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Conrad Black Can Return To Canada

The Huffington Post Canada   First Posted: 05/ 1/2012 2:29 pm Updated: 05/ 1/2012 8:11 pm

Former media baron Conrad Black will be allowed to live in Canada after being approved for a one-year temporary resident permit, the Globe and Mail has learned. The CBC has also confirmed that Black has received a permit.

Black, who had been jailed in a Florida prison over fraud charges, is set to be released as earliest as this Friday.

He was convicted last June of fraud and obstruction of justice charges and sentenced to 42 months in prison, the court agreed to count the 29 months he had already served.

The Opposition raised Black's imminent return in Question Period on Tuesday.

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NDP leader Thomas Mulcair accused the Conservatives of applying a double standard in allowing Black into Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney told Mulcair that privacy rules prevented him from answering questions about reports of Black's return to Canada.

Mulcair referenced the case of Douglas Gary Freeman, an African American extradited to the United States 30 years after an altercation with a Chicago police officer. Freeman accepted a plea bargain of aggravated battery and served 30 days. On his release, he was deemed "inadmissable" by Canadian authorities and prevented from rejoining his family.

Mulcair said the Tories are applying different standards depending on the race of the applicant. Mulcair was met with calls of "shame" from the Tory benches for bringing race into the debate.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney responded that applications for entrance into Canada are handled by professional civil servants and that he has recused himself from involvement in Black's case.

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae also brought up Black on this twitter feed. "Maybe they'll listen to Conrad Black's views on the needed reforms to our criminal justice system...," Rae wrote on Twitter.

Black had renounced his Canadian citizenship in a bitter fight in 2001 with the Jean Chretien Liberal government over his appointment in England's House Of Lords.

Black's controversial business dealings while at the helm of Hollinger's global media empire netted him fraud and obstruction of justice convictions in 2007 and saw him spend several years in a Florida prison.

Conrad Black is a blogger for The Huffington Post Canada.

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Former media baron Conrad Black will be allowed to live in Canada after being approved for a one-year temporary resident permit, the Globe and Mail has learned. The CBC has also confirmed that Black h...
Former media baron Conrad Black will be allowed to live in Canada after being approved for a one-year temporary resident permit, the Globe and Mail has learned. The CBC has also confirmed that Black h...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
giantsteps
92 Fans
 
03:29 PM on 05/02/2012
Since Black can get his permit so quickly, send me my pardon regarding a DUI, so I can work.
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Oil Sanderr
0 Fans
03:00 PM on 05/02/2012
Shame, Shame, Shame on Canada for allowing this scoundrel back into the country he renounced.
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leroybrown
34 Fans
02:45 PM on 05/02/2012
My recommendation to the immigration people would be to make sure that Conrad Black could only live in Quebec on his return to Canada. I'm sure he would be delighted to comply.He would be right at home with all those corrupt politicians and business people there.
Of all the provinces Quebec is the most corrupt. Just read to to-day in the paper how crooked the former Lt Governor was. What a legacy her grandchildren have to live with,but then again she's probably looked on in the rural parts as a folk hero. And everyone feels sorry that she got caught more so than the fact that she was crooked.
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Ian Llangan
Your Invisible Sky Friend Is Morally Abhorrent
844 Fans
05:40 PM on 05/02/2012
Faved by mistake (ugh!) How you can conflate Conrad Black with your personal issues with Quebec is beyond me but at any rate, your issues with Quebec have nothing to do with the story. Your ability to project your own neuroses is certainly your strong point however.
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paintitblacker
shit happens life goes on
121 Fans
12:53 PM on 05/02/2012
he chose to renounce Canadian citizenship , so that he could go to England and be Knighted , he chose a title over his country of origin . these criminals have to learn that Canada is not simply a country of convenience , we all ready have plenty of criminals of our own , why would we need or want to import more of them . was this covered in the N.A.F.T.A. agreements .further more I take exception to harpers sending criminals to the u. k. to sit in any type of official or government capacity , gordon cambell drunk driver and absconder of rail roads. it show poor judgement in harpers ability to make good choices,or he did it to be blatantly disrespectful of the Queen.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Skookum1
truth can't be bought, but lies sure can be sold..
192 Fans
02:33 PM on 05/02/2012
he's not a Knight, "only" a Lord....his Knighthood would have been revoked for sure upon being criminally charged...and I still don't understand why his lordship hasn't.

