World-renowned journalist Ann Coulter is coming to speak in Canada on Monday and is giving me an exclusive one-hour interview on The Michael Coren Show. In this country our publicly funded universities regularly host speakers who accuse Catholics of being murderers and child-rapists, evangelicals of being bigots and Gay-bashers, Zionists of being genocidal madmen and conservatives of being mentally ill and sadistic. There have been calls for Christians to be killed, pro-lifers have been threatened and silenced, scientists who question global warming have been banned and Jewish students report being frightened of being publicly identified. In this context I bring you a letter written by the Vice-President of the University of Ottawa to the award-winning and best-selling author Ms Coulter. As she herself said today, “The provost of u of ottawa is threatening to criminally prosecute me for my speech there on monday before I’ve even set foot in canada!”
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“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.”
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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
www.uOttawa.ca/vr-etudes-academic
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The last line about “our beautiful country” sounds oddly like the sort of letter that was sent out by Soviet bloc embassies in the 1970s and still does the rounds today when various thug regimes in Africa and the Middle East write to guests. Is this Canada the free? Remember, you’re paying this person’s wages.
Ann Coulter rocked the room last night. She is devastating on morons and liberals. Loved her!
Well, she brought the racism as expected, but not really hate speech so far.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/03/23/ottawa-coulter-speech.html
Well stated Owen. With all the comments about “conservative hate” and “right-wingnuts” it’s easy to see the mind set many have indeed been programmed to follow. Funny from the MSM etc. I never seem to hear the term, “extreme left wing”. Liberals and their media don’t seem to believe it exists I suppose. How on earth could anyone be too far to the left? Ann Coulter has a great sense of humour and knows how to push buttons. And judging by the response of many on this site and from the media it works every time. God bless Ann Coulter and Michael Coren for exposing what is hiding behind the mask of these hypocrites. They can’t help themselves.
@ Owen: I don’t understand. You are completely contradicting yourself. Coulter is a conservative. Conservative is the antithesis – opposite – of free-thinking. It’s the conservatives that want people to believe the same old fear mongering bullshit that Anne Coulter and those like her spew continuously and have since the days before Reagan. Answer this: Why must you supposed free-speech-loving conservatives be so offensive when you exercise your right to free speech?
Jess, you obviously don’t understand. Conservatives are free thinkers more so than anyone on the left. Your idea of free thinking is that everyone MUST agree with your self loathing hatred of all things different. Conservatives promote self sufficiency and non reliance of government for everything. Libs immediately start screaming like petulant children when they hear anything they don’t agree with. Conservatives never try to take your right to say the disagreable away from you. Libs, however, do that every chance they get. We may not agree with some of the same things, but we don’t try to take that away from you. If I say you suck, you want to silence me. However, if you say it to me, it seems to be okay with you and your kind. That’s what separates us, your inability to hear things you don’t like, and move on with your life.
I don’t know what’s happened to conservatism in the last few decades. It’s seems to be all about rhetoric and generalization lately. This is not true of all conservatives but I find it more often the rule than the exception.
What happened to all the thoughtful, intelligent conservatives I used to argue with for the sake of a good conversation? There would be mutual respect and even if we couldn’t agree we could find common ground. Now it all seems to be about slinging shit at each other, splattering innocent bystanders and hearing a plethora of lies, misinformation and misinterpreted facts. Screaming and yelling does not give an argument more weight either. That’s what my conversations with conservatives have been lately, me trying to have a calm conversation, then being yelled at, called a communist, a fascist, a “stupid liberal” etc etc.
Now before you all start condemning me, yes I have seen this trait infect liberals as well. But is this what we want for our country? To degrade into some partisan copy of the US. Shall we give up now and accept Manifest Destiny?
I for one like being Canada being sovereign country. We as a country can do better than importing vitriolic speakers such as Coulter, Palin, Olbermann and the like that are polarizing our southern neighbours into us vs them.
I don’t think they should be prevented from speaking unless they are inciting violence or a course of action that will end in it. I do believe that we can do better than inviting the media shit slingers from the US. We can do better than importing the US political mentality.
They couldn’t intimidate/stop Ann Coulter by using the kangaroo Human Rights star chambers so they sent in the thugs and goons tonight to stop her Ottawa appearance. Typical leftist behaviour. I should have seen it coming but for some silly reason I thought left wing Canadians were more civilized and wouldn’t behave like their brethern in third world banana dictatorships. Boy, was I wrong. I mourn for Canada and its loss of free speech. The University of Ottawa must be feeling very proud of itself, they got what they wanted,
The provost’s letter to Ann Coulter was (is) a disgrace. By inference, he is doing the very thing to Ann that he is implying she does to others, i.e. fostering hate to Ann Coulter.
Also, if his explanation of free speech in Canada is true, then Canada will have to start banning certain books. The Bible, of course; but it will also have to ban the Koran, the Bagavad Gita, The Egyptian book of the dead, the Talmud, and just about every sacred book available. Once that little task is done, and people no longer have access to religious works, then the government is free to be the Almighty.
But not only that… Canada needs to start banning old movies, books, pictures that promote hate, like ‘Gone with the Wind’ or ‘The Wizard of Oz’… you know, anything that portrays a class of people in a non-politically correct way. We wouldn’t want the weak-minded citizens to be influenced by such ‘hate’, would we?
