What Teh Binks Wroted

March 22nd, 2010

M. François Houle
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
http://www.uOttawa.ca/vr-etudes-academic
francois.houle@uottawa.ca

Dear Mr. Houle:

Friends directed my attention to your recent letter to Miss Ann Coulter, an American author and columnist who is on a speaking tour of Canada.

In that letter, you claim Canadian freedom of speech isn’t free, thus she might be arrested. Is this the state of modern universities and political science today at the Université d’Ottawa / University of Ottawa?

Your letter is ungracious, dishounourable, soft-totalitarian, and risable.

You are a teacher at a publicly funded university. Were you advised by university lawyers or Governors/ Senate to write this letter? By whose authority and in whose name is it written? Do you profess to speak only for yourself, or presume to represent the university leadership, or the entire university student & faculty body, or merely to speak for all Canadians?

Against your deeply intolerant letter via the University of Ottawa in 2010, I stand proudly with the remarks of a proud and tolerant Quebecer and McGill grad (Class of 1864):

“Canada is free and freedom is its nationality…. The good Saxon word, freedom; freedom in every sense of the term, freedom of speech, freedom of action, freedom in religious life, and civil life and last but not least, freedom in commercial life.”

~ 7th Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, 1894
http://tinyurl.com/ycjre9p

Perhaps– for his extreme freedomist views– Mr. Laurier would be sternly scolded via the new & improved University of Ottawa, where censors and opinion-police protect everyone from open debate and free discussion, lest their feelings get hurt and sloppy thinking gets corrected. That’s not Canadian, or the best of our law & traditions: that’s Soviet. Those many of my family who served– and one who died– defeating the forces of fascism in World War 2 did not offer up their lives so that such narrow-minded fascism might prosper here at home 65 years later..

Shame on you, Mr. Houle. You owe Miss Coulter and all freedom-loving Canadians– and free people everywhere– an apology. It’s examples like yours which make this honours-list post-grad student glad not to have gone on to Ph.D. studies, which too often involve a lapse of humility, common sense, and honour.

Sincerely yours,

[Binksmeister]
B.A. Double Major Hist. & Phil. (Acadia 87)
M.Div. Wycliffe College, (University of Toronto 91).

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http://blogs.canoe.ca/corenscomment/freedom-of-expression/free-speech-in-canada-a-fairy-story/
“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.”
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
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