor of Sarnia, Ont., says he'll make Moore an honorary Canadian citizen to try to shield him from any charges.

Finally! A Canadian with some sense...
Looks like Mike is doing a bad Topo Gigio bit.
Mayor Bradley, too late. Moore already broke the law, you can't make him a citizen iptso-facto. I say lock the law breaker up for the maximum term and feed him only bread and water!
The bloated Pig Man obeys no laws. This LardButt is above the law.
I don't know, maybe some of those inmates at Angola would like to have HIM for dinner. :)
"No person who does not reside in Canada shall, during an election period, in any way induce electors to vote or refrain from voting...for a particular candidate unless the person is(a) a Canadian citizen; or
(b) a permanent resident..."
Isn't "(b)" a strange condition? How can someone who is not a citizen of Canada and does not reside there be a permanent resident?
Mike Bradley, the mayor of Sarnia, Ont., says he'll make Moore an honorary Canadian citizen to try to shield him from any charges.
Yeah that's right up there with the average liberal interpretation of the law, change the circumstance after the fact to fit the situation.
What a MORON !
Leave it to the left to defend a criminal.
The term "permanent resident" is the new PC-speak replacing "landed immigrant". It's a legal status that immigrants apply for.
I will tell my parents never to take us to Sarnia and I think this city depends on American tourists. You should boycott that city. Let alone all of Ontario. If you guys are considering travelling to Canada. Go to the Western side of Canada. Don't spend any dollars on the East. They empowered the liberals
Well I've been there and it is God's Country.
Last night our PBS showed "Great Lodges of Canada" focussing on Banff, the Teahouse on the Plain of the Six Glaciers and Assiniboine Lodge where you have to be helicoptered in.
The Canadian Rockies are the most glorious spot on earth.
And Western Canadians have the Right Stuff.
I can hear it now - "Squeal like a pig, come on lemme hear you squeal!"
"Sqeeeeeee. Squeeeeee."
I think prison inmates are eligible to vote in Canada. Anything goes.
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