Ann Coulter's Ottawa Speech Cancelled by Her Own Staff

"The University of Ottawa is really easy to get into, isn't it?" said Ann Coulter, leading into harsher comments in which she characterized the institution as "bush league" and claimed the students' "IQ points-to-teeth ratio must be about 1-to-1."

But apparently if you're Ann Coulter it isn't so easy to get into University of Ottawa - at least not as easy as it is to get into University of Western Ontario. How easy it will be to get into University of Calgary remains to be seen, but security is tightening . . .

Ann Coulter's University of Ottawa Speech Cancelled Due to Overcrowding

The second leg of ultra right-wing columnist Ann Coulter's Canadian speaking tour, scheduled for Tuesday night at the University of Ottawa, was cancelled due to excessive crowding - and not because of any threat of possible violence. The incident, greatly publicized in the United States and Canada, has led to increased security for Thursday night's engagement at the University of Calgary.

According to police, about 100 to 200 people in the crowd came to peacefully protest Coulter's presence on their campus - an expression of the very free speech Coulter claims to hold so dear. No arrests were made, and despite some reports claiming violence, it seems the only things that were flung that evening or afterwards, were Coulter's insults towards the university.

Coulter Blames University for the Decision to Cancel

The decision to cancel the speech came after police called to the campus to help with crowd control strongly suggested a change of venue due to the large turn-out. Marion Auditorium, the largest lecture hall on the university campus, seats just a few more than 400 people. With somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 people waiting to see Coulter, the space was obviously far too small.

"It would be physically dangerous for Ann Coulter to proceed with this event," said lawyer and political activist Ezra Levant, who helped organize the tour.

Coulter blames the university provost and academic vice-president, François Houle, for the cancellation. "This has never, ever, ever happened before - even at the stupidest American university," she said.

Is she angry that the university didn't provide her a larger space? No. In fact, the university had nothing to do with the event, except that it rented the space to the International Free Press Society, who presumably knew the size of the auditorium when they arranged for its rental.

Is she angry that the university charged the IFPS more money for extra security when a much larger than expected crowd showed up? Does she feel short-changed because she missed the opportunity to address Ottawa students, or because someone is now on the hook for $20,000 plus expenses, for a speech that never took place? Probably, but that's not what she's talking about in public.

Instead Coulter has attacked the university's provost for setting a tone that encouraged protesters to come out to her event.

Houle's offence? He sent her an email to remind Coulter that Canadian laws about freedom of speech differ from American laws - an email the columnist immediately chose to make public online and in her University of Western Ontario performance.

Coulter complained that, of the three Canadian universities where she was slated to speak, the one where she experienced difficulty was the one which had warned her to watch what she said. She then went on to give her own version of the provost's name, which she said was, "in English, Frank A-Hole."

So much for the provost's request that Coulter, "weigh [her] words with respect and civility in mind."

Coulter's Canadian Speeches Toned Down?

Despite her later suggestions that she was now the "victim of a hate crime," the American lawyer seems to have taken Houle's advice about speaking in Canada to heart. It appears that Coulter's London speech was "less cut-and-thrust aimed at the jugular" and "more political one liners and wisecracks." It has also been noted that Coulter generally avoided criticisms of Canada that she has been more than happy to share in past - other than remarking that she could forgive Canadians for the fact that our hockey team took the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics.

Coulter's Discussion of the Email a Publicity Stunt?

Contrary to assertions made by Levant, the fracas at the University of Ottawa was not a matter of a message "telegraphed" from the provost to the students. Rather, it was ignited by Coulter's history of comments students perceive as crossing the line into hate speech. The flames were then fanned by her conscious decision to publicize what was until then a private communication.

One can definitely see how Coulter might have wanted to stir the kettle a bit after toning down her usual rhetoric, characterized by London women's activist Megan Walker as "venom." Though the venue at Western was packed, the group of only 800 is described as "an audience clearly divided in its support for her style of attack conservatism." They also held fast when Coulter tried to avoid a young Muslim student's question about forcible conversion to Christianity.

