David Icke was detained at the Ottawa International Airport for three hours on the evening of October 1,1999. His plane arrived at 11:04 PM and he was not released until 2:00 AM on October 2nd. I went to the airport to drive him to his hotel room. I waited until the people stopped coming out of the Customs and Immigration door. Then I asked a Customs and Immigration official if there were any people still detained at Customs. He answered "No." So, I went back to my home. At 1:00 AM David Icke called and asked those of us who were waiting for him to come back to the airport for a consultation because he was being detained. The person who told me that no one was being detained at Immigration either did not know that he was there he preferred to feign ignorance of what was happening.

His complete luggage and his laptop computer were searched. Apparently, Customs officials were searching for "hate material." Not finding any "hate material" Immigration officials then decided to harass him because he did not have a "validation" certificate nor a "work permit." The Immigration authorities stated to myself and others in attendance that David would be committing a crime and would be arrested and charged if he were to collect any monies while here in Canada without a working permit or validation number. However, they agreed this issue would be solved if he were paid no monies at all and that included expenses.

Since the Immigration officials were working well beyond their working hours they agreed to permit David Icke temporary entry to Canada. A final decision was deferred until October 2nd, 1999. David Icke was instructed to return to the Customs and Immigration Department at the Ottawa International Airport at 1:30 PM on, Saturday, October 2nd with his baggage.

Early in the morning of October 2nd, 1999 a new agreement was written up between David Icke and Sumari Seminars stating that David will reimburse Sumari Seminars for any expenses paid out on his behalf to that date. This new agreement clearly stated that David would be doing all of the semiars for FREE and paying his own expenses. At the meeting on Saturday, October 1st, 1999 Customs officials were given copies of the original and new agreement. Many people from the seminar showed up at the Customs and Immigration office at the Ottawa International Airport at 1:30 PM on Saturday to support David's right to be in Canada and to speak at public meetings while he is visiting in Canada. This strong showing of support does make a difference when we are fighting to preserve our "freedoms" here in Canada.David was interrogated until 4:00 PM at which time he was again released to continue his seminar at Hull, Quebec. Even though over three hours has elapsed from the time David interrupted his seminar everyone was there again when he started again at approximately 4:30 PM. David talked until after 7:30 Pm on that Saturday evening.

We assumed that this new "legal" contract would solve the problem as outlined by Immigration Canada. We were wrong.....Unfortunately, we were not told by Immigration officials in Ottawa that this new agreement would not be honoured by their cohorts in Toronto. We had also spoken with legal counsel who had likewise informed us that under these conditions both David and Sumari Seminars were complying with the Immigration Act.

Other examples of continuing harrassment occurred in Toronto. First of all, there was much pressure put on the University of Toronto to cancel David Icke's seminar. This opposition was organized by The Green Party in collusion with B'Nai Brith and CJC (Canadian Jewish Congress). When the University refused to cancel the contract a small group of demonstrators was organized to gather outside of the Hart House at the University of Toronto to heckle the people who were entering the hall to hear David's presentation. It was interesting to note that when a woman asked one of the youths why he was protesting he did not have an answer. Could he have been following the "herd?" Just wondering??

After finishing his sold out seminar at the Hart House, University of Toronto at 11:15 PM David along with the Sumari Seminar staff was summoned to a back room by two Immigration officials who has been in attendance at the evening seminar. Speculation is that they were planning to "arrest" him at the beginning of the seminar but they wisely chose not to raise the wrath of the 450 people in the audience who would have objected to any action of arresting David Icke.