He bought his peerage (lordship)....you can't buy a knighthood (well, not directly anyway, but contribute enough tax revenues to UK coffers and you'll probably get one...Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Sir Mick Jagger etc.
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Liz Wilson 2
“a small group can change the world
325 Fans
12:49 PM on 05/02/2012
I absolutely agree that there is a double standard.... the upside of Black returning is that he is a vocal opponent of what he calls Canada's "inhumane prison plan"
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Marg Wood
Peace
310 Fans
12:36 PM on 05/02/2012
Black renounced his citizenship and is a convicted criminal! Freeman spent 30 days in jail, 30 days is not the sentence of a murderer! This is pure discrimination not just a double standard!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
FredSanders
I Have An F- Rating From The NRA
4731 Fans
12:59 PM on 05/02/2012
White Non citizen gets in. Blah citizen does not, with less prison term?
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Ian Llangan
Your Invisible Sky Friend Is Morally Abhorrent
844 Fans
05:41 PM on 05/02/2012
"Blah" citizen? Huh??
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Interested Party
235 Fans
12:16 PM on 05/02/2012
Leave Tubby Black in the US, re gave up his citizenship to be a Lord, he should stay in the US. Watch for the next bit of preferential treatment - he is made a Senator!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
PG13
63 Fans
11:46 AM on 05/02/2012
Black is friends with the Conservatives and and enemy of the Chretien Liberals.

There is no duh, that the Harper gov has not problem accepting a non-citizen criminal back to Canada. It's simple partisan preferential treatment.

Ethically, this is goofy
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
stresscrete
36 Fans
12:50 PM on 05/02/2012
The Harper Government made a wise choice to bring back/forgive Mr. Black. He paid his debt to society and will probably contribute greatly to our national dialogue.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Skookum1
truth can't be bought, but lies sure can be sold..
192 Fans
02:34 PM on 05/02/2012
Did he pay his debt to the people he ripped off?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Skookum1
truth can't be bought, but lies sure can be sold..
192 Fans
01:05 PM on 05/02/2012
would be VERY funny to see a spoof commercial modelled on the Tory one slagging Ignatieff for not being Canadian enough......if I had more skill with video editing I'd do it myself...
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HarleyOpenRoad
2184 Fans
11:41 AM on 05/02/2012
Conrad Black is a danger to no one.

Except perhaps Liberalism.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
djelimon17
what's this thing for?
75 Fans
12:09 PM on 05/02/2012
And all those people he ripped off
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
stresscrete
36 Fans
12:50 PM on 05/02/2012
he paid his debt to society. Are you so chaste and pure?
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Ian Llangan
Your Invisible Sky Friend Is Morally Abhorrent
844 Fans
01:28 PM on 05/02/2012
He's certainly a terrible danger to regular strength Pomposity. His patented Extra Strength® Pomposity could stamp out the former for all time!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Thalin Lea
24 Fans
10:34 AM on 05/02/2012
Mulcair is right about it. Let's also remember about the Canadian woman Suaad Hagi Mohamud held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2009 at which the federal government gave her the back , and once she was permited to comeback she sued the government . here is the story : http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/672645--woman-held-in-kenya-gives-up-dna-samples

And like this one, there are a lot of clear examples of racial discrimination. If First nation people are facing a similar situation since very long time , what can you expect for foreigners that aren't white?
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Octavo
167 Fans
10:21 AM on 05/02/2012
While Black certainly has a colorful past, one should realize he has and will continue to create jobs probably right here in Ontario
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CDNCIES
33 Fans
11:46 AM on 05/02/2012
huh?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
arkymorgan
Nobody knows the trouble I've been...
837 Fans
11:51 AM on 05/02/2012
Yeah, he'll need a pool cleaner, and someone to mow the lawn and probably a couple of extra char-ladies... Whoo-hooo! The money will just be rolling in!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Skookum1
truth can't be bought, but lies sure can be sold..
192 Fans
01:06 PM on 05/02/2012
LMAO
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Octavo
167 Fans
06:03 PM on 05/02/2012
He did run some successful newspapers as well! He prob got greedy but who hasn't ? He has paid his dues, and if given the chance might start another newspaper media company right here, employing hundreds if not thousands
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jebaca
1 Fans
10:19 AM on 05/02/2012
Double standard alright on Immigration! Why is CB allowed to return and live in
Canada after renouncing his Canadian citizenship and moving to England to be the Lord of WhatI
Immigration should be fair and stick to rules. He should go back and live in England, but then
maybe he is not weloome there.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Skookum1
truth can't be bought, but lies sure can be sold..
192 Fans
01:07 PM on 05/02/2012
Convicted felons can't sit in the House of Lords....or enter many of London's swank gentleman's clubs......I"m surprised they haven't pulled his title, if they haven't already.
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This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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emphatico
....is politically radioactive.
1064 Fans
09:51 AM on 05/02/2012
To institutionalize ra,ci,sm -- that's been the objective of the CPC from day one. Most of the major pieces of legislation of Harper's government have been directed toward this goal.

Do you think that he was thinking about a child who looks like his child when he was drafting his Omnibus C,rime bill to expand what c,rime means and expand the priso,n system?

Also, why do you think he's cutting public service so seve,rely? Because immigrants and non-white Canadians benefit greatly from these jobs as it is the best way for them to adapt to their new country.

