Tag Archives: University of Ottawa

From the Ottawa U files: Anti-Ann Coulter emails released

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Most of you probably remember the embarrassment from a couple of months ago when the second of Ann Coulter’s three Canadian university campus appearances was canceled due to rioters at the University of Ottawa. A few days prior to the event, Ann was served with a letter threatening criminal prosecution for the speech that hadn’t even been given from the Ottawa University Academic Provost, Francois A. Houle (or as Ann translated to English: Frank A-Hole.)

University president and former Liberal Party Cabinet member Allan Rock isn’t as innocent as he claimed, with emails aquired by the Canadian Press showing some disgusting things said about Ann, and that Rock was the one who told Francois Houle to write the famous letter in the first place. Not only did Rock tell Houle:

“You, Francois, as Provost, should write immediately to Coulter informing her of our domestic laws. … You should urge her to respect that Canadian tradition as she enjoys the privilege of her visit.”

But, he also approved the letter before it was sent to her.

“Quel excellent message! Merci et felicitations. I am sure she has never been dressed down so elegantly in her life!”

In true university fashion, comments found in Allan Rock’s emails also reveal an interesting take on the kind of open-mindedness and liberal thought that is so common on college campuses:

“Ann Coulter is a mean-spirited, small-minded, foul-mouthed poltroon.”

“She is ‘the loud mouth that bespeaks the vacant mind’.”

“She is an ill-informed and deeply offensive shill for a profoundly shallow and ignorant view of the world. She is a malignancy on the body politic. She is a disgrace to the broadcasting industry and a leading example of the dramatic decline in the quality of public discourse in recent times.”

Rock, who attempted to position himself as being far removed from this situation was for days spreading his vitriol (interspersed with random French words) among the highest levels of governance at the University of Ottawa.

I suppose it’s called the “U of Zero” for a reason.

Allan Rock admits his role in Coulter fiasco

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Regular readers will remember that the Strictly Right team – Andrew, Ari, and I – were among the organizers for the Ann Coulter in Canada Tour. In March, Francois Houle wrote a letter to Ann Coulter threatening criminal charges for what Ann was about to say. Weeks later, the University of Ottawa President, Allan Rock, admitted that he had prior knowledge of the letter and that it was sent on behalf of the entire university administration.

Allan Rock slithered into the shadows and let his underling take all of the blame for the threatening letter. Once the story was out of the news, Allan Rock admitted his responsibility.

Allan Rock is not only a coward. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and a former Justice Minister. Ironic, seeing as he approved a letter that created a security risk for a guest to his campus.

Here is the story from the National Post Blog:

________________________________________________________

Adrian MacNair: Allan Rocks admits his role in Coulter fiasco – April 19, 2010

The President of the University of Ottawa, Allan Rock, has broken his silence on the cancelled Ann Coulter speaking engagement on March 23 and acknowledged his involvement. The address was cancelled when angry student protesters showed up to physically block her from speaking.

The incident made a mockery of the free speech debate, and fans of Ann Coulter were angry at the cancellation, blaming an  e-mail from University Provost Francois Houle. Mr.Houle had welcomed the American Conservative in a letter also sent to media organizations, while at the same time warning her that Canada has strict laws on hate speech and that she could face criminal prosecution if she violated those laws.

In retaliation, Ms.Coulter has been reported as launching a Human Rights complaint that Mr. Houle incited hatred against an identifiable group. In her case, that would be conservatives. She also denigrated the University in her typical joking style, before moving on to the University of Calgary, which went ahead without further incident.

Mr. Rock, had previously served in the Cabinet of Jean Chrétien, most notably as Justice Minister and Health Minister, before beginning his jobs as University of Ottawa President on July 15, 2008. While Mr. Houle took the brunt of the outpouring of criticism, he all but disappeared. Until, three weeks later, he has admitted in an interview that he knew of Mr. Houle’s letter all along.

To read more, click here to visit the National Post Blog site.