Both David Icke and the staff of Sumari Seminars were threatened "arrest." After some brief negotiations David was counseled to appear at the Immigration office at 6900 Airport Rd. at 10:00 AM the following morning, Thursday, October 7, 1999. At that time, David was again advised that he would be arrested if he chose to present his seminar in Windsor on Saturday, October 10th, 1999. Currently, David is seeking legal counsel on what amd how to proceed with this saga.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the location of his presentation in the Ottawa area had to be changed three times. De La Salle High School and Hull City Hall both broke their contracts with the organizers of the David Icke presentation because of pressure from groups and/or individuals who have been trying to defame David Icke by calling him "author of hate literature", "nazi" and "anti-semetic." Though none of these terms are true of David Icke, people are still driven by fear and misinformation. Misguided officials at De La Salle High School and Hull City Hall allowed certain groups and/or individuals to instill sufficient "fear" by spreading "lies" and falsehood" that they broke their respective contracts. Neither would allow David Icke to speak at their respective locations. Currently, David Icke and Sumari Seminars are considering legal action against both De La Salle High School and Hull City Hall for breaking their respective contracts. Bravo to College de l'Outaouais, Hull, Quebec which did not "buckle" under such "lies" and "falsehoods."

By the way, the Grey Nuns at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa, Ontario raised questions of "concern" about David Icke's views on religion when I approched the Bronson Centre in mid-July, 1999 about booking David Icke to speak there. They asked who was speaking and what was he going to talk about. I simply advised them to visit David's website at this URL: http://www.davidicke.com . They responded by raising a "red flag" and asked a series of questions about his views on religion. On that note, I decided to seek another location for David to speak. It was then that Kemptville College was booked. Contrary to misinformation in various forms of the media, Kemptville College never broke their contract. It was Sumari Seminars which terminated that contract simply because too many people from Ottawa were complaining about the 40 minute drive from downtown Ottawa.

Those in attendance with David for at least part of the interrogations at both Ottawa and Toronto carefully observed the actions and energy of the Customs and Immigration officials. It was interesting to note that while the Customs and Immigration officials were compelled by law to process David Icke many of them were baffled as to why David was being put through this harassment at this time since he has already been coming to Canada on a regular basis since the mid-1990's. On various occasions, a complete change of energy was observed by those in attendance. David, himself noted such an energy shift when the Customs and Immigration officials were completing their interrogations. He commented that they could see no reason for labelling his research as "anti-Semetic" and therefore they were wondering out loud why David Icke was being harassed in this manner. These Customs and Immigration officials explained that they had to follow the law or their job would be in jeopardy. It was amazing to observe David's positive attitude coupled with an absence of "fear" throughout the whole process. Observing the whole process unfold convinced that "love" is a much more powerful emotion that "fear."

What could be so "dangerous" that misguided individuals and groups not only try to block him from speaking but also consider the gravity of ordering our federal civil servants to harass David and deter him from speaking in Canada by imposing restrictions on where and to whom he can speak? Do we really have a land which we mistakenly believe to be a "land of freedom" where we are supposedly granted the right of "freedom of speech?" Furthermore, what about our rights as Canadian citizens to listen to whomever we choose?

Public money extracted from Canadian taxpayers has been used to pay for the Customs and Immigration staff who have been directed to harass David Icke during this past week. Taxpayers have an inalienable right to be fully and honestly informed by radio, television and the print media on a daily basis of both sides of the David Icke "controversy" which has been carefully manufactured by self-appointed individuals and pressure groups. As of this date only one side - those who seek to defame him - have been given fair media exposure.

Citizens who are dedicated to preserving and enhancing "freedom of speech" must not stand by and allow pressure groups to betray the cherished tradition of expecting the media to report "uncensored news" to the court which has the ultimate and greatest power in the country - The Court of Public Review.

Individuals committed to "freedom of speech" rather than "freedom of acceptable speech" must probe to find out who is wielding the power to cause the so-called, competitive media to collectively supress the David Icke side of this ongoing "news story." Such crafted censorship jeopardizes "free discussion, debate, and expression" for every single Canadian and The Court of Public Review is denied the evidence it needs to reach a fair verdict.

Abraham Lincoln was fully aware that it was in The Court of Public Review that truth inevitably overcomes falsehood for he warned: "Let the people know the truth, and the country is safe."

It would certainly be instructive to know the "hidden agenda" of those groups who sought to ban David icke from speaking in Canada. Likewise, it would be interesting to hear the mainstream media comment on their collective decision to dismiss the "David Icke side" of this ongoing controversy as "NOT NEWSWORTHY."