http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/print.cgi?/2003/03/05/seizedtape030305
C B C . C A N e w s - F u l l S t o r y :
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Customs accused of seizing tapes critical of U.S.
Last Updated Thu Mar 6 07:36:53 2003
OTTAWA-- A U.S. peace activist says Canada Customs has seized copies of a video that criticizes American foreign policy.
About 30 copies of the video What I've Learned About U.S. Foreign Policy were on their way to an Ontario-based magazine.
The two-hour video is a compilation of documentaries by journalists such as Bill Moyers and speeches by peace activists including Martin Luther King, Jr.
Canada Customs won't confirm that it has seized the tapes but says it is looking for material that promotes hatred, including hatred based on nationality.
"All I can confirm is that our customs officers will do all they have to do to enforce the laws of Canada and that includes hatred laws," said Sam Papadopoulos of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.
Global Outlook, the magazine that tried to import the tapes, says it has ordered them in the past without any problem.
The video was produced by California-based activist Frank Dorrel. He said he shipped 1,500 copies to Canada without incident and he calls the seizure suspicious.
"I don't know why they're doing it now except that maybe now they're feeling the heat from it," he said. "People are watching it and waking up."
If customs officials determine that the tapes do contain hatred towards Americans, criminal charges could follow.
Written by CBC News Online staff
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