I am reminded of a quote from CS Lewis as follows:
“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
This is the Canada that is coming to pass. Shame on us. It was such a wonderful country, but I would rather be free than Canadian.
Funny you should choose that CS Lewis quote Eric. I believe Ezra Levant used it in his speech in London. It’s a good fit for the nanny staters.
ann coulter ranks right up there with bill oreilly. it’s unfortunate that the numbers are showing up to protest as it just adds to the “accident on the highway” spectacle the whole affair is. i suspect i agree with Eric and the end result would be anne coulter breezing on through without anyone paying attention.
i wouldn’t waste a minute of my time protesting anne coulter or any other right wing bonehead from the us preaching about the “islamic boogey man”.
Look again, there was a splinter group of crazies up front and the majority behind were not agreeing.
It is sad that a small group can close down a speech. Those nuts should learn that when you shut up speakers you are not going to learn. What you are subjecting yourself to is control by others who want you to hear and think their thought, not the thoughts of anyone else.
ever noticed that its invariably womyn like “Jess” who can’t handle differing viewpoints? The feminization, the infantilization, of public discourse in this country is killing it
Ahem. In Canada, we believe in freedom of expression and speech. Canada is a multicultural society however, and so we do not tolerate racism, and victimizing hate speech like the kind Ann Coulter spews out. The letter was written to Coulter to remind her of what we value in freedom of expression, and what is allowed legally. There is nothing wrong with that, especially since they obviously knew Coulter has a history of expressing opinions which would not be acceptable in Canada. Racism is not allowed in Canada, and that’s the way we like it. I have nothing against the States, but constitutionally, they allow for the breeding of arrogant, racist assholes, and Canada does not. When Ann visited the University of Ottawa, the students let her know this.
“Jess from Ontario Canada says:
March 23, 2010 at 5:43 pm
@ Owen: I don’t understand. You are completely contradicting yourself. Coulter is a conservative. Conservative is the antithesis – opposite – of free-thinking. It’s the conservatives that want people to believe the same old fear mongering bullshit that Anne Coulter and those like her spew continuously and have since the days before Reagan. Answer this: Why must you supposed free-speech-loving conservatives be so offensive when you exercise your right to free speech?” On the issue of fear mongering it appears to me it’s the lunatic left with all of their extreme speech opposing Ann that are doing all of the fear mongering. Why are these people so afraid of what Ann has to say? Her speech in London was great. If Ann Coulter did in fact say anything that was racist or hateful we would all know about it. You lefties can’t get away with continually making this stuff up. Look at the past 5 decades of violent speech and demonstrations and tell me it wasn’t leftists. When was the last violent conservative riot you can refer us all too?
It is glorious fun watching the lefties try to defend their lack of free speech. The whole point of free speech is that someone WILL FIND IT OFFENSIVE. The fact that the protesters in Canada keep whining…it’s hate speech, racism, homophobia, prove they just don’t get it. The bottom line for the canadian “free speech=hate crimes law is most simple”,
IF WE DISAGREE WITH YOU, it is hate speech. So Canadian legislatures being gob smacked, caved and said, boo hoo, we want to save your feelings. If your feelings are hurt we’ll send those naughty people to jail.
Stay north for those of you who think this law is good. You wouldn’t be able to handle real free speech. You just want everyone to follow you in lock step. (or is that “goose step”…ooops…someone just got offended)
It was certainly interesting for me to read the post. Thanx for it. I like such topics and anything connected to them. I definitely want to read a bit more on that site soon. BTW, rather nice design that blog has, but don’t you think it should be changed once in a few months?
Mary Swingfield
shaving mug
As a 62 year old Canadian born male who’s family are founding European settlers, I am an eye witness to the governments goals to strip citizens of their right to free speech, especially white people. In addition, government is also on a mission to control how we live within the confines of our own homes. Example: In Cambridge Ontario elderly parents are not permitted to live independently in the homes of their adult children. For the above two reasons, plus the excessive immigration policy in Canada, my wife and I are fleeing to Costa Rica for retirement, which is a country were people still say Merry Christmas “Feliz Navidad”, and peoples right to free speech is not being stripped from them by a government who caters to the desires of immigrants, such as in Canada. Sorry to desert a sinking ship, but I just can’t live in “Cuba North” any longer. I am open for your views: John havanabanana48@sympatico.ca
@myobfool: The whole point of free speech is that someone will find it offensive. Really? Really,though? Silly me, I thought the point of free speech was allowing everyone to have their own views and express them in an appropriate way, and allowing everyone else to do the same.
As a Canadian born man from the 40s, I am an eye witness to Canadians losing their right to free speech, most caused by our politicians ongoing efforts to appease imported cultures.
Brad Love is a perfect example. Who ever thought a man could be jailed for 18 months for simply demanding answers from politicians, regarding Canada’s immigration policies. In February of 2013 I’m moving to Costa Rica, before I become a political prisoner like Brad Love.
http://downwithjugears.blogspot.com/2005/04/brad-love-case.html
In this country our publicly funded universities regularly host speakers who accuse Catholics of being murderers and child-rapists, evangelicals of being bigots and Gay-bashers, Zionists of being genocidal madmen and conservatives of being mentally ill and sadistic.
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Mary