Ann Coulter sets the record straight on SR Radio

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Andrew Lawton and Ari Fine welcome Ann Coulter back to the show yet again to set the record straight about her cancelled speech in Ottawa. As well, a rousing discussion on free speech, liberalism and healthcare.

You can listen online here or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Coulter: Oh, Canada

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As I told Ann on Monday night, I await the release of her column on Wednesday nights each and every week. If I’m driving at 7:00pm — when I usually get a notification on my BlackBerry from Human Events — it’s not uncommon for me to pull over and read it right then and there. Ann’s response: “I love you, Andrew!” Aw, shucks. In any case, I don’t recall ever anticipating one of her columns as much as this one. You can read the full version here.

Since arriving in Canada I’ve been accused of thought crimes, threatened with criminal prosecution for speeches I hadn’t yet given, and denounced on the floor of the Parliament (which was nice because that one was on my “bucket list”).

Posters advertising my speech have been officially banned, while posters denouncing me are plastered all over the University of Ottawa campus. Elected officials have been prohibited from attending my speeches. Also, the local clothing stores are fresh out of brown shirts.

Welcome to Canada!

[...]

What other speakers get a warning not to promote hatred? Did Francois A. Houle send a similarly worded letter to Israel-hater Omar Barghouti before he spoke last year at U of Ottawa? (“Ottawa”: Indian for “Land of the Bed-Wetters.”)

How about Angela Davis, Communist Party member and former Black Panther who spoke at the University of Zero just last month?

Or do only conservatives get letters admonishing them to be civil? Or — my suspicion — is it only conservative women who fuel Francois’ rage?

How about sending a letter to all Muslim speakers advising them to please bathe once a week while in Canada? Would that constitute a hate crime?

[...]

Also following Francois’ letter, the Ottawa University Student Federation met for 7 1/2 hours to hammer out a series of resolutions denouncing me. The resolutions included:

“Whereas Ann Coulter is a hateful woman;

“Whereas she has made hateful comments against GLBTQ, Muslims, Jews and women;

“Whereas she violates an unwritten code of ‘positive-space’;

“Be it resolved that the SFUO express its disapproval of having Ann Coulter speak at the University of Ottawa.”

At least the students didn’t waste 7 1/2 hours on something silly, like their studies.

Well said, Ann!

Ari Fine on the Rush Limbaugh Show

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Strictly Right’s own Ari Fine made it onto the Rush Limbaugh show today to chat about the Ann Coulter censorship fiasco at the University of Ottawa. The transcript is posted below if you were unable to play the audio.

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RUSH: We got a call here from London, Canada, from Ari.  I’m glad you called, sir.  Welcome to the EIB Network.  Great to have you here.

ARI:  Rush, mega 24/7 Limbaugh Letter dittos here.

RUSH:  Thank you, sir.

ARI:  Well, I was at the Ottawa event last night and I can tell you that all the stories you’re hearing about the protesters is all true. It was impossible to walk through them. They tried to silence her. They did silence her. They wouldn’t let her speak. It’s really just a travesty that this happens on a university campus because usually purported homes of free speech, and they won’t let a contrary opinion be expressed there.

RUSH:  But, no. Canada — confirm this for us — is not really the home of a First Amendment-type free speech that we in America think of free speech as?

ARI:  Oh, absolutely not.  You look at what’s happened. I’m sure your listeners saw what happened with Mark Steyn and his human rights tribunal case here where they tried to ban his book: America Alone.

RUSH:  Yeah, I remember it well.

ARI:  Yeah, it’s just not accepted here, and it’s really a shame.  You know, it could be coming to you with the Fairness Doctrine or whatever.  You have to watch out for it.

RUSH:  Oh, it’s going to come to us along before the Fairness Doctrine.  That’s what all this talk about all the criticism of Obama being racist is all about. They’re going to try to criminalize this kind of criticism. I predicted that, too, by the way, prior to his immaculation.  Ari, how is the health care system up there working for you?

