Organizers, Not University Cancelled Ann Coulter: University of Ottawa
THE VANCOUVER SUN: OTTAWA - In a brief statement Wednesday University of Ottawa President Allan Rock defended his institution and said that free expression is a core value of the school that bills itself as Canada's university.

"Freedom of expression is a core value that the University of Ottawa has always promoted. We have a long history of hosting contentious and controversial speakers on our campus. Last night was no exception, as people gathered here to listen to and debate Ann Coulter's opinions."

Rock's statement said organizers of the speech themselves decided at 7:50 p.m. Tuesday to cancel the event and informed the university's security services on site of their decision.

The statement said a crowd of about 1,000 people had "peacefully gathered at Marion Hall."

"I encourage our students faculty and other members of our community to maintain our university as an open forum for diverse opinions. Ours is a safe and democratic environment for the expression of views, and we will keep it that way," Rock, who is a former federal minister of Justice in the Jean Chrétien cabinet, said in the statement.

The university indicated it will make no further comment on the matter.

Ottawa police were also issuing statements about the Ann Coulter affair Wednesday

Ottawa police spokesperson Alain Boucher said the police did not shut down the event, but said a different venue was needed to hold the crowd of around 1,500 people.

"We strongly suggested that this venue was not large enough to accommodate all the people that had attended," he said. "We had safety concerns with the sheer number of people that were there...with different views on issues." >>> Matthew Pearson, The Ottawa Citizen | Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Ann Coulter Lambastes University of Ottawa and Canada's 'Free' Speech
THE VANCOUVER SUN: ‘It’s always the bush league schools,’ Coulter contends

Ann Coulter. Photograph: The Vancouver Sun
OTTAWA — After protesters at the University of Ottawa prevented Ann Coulter from giving a speech Tuesday night, the American conservative writer said it proved the point she came to make — free speech in Canada leaves much to be desired.

Then she said what she really thought of the student protesters who surrounded Marion Hall, making it to[o] unsafe, in the view of her bodyguard, for the pundit to attempt entry.

“The University of Ottawa is really easy to get into, isn’t it?” she said in an interview after the cancelled event. “I never get any trouble at the Ivy League schools. It’s always the bush-league schools.”

Coulter said she has been speaking regularly at university campuses for a decade. While she has certainly been heckled, she said this is the first time an engagement has been cancelled because of protesters.

“This has never, ever, ever happened before — even at the stupidest American university,” she said.

Coulter remarked on the reception she has had since entering the country.

“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!” >>> Zev Singer and Kristy Nease, Ottawa Citizen | Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Gallery: Controversial Quotes from Right-wing U.S. Firebrand Ann Coulter
THE VANCOUVER SUN: Ultra-conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who speaks in Calgary today, is not known for being diplomatic. Check out some of the reasons why.

Check out the photos and the quotes >>>

Related:

Ann Coulter Prepares Human-rights Complaint >>> Steven Chase | Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Ann Coulter Prepares Human-rights Complaint
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Right-wing firebrand Ann Coulter, who cancelled her speech to the University of Ottawa Tuesday night over fears for her safety, says she’s the victim of a hate crime under Canadian laws.

She said she’s hired Canadian conservative activist Ezra Levant to prepare a human-rights complaint that will test how equitably these hate-crime laws are applied.

In an interview with The Globe, Ms. Coulter suggested the University of Ottawa’s provost, Francois Houle, is partly responsible for the angry crowds that opposed her speaking Tuesday night. He is the official who warned her in advance to watch what she said lest she incur criminal charges for hate speech.

The tribunal should take her complaint seriously, she said, “because either Francois [Houle] has created a climate of hate against me based on my membership in an identifiable group – or the whole human rights commission is complete horseshit.” >>> Steven Chase | Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Watch video here

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Coulter's shutout: Ann Coulter is a twit and a blowhard (note, I once appeared on the same radio show where she displayed and [sic] appalling ignorance of Canada and the Vietnam War). She lives to get press and have her infamy grow. That makes her money. Sadly, I am feeding that attention beast of hers today. >>> Tim Powers | Wednesday, March 24, 2010

THE GLOBE AND MAIL – Blog – Ottawa Notebook: Ann Coulter attacks gays and Muslims; 
Tories attack medical doctor >>> Jane Taber | Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ann Coulter's Bony Ass Expelled From Ottawa


Ann Coulter Speech Cancelled After Thousands Protest At University of Ottawa

Birmingham Firebrand Muslim Preacher of Hate Exposed
SUNDAY MERCURY: A ranting hate preacher is touring the Midlands in an attempt to radicalise young Muslims and promote extremism.

Abu Waleed - a disciple of hook-handed fanatic Abu Hamza - told audiences in Birmingham, Derby and Leicester that they should rise up against Britain.

And the bile-filled lecturer even joked about Al-Qaida handing out suicide-bomber backpacks in youth centres and snooker halls.

In video clips posted on popular website Youtube, Waleed mocks the British intelligence services and warns they have underestimated the strength of the violent jihad movement in the UK.

“MI5 got it wrong when they said there is 2,000 so-called radicals within Britain and they all got trained in Afghanistan,” he told his followers.

“Really? And you’re supposed to be intelligence and you saw them all go there and come back. What are you going to do about it now?

“They say Muslim groups will be given £70 million to help tackle extremism in ungoverned places. What are ‘ungoverned places’?

“Internet chatrooms, snooker halls, youth centres? As if there’s going to be someone there from Al-Qaida saying, ‘I’ve got a couple of rucksacks there in the back, do you want one, what size are you?’. Obviously not.”

More than 140 extremist speeches organised by the Islam4TheUK group are currently being aired on YouTube, including Waleed’s series of lectures called Youth Sparks of Fire.

Islam4TheUK is an off-shoot of the banned Al Muhajiroun sect, headed by crazed cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed, who was exiled to Lebannon for supporting terrorism.

Waleed talks about the “war on Islam” being waged by Britain and urges his followers to reject the laws of the UK. Sunday Mercury Exposes Birmingham Preacher of Hate >>> By Ben Goldby | October 4, 2008

NB: Be sure to watch the accompanying video (which, unfortunately, I cannot embed).

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>