Protesters against Ann Coulter outside Marion Hall after
they managed to have the planned speech at the University of Ottawa canceled due
to security concerns. Photograph by: Wayne Cuddington, Ottawa Citizen
These same savages welcome the most hate speech sponsors with open arms and open legs, but truth is verboten.
Ann Coulter Ottawa speech shut down... 2000 protesters surrounding building with rocks and sticks -- pulled fire alarm in building. Cops shut it down! Blogs calling for Coulter to be hurt. MPs were banned from going, Coulter denounced by an MP in the Parliament.
The University of Ottawa cancelled a speech by U.S. firebrand conservative Ann Coulter late Tuesday, just moments before its scheduled start, because organizers feared protesters would turn violent. Coulter: “I’m pretty sure little Francois A-Houle does not need to travel with a bodyguard,” she said. “I would like to know when this sort of violence, this sort of protest, has been inflicted upon a Muslim — who appear to be, from what I’ve read of the human rights complaints, the only protected group in Canada. I think I’ll give my speech tomorrow night in a burka. That will protect me.” ...
They welcome Israel Apartheid Week and its accompanying violence. They welcome Robert Fisk. They welcome George Galloway, today's Oswald Mosley....no protest except when he was barred from Canada by the Feds for supporting Hamas.....he is a hero of free speech......
They embrace inciter to genocide, George Galloway.
They employ a Muslim terrorist wanted in France for blowing up a synagogue.
And lick the shoes of anti-Semites. They welcomed Jew-hating superhero Robert Fisk and the Student Union wasn't really screaming .....(hat tip Armaros)
Michael Coren
with Ann Coulter - part 2
Michael Coren
with Ann Coulter - part 3
Michael Coren
with Ann Coulter - part 4
Michael Coren
with Ann Coulter - part 5
Go, Ann, go.
Ann Coulter will file grievance with rights panel
Even before she opened her mouth for the first of three speeches this week on Canadian soil, American right-wing antagonist Ann Coulter had already scored a victory of sorts.
Ms. Coulter, who was to speak at the University of Western Ontario on Monday night, received a pre-emptive and private caution about the limits of free speech in Canada from the provost of the University of Ottawa, where she appears Tuesday.
The letter was immediately leaked to select conservative news organizations, with Ms. Coulter telling one that the university was “threatening to criminally prosecute me for my speech.”(more here)
The fascists advance yet again. They are moving to big game now and winning:
OTTAWA — Concerns for “public safety” forced the cancellation of American conservative political commentator Ann Coulter’s public-speaking event at the University of Ottawa Tuesday night.
Several hundred people, including students from both Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, showed up prior to Coulter’s speech. The loudest and most vociferous were protesting her presence, drowning out a smaller group of pro-Coulter demonstrators.
Ottawa police had more than nine squad cars at the scene, at the university’s Marion Hall. But the event was cancelled about 8:15 p.m. — before Coulter had a chance to speak.
Reports suggested the building was evacuated after someone pulled a fire alarm.
“It’s a public safety issue,” said Sgt. Dan Beauchamp.
The fiery right-wing pundit and author stirred controversy even before she arrived in Ottawa. The university’s student federation objected to her even appearing on campus, going so far as to ban posters advertising her speaking engagement.
The University of Ottawa also sent Coulter a directive of sorts, urging her to weigh her words with “respect and civility in mind” in order to avoid potential criminal charges linked to hate speech.
“Our domestic laws, both provincial and federal, delineate freedom of expression (or ‘free speech’) in a manner that is somewhat different than the approach taken in the United States,” Francois Houle, vice-president academic and provost of the University of Ottawa, wrote in an e-mail. “I therefore encourage you to educate yourself, if need be, as to what is acceptable in Canada and to do so before your planned visit here.”
Coulter discussed the note during the first of three university-speaking events at the University of Western Ontario in London Monday night, where about 800 people gathered.
She has since suggested she may file her own complaint with Canada’s Human Rights Commission to allege hate speech.
That move and the contents of Monday’s talk — which included Coulter telling a Muslim student she “take a camel” as an alternative to flying — grabbed headlines on both sides of the border Tuesday.
Coulter made the camel quip when pressed on a question asked by UWO student Fatima Al-Dhaher, who was referencing a previous quote made to the media that Muslims shouldn’t be allowed on airplanes and should take "flying carpets" instead. Al-Dhaher had noted she didn’t own a flying carpet, and asked what Coulter suggested she do instead.
But Coulter defended herself on CTV’s Power Play Tuesday, saying each comment was taken out of context. The carpet statement, she said, was made in relation to racial profiling done by transport authorities after 9/11.