ARI: (laughs) Rush, it’s just an unmitigated disaster here. Our big question now is: What are we going to do now that you guys have our system? Where are we going to go?  I guess I have to follow you to Costa Rica.

RUSH:  Well, except I cannot go to Costa Rica because the plan was to be part of an insurance policy that was going to set up operations down there, but the insurance company says they’re going to be out of business in three years because of Obamacare and they won’t be able to do it.  So I’m back looking to looking at New Zealand.

ARI: (laughs) I guess we’ll have to go there.  But you wanted to know what happened with Coulter here and before she even set foot in Canada you had the academic president or some other from the University of Ottawa accusing her of spewing hatred and warning her that if she says anything they’re going to come after her. And instead, what he did was he was just fomented the attitude that you had there that ended up canceling her speech.  And the other shame that Ann Coulter, as you know, is one of the most generally decent human beings you’ll ever meet.

RUSH:  Well, I can say that’s true. I’ve met Ann Coulter a number of times. I can say that I know her, and she is decent, and she’s funny.  Dirty little secret here, Ari: She actually doesn’t mind this at all.  She’s in the front page, above-the-fold in the local newspaper. Everybody around the world is talking about this, and she has successfully illustrated just what a bunch of bigots there are at this university.  So this is something that she’s out there laughing about.  This hasn’t even happened at the stupidest American university, as she says.  Ari, I’m glad you called.  Thank you very much.

Ann Coulter Is In Good Company

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An intrepid reader e-mailed me this video today:

Canada has a history of idiocy – when Ronaldus Magnus spoke in front of the Canadian government in 1987 degenerate leftists in the government attempted to shout down the President. The left has a despicable history of trying to disallow contrary opinions. These idiots never miss an opportunity to embarrass the country.

As for Ann Coulter, sharing this distinction, of being so feared by the left, with the Gipper ought to be a badge of honor!

A National Disgrace

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I have just arrived back home after attending what was supposed to be Ann Coulter’s second speech on her Canadian tour. As you know by now, the speech had to be canceled due to the threat posed by terrorists outside the event. Chants of “let us in” and “this is our school” were repeated by a group of troglodytes that hadn’t bothered to register in advance. 2,000 of these terrorists, and that is exactly what they are, surrounded the building with sticks and stones, clearly posing a risk to all inside. These reports have not been exaggerated, as I can tell you after navigating my way through a sea of people that smelled as though they were boycotting showers. As a result, all those that had registered in advance, in accordance with the rules, were denied the opportunity to hear Ann speak.

“It’s at the absolute bush league, bottom of the barrel schools that you get the worst treatment and yet and still I’ve never seen this before…I’m guessing the scores to get into the University of Ottawa are not very challenging.” -Ann Coulter

This didn’t happen in the Taliban’s Afghanistan, or in Iran, it wasn’t the Soviet Union or Mao’s China – it was  Canada, at a university no less, the purported home of free speech. Moreover, it was in the nation’s capital. The actions of the University of Ottawa, and specifically those of Vice-President and Provost Francois Houle were shameful. The behavior of the students was an embarrassment. The result was a national disgrace. A Canadian university could not provide a safe location for someone to express a contrary opinion. We have come to a point where conservative speakers need round the clock security if they plan on speaking at institutions of higher education. That in and of itself is a sad reflection of the environment on college campuses.

Ezra Levant announcing the sad news that Ann would not be able to speak.

How does that make Canada look? Canadians ought to be ashamed – and mad as hell for how foolish a small number of emotionally disturbed brats made Canada look on the world stage. The University of Ottawa passed a resolution calling Ann Coulter “hateful,” the administration sent a threatening letter to her before she set foot in Canada, and the student body there would not even permit her the right to speak.

