The Prime Minister’s Office and the Canada Border Services Agency say they were not “involved” or “consulted” in a parliamentary secretary’s announcement of an apparent entry ban on the controversial Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, officials said in new documents tabled Monday.
Liberal MP Vince Gasparro , the parliamentary secretary for combatting crime, said in a video posted to X on Sept. 19 that the group was allegedly “advocating for political violence” and “glorifying terrorist organizations.” The video remains online.
He said that “on behalf of the Government of Canada I am announcing that on the advice of our officials, we have deemed the group Kneecap ineligible to enter our country.”
In a response tabled in the House of Commons to an order paper question by NDP MP Jenny Kwan about the handling of the case, federal officials said they were not involved.
“The Canada Border Services Agency was not consulted regarding the announcement,” the agency said on behalf of Public Safety Canada.
CBSA officials would be in charge of administering and enforcing an entry ban against any foreign individuals, according to additional information provided in that response from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Additionally, the Prime Minister’s Office responded that it too was “not involved in the decision for the member of Eglinton—Lawrence to make the announcement,” using the name of Gasparro’s riding.
Kwan told Global News in an interview that “there are still a lot of unanswered questions” after the government’s response.
“He (Gasparro) said he received information from officials. So who are these officials? Who authorized him to make this announcement? That is still unclear,” she said.
Asked for comment, Gasparro’s office referred to the IRCC’s statements in the government response.
“Mr. Gasparro has said everything that needs to be said on the matter,” an emailed statement said.
Are band members actually banned?
The IRCC’s portion of the response to Kwan says one member’s electronic travel authorization (eTA) had been cancelled in August — a month before Gasparro’s announcement — but that the cancellation “does not preclude him from applying again.”
The response says that in August, Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh’s eTA was cancelled for inadmissibility “for omitting to disclose complete and accurate information on his application,” and that he was notified of the decision.
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“He remains eligible to submit a new application, which will be assessed on its own merits,” the response says.
The response makes no mention of the since-dropped criminal charge against Óg Ó hAnnaidh in the U.K. that accused him of flying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert last year, which Gasparro specifically cited as a reason for the apparent entry ban.
The department adds the eTA applications of Kneecap’s other two members, John James Ó Dochartaigh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin, “are currently under review” and that they were informed in September “not to travel to Canada until receiving further communication” from IRCC.
“How long is this review process going to take?” Kwan asked. “Is there a timeline that would be applied to when a decision would be made? Is this a stalling tactic?
“This is not a clear and transparent process. It’s not an accountable process.”
In response to Kwan’s question on whether Kneecap’s members are allowed to enter Canada, the IRCC says, “Inadmissibility for non-compliance generally ends once a client is no longer in a state of non-compliance” — suggesting no indefinite entry ban is in place.
The written response was tabled in Parliament on the final day before the required 45-day deadline to do so.
Global News has reached out to Kneecap’s management for comment.
Who authorized Gasparro’s announcement?
Gasparro has refused to answer questions on who authorized him to make the announcement and whether the dropping of charges would mean the band could come to Canada.
Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman told Global News in an interview last month that Gasparro “either doesn’t know what’s happening within his own government or clearly lied.”
“I would suspect that in any other workplace you would be reprimanded for that,” she said. “And in this case, you wouldn’t be a parliamentary secretary anymore.”
Lantsman said she would support a parliamentary investigation into the actions of Gasparro and the government in the matter, “to expose what they are not telling us.”
Kwan, who called Gasparro a “rogue Liberal MP” on social media, asked in a letter to Immigration Minister Lena Diab last month if there will be accountability if Gasparro acted unilaterally.
Kwan said Monday she has yet to receive a response to that letter, and has requested a study of the matter at the House of Commons immigration committee.
However, she is unable to go further herself as she is not a member of the committee, which Kwan said has also not responded to her.
“If the Conservative members are interested in pursuing an answer and an open, transparent government on this issue, they need to actually motivate my letter at committee,” she said.
Kneecap — who have been vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause and critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza — has said it does not promote Hamas, Hezbollah or any other terrorist group or advocate for violence against Jewish people.
Óg Ó hAnnaidh argued during his legal case in the U.K. that a fan threw the Hezbollah flag in question onto the stage while the band performed.
The Belfast group has vowed to take legal action against Gasparro, who in turn has said he’s not concerned about a lawsuit.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and Jewish advocacy organization B’nai Brith Canada, which had advocated for the ban, have praised the government for Gasparro’s announcement.
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PMO and CBSA say they weren’t part of Kneecap entry ban announcement
