Canadian university to Ann Coulter: Your hateful rhetoric won’t fly here, so watch your mouth

[Joanne98]

Far-right pundit Ann Coulter will be in Canada this week for “a trio of speaking engagements,” including one at the University of Ottawa. In advance of her visit, a senior official at the school sent Coulter a letter warning her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” in her remarks and telling her to review the country’s hate speech and defamation laws. From the letter:

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.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/22/canada-coulter/

[babylonsister]

1. Wow. Good for them! Pretty sad she has to be warned, but I

completely understand why.

[mwb970]

2. Talk about words of one syllable.

Since conservatives act like toddlers, they get treated like toddlers. This letter sounds like a warning a parent would give their unruly child to be on their best behavior for this event....or else, well, you just wait till your father gets home!

[Happyhippychick]

3. If Ann can't use hate speech what will she be able to talk about?

[Echo In Light]

4. k/r

[calico1]

5. She should cancel her trip.

Unless she just wants to stand there and say nothing. Everything that comes out of her mouth is hate speech.