Why Don’t We Just Put Up Signs Saying “Muslims Not Welcome” at Pearson Airport? That Should Help.

May 14, 2026, Toronto. Dr. Anas Altikriti, a former Guardian columnist and president of the Muslim Association of Britain, was stopped by immigration officials upon arrival in Canada to attend and speak at the annual Muslim Association of Canada event, scheduled to begin this Saturday, May 16. He was questioned for a grueling eleven hours. The interrogation would have continued longer had Anas not chosen to cancel his plans to attend the Toronto event and return to London rather than face the risk of being “forcibly removed” from Canada.

What could have led to Anas being treated as a persona non grata in Canada? He had previously been found guilty of posting in support of Gaza and its millions of deceased and displaced residents following the events of October 7, 2023.

His posts that made the CBSA run for the bomb shelter included:

In a post on X on October 7, 2023, Anas stated: “What did we think was going to happen? That Palestinians would stay silent while being forever subjugated, victimized, abused, violated, murdered, and tortured?!”

Additionally, Anas questioned the Israeli government’s reports regarding the number of Israeli casualties, labeling them “a lie,” and disputed claims that Hamas fighters had engaged in sexual violence.

Luke Reimer, a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), noted that the agency does not discuss individual cases due to privacy concerns. He stated that every person entering Canada from abroad must undergo examination.

“There are several reasons an individual could be deemed inadmissible to Canada. Inadmissibility concerns may be identified before a person travels to Canada, at the time they seek entry, or even after they are already in the country,” he explained.

The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) condemned the CBSA’s treatment of Anas and called on Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree to explain.

“Dr. Altikriti is an internationally recognized Muslim leader whose decades of work have profoundly impacted British civil society. He was coming to address Canadian Muslims about their responsibilities in contributing to this country,” the organization stated.

“Instead, according to Dr. Altikriti, he spent eleven hours undergoing intense questioning based on Islamophobic and fringe material before ultimately being turned away. This was not a routine immigration decision. It is unacceptable for a Canadian government agency to be used to silence and intimidate those speaking out for justice. Minister Anandasangaree must address why the CBSA is targeting Muslim speakers.”

The minister’s office declined to comment on the matter.

The Muslim Association of Britain stated, “This appears to be a serious overreach by the Canadian government,” suggesting that it seems to be an attempt to suppress criticism of Israel.

“It raises serious concerns regarding freedom of speech and the targeting of advocates for Palestinian rights,” the organization added in a statement.

It is noteworthy that Anas is the chief executive and founder of the Cordoba Foundation, a think tank focused on dialogue between the Muslim world and the West.

He has faced criticism in the past for his statements regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Sadly, upon his return to London, Anas shared on Facebook that his experience with immigration officials in Toronto had significantly impacted his perception of a country he once genuinely admired, particularly considering its Prime Minister’s principled stance against Trump and his memorable, historic speech at Davos.

He recounted his journey, explaining that on the morning of May 11, he flew from London to Toronto with plans to spend three days in Montreal before heading to the convention. After disembarking the flight at 10:30 a.m., he was promptly ushered aside and questioned by border officials. He soon realized “within the first three hours that they had no intention of allowing me into Canada.”

He stated that Canadian immigration officers were not “overtly disrespectful,” but for hours they repeatedly questioned him, asking, “Have you ever been associated with narcotics, terrorists, or criminal groups?” He described this line of questioning in his post as “absurd and insulting.”

Anas expressed that it was evident the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) was grasping at straws, hoping to find something in his past they could use against him to justify deportation—an approach popularized by Trump that has also gained traction in Carney’s Canada.

After conducting extensive research and scrutinizing his social media activity for hours, Anas said the CBSA found nothing incriminating. Instead, they relied on information he had previously shared: a 2023 visa denial by the US. Anas mentioned that he had proactively provided the CBSA with the official letter from the US State Department, and since this was the only evidence they had against him, they used it as the reason for denying him entry.

He was given the option to request a review by another officer. However, rather than risk being forcibly removed, he chose to sign a declaration withdrawing his application to enter Canada and boarded a flight back to London.

Meanwhile, there was the expected celebration in some Toronto circles. A prominent Jewish online news portal, which claims to be the “world’s oldest Jewish newspaper,” rushed to publish a story on Anas that rehashed all his social media posts to support the CBSA’s actions.

On behalf of our country, Canada, we extend our most sincere apologies to Dr. Anas. We are sorry we brought you all the way from the UK only to humiliate you. This is not just your trauma. It’s ours too.

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