OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Joe Volpe has been asked by one of his Liberal colleagues to prevent rap artist 50 Cent from coming to Canada.

Born Curtis Jackson in Queen's N.Y., 50 Cent -- or "Fiddy'' as he's known in rap circles -- is scheduled to launch a Canadian tour Dec. 3 in Vancouver.

But the rapper promotes gun violence, says Toronto MP Dan McTeague, who wants Volpe to turn back 50 Cent at the border.

"I don't think people in Toronto or any urban centre need or want to hear Mr. Jackson's message right now,'' McTeague said.

The musician performed in Toronto in 2003, where McTeague points out there was a shooting.

"I think it's time we send a message of our own to those who glorify violence that their gratuitous violence and movies are not welcome in our country,'' McTeague said. "We need to do a better job at protecting Canadians from people who's message runs counter to all of our efforts of trying to curb gun violence.''

A spokesman for Volpe was unaware of the letter when contacted late Tuesday.

But the minister would not comment about an individual case anyway, said Steven Heckbert.

"Whether the minister or departmental officials make a decision about intervening or not, it's really not appropriate for us to be talking about it in a public forum,'' said Heckbert.

The rapper has a criminal record, and would be required to obtain a ministerial permit to enter Canada, although such permits are issued regularly, he added.

"It's permission that's granted typically about 12,000 times a year,'' said Heckbert. "In many of those cases the minister does not intervene directly. The department has delegated authority to make such decisions.

Some U.S. critics have criticized 50 Cent's music for celebrating guns and drugs, without any emphasis on social or moral consciousness.

Paramount Pictures last month pulled some billboards for the movie "Get Rich or Die Tryin'' after community activists complained they glorified gun violence in tough areas of south Los Angeles.

The posters featured 50 Cent, the movie's star, holding a gun in his left hand and a microphone in his right.

The singer denounced the move as proof that rappers get a bad rap when it comes to violence.

50 Cent's Canadian tour is also scheduled for performances in Halifax, Saint John, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Ottawa.

It's not known if the musician obtained a special permit to enter Canada in advance of booking his tour dates. A coalition of African-Canadian organizations met Tuesday with Prime Minister Paul Martin in Ottawa, urging him to adopt a program to curb the escalating gun violence in Toronto.

Four dozen shootings in Toronto this year, out of a total of 69 homicides, involved guns.