“Since I’ve arrived in Canada, I’ve been denounced on the floor of Parliament — which, by the way, is on my bucket list — my posters have been banned, I’ve been accused of committing a crime in a speech that I have not yet given, I was banned by the student council, so welcome to Canada!” – Ann Coulter

Are Canadians saying that the only type of “free-speech” allowed is speech that conforms to their preconceived notions? What are the chances that even 10% of those idiotic terrorists outside the event tonight have even read anything Ann has written? Tonight demonstrated who the real “hateful” and “intolerant” people were, and Canada is the worse for it following  this pathetic display. Congratulations Ottawa students, you’ve defamed an entire country.

A lost battle may help us win the war

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Ann Coulter’s second stop on her cross-Canadian tour was canceled in an eleventh-hour decision by local police. After a rousing speech to a cheering crowd of 800 in London yesterday, Ann was expected to address the University of Ottawa tonight, but ended up getting canceled on account of a directive from the Ottawa police, stating that neither Ann nor event attendees would be safe if this event proceeded. Ezra Levant gave a sincere speech to a supportive, but disappointed crowd — the ones who had arrived at the event early enough to be seated.

University Vice-President and Provost Francois Houle set Ann up for failure when he emailed her last week threatening criminal charges unless she “restrains” herself. And, as Ann herself predicted…that act exposed her to more hatred and violence than anything else in Canada.

The whole point of free speech is that those you disagree with have a platform to speak their minds, and you as a citizen have a right to challenge them. That freedom to challenge ends when violence is thrown into the mix. Ironically, these pathetic leftists claim that Ann Coulter should have been denied the right to speak because she promotes violence. However, there were zero injuries at her presentation in London, and the entire reason her Ottawa appearance was cancelled was because of the violence from the left. Hmm, I’m sensing a bit of hypocrisy here. Anyone else?

This is a lost battle for free speech, and a sad day to be a Canadian. However, to anyone who supported the censorship of Ann Coulter: recognize that the world’s eyes are on Canada right now. And they hate you. This small lost battle may help us win the war now that people know how bad it is. This goes beyond a leftist media bias and shows the extreme of political correctness. Unfortunately, the “necessity” of political correctness has indeed gotten extreme itself.

Pray for Canada tonight, we need it.

A-Houle of the Year

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Of course I’m sure you all have seen the news about Francois A-Houle, the Vice-Provost of the University of Ottawa who has threatened criminal charges against Ann Coulter for a speech she hasn’t even given yet! Interestingly enough, his bio describes himself as being an expert in “modern political thought.” I’m not a huge fan of this new age censorship…just sayin’. In keeping in line with the principles of grassroots activism, here is Mr. Houle’s contact information (and photograph) for your enjoyment:

Telephone : 613-562-5800 ext. 5737
Fax : 613-562-5106
E-Mail Address: francois.houle@uottawa.ca

P.S. Listen to Ann Coulter’s exclusive interview with Ari Fine and Myself on Strictly Right Radio

A Word To The Wise

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As most of you know, Strictly Right has been working tirelessly to bring ANN (capitals intentional – read on) Coulter to Canada. Well, the day has come, and in a few short hours Ann will be starting her Canadian tour. Andrew has written about the opposition to Ann in Ottawa. Now a group of “concerned citizens” is whining about Ann’s speech in London, Ontario. They accuse some woman named “Anne Coulter” of “hateful, nonsensical, and blatantly false qualities.” Here’s an idea for mind-numbed university students that have been fed non-stop, unadulterated leftists claptrap their whole lives – maybe you should read ANN Coulter’s books and columns before you make up your minds. Perhaps you should hear what she has to say – it will likely be the first (and only) time you hear a conservative opinion in your time at school. Spelling may seem trivial, but it is just another example of how universities do not teach people how to think, they teach students what to think. These “concerned citizens” have no idea who Ann Coulter is. What they do know is that she is a conservative and that all conservatives possess “hateful, nonsensical, and blatantly false qualities.” These knee-jerk reactions are devoid of any serious thought and are sad. Please politely let these “concerned citizens” know what you think by clicking here.

Credibility would be helped if they could spell her name.