People are getting pi,nk slips from government jobs at the same time the Omnibus C,rime bill is being passed. Do you see the agenda? Those are just two bills -- there are many more that further this agenda.

Canada is slowly becoming the United States by essentially making life impossibly hard for people who aren't white or who are recent immigrants.

It's beyond me how a very progressive country like Canada voted these sc,ared troglo,dytes in and gave them a free range in the first place.
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northislandgal
20 Fans
10:23 AM on 05/02/2012
Why cant you write ?? are you making up words for effect or fun?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
arkymorgan
Nobody knows the trouble I've been...
837 Fans
11:59 AM on 05/02/2012
I'm going to assume, to be fair, that you aren't familiar with the moderating of posts that can occur on this site.

You will find that many people frequently use additional symbols stuck into 'hot button' words in order for their posts to make it past a system of autobot moderating looking for those specific words. Problematically, we aren't always sure what words might be targetted at any given moment, although 'N*zi' is a pretty good bet, even if the article being responded to is wholly about the Third Reich.

If you like, you can test this: write what you like and see for yourself how many seemingly innocuous posts never make it into public view.
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emphatico
....is politically radioactive.
1064 Fans
02:09 PM on 05/02/2012
I can write quite well. If you looked closely, the words I wrote weirdly are what you'd call "strong words" and most of the time, they don't get through comment moderation, resulting in the whole comment being automatically discarded. So I was trying to escape that and have my comment published.

By the way, you might need to put an apostrophe in your "cant" and capitalize the first letter in your second sentence.
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albertarick
These are questions for wise men with skinny arms
307 Fans
09:44 AM on 05/02/2012
The political meddling, and undo expedited process are fairly apparent to anyone with half a brain. Please find another case that has been handled in any such fashion, if you want my support that this is not preferential treatment.
We are not talking about a persecuted freedom fighter here, unless you mean freedom from taxes and corporate/legal accountability.
CB is simply a long time proponent of the ideologies that drive our current leadership, favours are seemingly owed, and are now being repaid. Isn't it great to watch our fair country disintegrate.
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MKULTRA1
28 Fans
10:42 AM on 05/02/2012
Immigration Canada handled over 6000 cases for temporary citizenship this year alone, of which 900 were grant involving individuals with serious criminal considerations. There are numerous professional athletes on major sports team in Canada not to mention musicians and entertainers who have been granted the same.

I find it hypocritical that Huff and Puffers despise the American Justice System and it vicious zealous prosecution of individuals as being unjust; yet they want the resulting of said American practices upheld as it pertains to Black. Whose crimes if committed in Canada would not have even been prosecuted under Canadian Law. Therein lies the double standard.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Skookum1
truth can't be bought, but lies sure can be sold..
192 Fans
02:42 PM on 05/02/2012
Taht they wouldn't have been prosecuted under Canadian law is all the more deplorable....but we know from the cases of Brian Mulroney and Gordon Campbell that some rigging of process and looking the other way does a lot for allowing crimes of the most extraordinary magnitude to go both uninvestigated AND unpunished. And even when they're investigated, as with Mulroney, still no charges are laid, not so much as a pee-pee whacked.....and the guy who rigged those hearings to protect other Tories gets to be Governor-General. And Campbell, well, it's still an outrage that he's now Canadian High Commissioner in London, and there are countless criminal matters relating to BC Rail and other things in BC that have been completely passed over and whitewashed.....and which would have, yes, been fully investigated and exposed in the United States.

So your point about Black not having been charged if what he'd done in Canada is all the more noxious in its endorsement of the way corporate and political crime in Canada is not just ignored by our laws. But PROTECTED by them. Sheesh.
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MKULTRA1
28 Fans
09:38 AM on 05/02/2012
Black held both Canadian and British citizenship and he was awarded life peerage by the British Government. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, over stepped his authority interfering with a private citizen, giving conflicting advice that a Canadian citizen should not receive a titular honors, citing the 1919 Nickle Resolution. Blocking Black’speerage resulting in his renouncement of his Canadian Citizenship.

I find it rich that Mulcair a FRENCH citizen voting in France’s elections supporting his wife who is a CON who ran for office in Sarkozy’s government would have the audacity to refer to Black as that Briton.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
arkymorgan
Nobody knows the trouble I've been...
837 Fans
12:04 PM on 05/02/2012
There is a world of difference between holding dual citizenships and contemptuously renouncing the land of one's birth until it becomes convenient to reclaim it.
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MKULTRA1
28 Fans
12:33 PM on 05/02/2012
So you cannot hold dual citizenship if you accept a peerage appointment under the treat of being charged by the goverment of the day, but you can hold dual citizenship seeking the highest office in the land, the Prime Minister of Canada? If you cannot see the hypocrisy .. I am dumbfounded.
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