“I was giving a serious answer and they start heckling me, ‘Answer the question! Answer the question!,’ Coulter said. “The answer to the question of explaining a joke is another joke.
“It’s not so much a joke, it’s satire, because there is a political point behind my saying that they could take flying carpets,” Coulter added, suggesting it was the “silliness” of “political correctness run amok.”
The exchange no doubt contributed to the large turnout for Tuesday’s event.
“No more racists on our campus!” shouted the anti-Coulter crowd.
“No more commies on our campus!” shouted the pro-Coulter group.
In the end, of course, nobody got to hear what the woman had to say.
Coulter is scheduled to make her final speech in Canada at the University of Calgary on Thursday.
Mark Steyn writes:
Ah, that famous Canadian hospitality. One François Houle, Provost of the University of Ottawa, writes to warn a forthcoming visitor to the campus, Miss Ann Coulter, that Canadians enjoy only the right to government-regulated "free speech" and that therefore she may be liable to criminal prosecution:
Dear Ms. Coulter,
I understand that you have been invited by University of Ottawa Campus Conservatives to speak at the University of Ottawa this coming Tuesday. We are, of course, always delighted to welcome speakers on our campus and hope that they will contribute positively to the meaningful exchange of ideas that is the hallmark of a great university campus. We have a great respect for freedom of expression in Canada, as well as on our campus, and view it as a fundamental freedom, as recognized by our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.I would, however, like to inform you, or perhaps remind you, that our domestic laws, both provincial and federal, delineate freedom of expression (or “free speech”) in a manner that is somewhat different than the approach taken in the United States. I therefore encourage you to educate yourself, if need be, as to what is acceptable in Canada and to do so before your planned visit here. You will realize that Canadian law puts reasonable limits on the freedom of expression. For example, promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges. Outside of the criminal realm, Canadian defamation laws also limit freedom of expression and may differ somewhat from those to which you are accustomed. I therefore ask you, while you are a guest on our campus, to weigh your words with respect and civility in mind. There is a strong tradition in Canada, including at this University, of restraint, respect and consideration in expressing even provocative and controversial opinions and urge you to respect that Canadian tradition while on our campus. Hopefully, you will understand and agree that what may, at first glance, seem like unnecessary restrictions to freedom of expression do, in fact, lead not only to a more civilized discussion, but to a more meaningful, reasoned and intelligent one as well.
I hope you will enjoy your stay in our beautiful country, city and campus.Sincerely,
François Houle Vice-recteur aux études / Vice-President Academic and Provost Université d’Ottawa / University of Ottawa 550, rue Cumberland Street Ottawa (ON) K1N 6N5 téléphone / telephone : 613 562-5737 télécopieur / fax : 613 562-5103
What a sad and embarrassing letter, even by the standards of the Canadian academy. Does M Houle write to all University of Ottawa speakers like this? Or does he reserve his telekinetic powers to detect "pre-crime" only for the ideologically suspect?
I've no idea what Ann Coulter's reaction to this letter is, but I suspect it's "Go ahead, Princess Fairy Pants, make my day." M Houle would have a very hard time persuading the Ottawa police or the RCMP to lay criminal charges over an Ann Coulter speech because they realize, even if he doesn't, that Canada doesn't need to become even more of an international laughingstock in this area. More likely is a complaint to the Canadian and/or Ontario "Human Rights" Commissions. But you know something? I don't get the feeling they'd be eager to re-ignite the free speech wars on a nuclear scale. Think of Ezra's and my appearance in the House of Commons, and then imagine the scene when Miss Coulter testifies. So the threat is an empty one and M Houle seems to be being - oh, what's the "respectful and civil" way of putting it? - a posturing wanker.
This is the pitiful state one of the oldest free societies on the planet has been reduced to, and this is why our free speech campaign matters - because those who preside over what should be arenas of honest debate and open inquiry instead wish to imprison public discourse within ever narrower bounds - and in this case aren't above threatening legal action against those who dissent from the orthodoxies. Lots of Americans loathe Ann Coulter but it takes a Canadian like François Houle to criminalize her. The strictures he attempts to place around her, despite his appeal to "Canadian law", are at odds with the eight centuries of Canada's legal inheritance. Canadians should point that out to him politely, and explain that, although he lives high off the hog courtesy of the Canadian taxpayer, he does not speak for them.
Telephone : (613) 562-5800 ext. 5737 Fax : (613) 562-5106 e-mail: francois.houle@uottawa.ca