Cries of, "Answer the question!" were probably more disconcerting than the fact that the audience responded to her one liners with jeers as often as with cheers. Finally Coulter replied that there were some people she'd just rather not see converted - a narrow escape from a situation that could have landed her in legal hot water as Houle predicted.

Discussing the University of Ottawa email at the London engagement was perhaps designed to heat up a presentation that was fairly cool, in comparison with Coulter's usual performances. Having already released the entire contents of the message online, the pundit placed her emphasis on her own response to the provost's concerns. She spoke of filing a complaint with the human rights commission, stating that either her claims of being the "victim" of a hate crime would be validated, or "that whole commission is B.S."

"Potty Mouth" Coulter Defends Her Style

More often associated with aggression and negativity than with intelligent commentary, Coulter defends her style, claiming, "I can say it a lot quicker with a joke, and by the way, they wouldn't be bringing me in here for a speech if I never told a joke, if I never used satire." The speaker's off-colour quips against Muslims, women voters, Democrats and homosexuals have contributed to her reputation for having a "potty mouth."

One can see why she would be concerned that an extra dose of caution might be a problem during her Canadian visit, and why she would be happy for the extra controversy associated with the email from the University of Ottawa. Talking about her own victimization - a state one would hardly connect with the woman who has been hailed as a firebrand - and threatening legal action, provided extra content and "safe" controversy for Monday night's show.

If anything brought out the protesters on Tuesday night, it was certainly not a student response to their provost's words of caution. It was a reaction to Coulter herself, helped along by negativity aimed directly at Ottawa.

Hate Crime in Canada

Some may be surprised to learn that the human rights of a visiting American are protected in Canada, but it is true that a number of our laws protect the rights of anyone who happens to be on our soil. I guess it's all part of our civility - a trait some mistake for a weakness.

Coulter has apparently engaged Levant as her Canadian lawyer, and he has taken pains to cite precedent for human rights protection being applied to a foreign national in Canada. But the question is not whether Coulter has rights under our Charter.

Rather, it is one of whether the email can be used as evidence of a hate crime.

Canadian laws on hate speech require that statements inciting hatred of an identifiable group be made in a public place, and "other than in private conversation." A private email would seem to be exempt, even if the recipient chooses to display its contents to the public.

The same laws also require wilful promotion of hatred, or incitement to hatred that is "likely to lead to a breach of the peace." A discussion of legal differences between two countries, and a statement of preference for civil and intelligent discussion, hardly seems to incite hatred of conservative Christian women, as Coulter would have us believe.

I am certainly not a lawyer, but I think I smell another publicity stunt.

Ann Coulter in Canada: The Saga Continues

University of Calgary's provost, Alan Harrison said they are increasing security for Coulter's appearance there Thursday night, but will bill the organizers for the extra services. The venue has also been changed to accommodate a significantly larger group.

Harrison would not get involved in discussions over what Coulter might say, or whether her statements might qualify as hate speech.

Sources:

"Ann Coulter claims she's the victim of hate crime" Ken Wightman (Digital Journal)

"Ann Coulter: 'I'm the victim of a hate crime'" Kenyon Wallace (Canwest News)

"Ann Coulter went home" Jennifer Pagliaro (MacLean's)

"Ann Coulter's speech in Ottawa cancelled" Steven Chase (The Globe and Mail)

"Canadian protest shuts down Coulter" Casey Curlin and Victor Morton (The Washington Times)

"Coulter 'welcome' at University of Ottawa" CBC News

"'Free speech in Canada leaves much to be desired': Ann Coulter after event cancellation" by Daniel Kaszor (National Post)

"Organizers, not university cancelled Ann Coulter: U of O" Matthew Pearson (The Ottawa Citizen)

"Part VIII: Offences against the person and reputation" Criminal Code of Canada

"Right-wing U.S. firebrand Ann Coulter will file grievance with rights panel" Kenyon Wallace (National Post)

"Security tightened for Coulter's Calgary appearance" Jamie Komarnicki (Calgary Herald)

"The University of Ottawa comments on the cancellation of Ann Coulter's lecture" Press Release