Amid the shouting and music and chants that characterised today’s anti-George W. Bush rally outside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, one man stood silently at the front of the crowd, watching.

In June, 62-year old Tom Riley will celebrate a very personal anniversary. This year marks the 40th since he deserted the United States and escaped to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War draft. Riley attended today’s rally on behalf of the War Resisters Support Campaign in a show of support for the next generation of Americans opposed to war.

“When I came up here originally it was for my own personal decision that I didn’t want to go fight and kill people,” Riley said.

Riley believes that it’s harder for the next generation of war resisters to stay in Canada, citing the Conservative government’s deportation of three resisters to date, and calls the Canadian government’s decision to allow Bush into the country to speak “disgusting.”

“He’s committed so many war crimes, and yet Stephen Harper is deporting war resisters who didn’t want to be involved in a criminal war,” Riley said.

Standing next to Riley, behind a yellow War Resisters Support Campaign banner, stands Dale Landry. The 23-year old Texas native fled to Canada two years ago after five years of service in the United States Air Force. He joined the protest to decry Bush’s “war crimes,” as well as to highlight the struggle he and other war resisters face when attempting to avoid participation in “illegal wars.”

“I’ve been fighting to stay in this country and haven’t been well received by the Conservative government,” Landry said. “And Bush is welcomed with open arms.”

While Landry believes that the motives of war resisters are often misunderstood, Riley worries that the deportation of resisters and appearances by people like Bush are examples of shifting values of Canadian politicians.

“Canada used to be a lot more compassionate,” Riley said. “We had Canadian values and accepted people who had a conscience.”

He also blamed politicians like Bush for the fact that he’s still protesting a cause he fought for 40 years ago.

‘I think politics is a beast itself and it gets in the way of people being able to work things out,” Riley said.

Meanwhile, Landry said he wouldn’t have much to say to Bush if he met him, but said he’s throw his boot at him.

To be clear - that’s his military-issued boot, which he wore for five years in service of his country.