Ukraine has had a long history of corrupt government. So has Russia. What she faults Ukraine for could be easily ascribed to Russia.

Is it proper to punish somebody who has a biased political opinion when biased opinions dominate political discussion about anything. That being said, it's true that her view about western media is very wrong. Yeah, the "entirety of western media is conspiring against the virtuous innocent Russian supporters". I guess when you were born and raised in a country of censorship and state controlled media, it's easy to view every other media as the same.

I think your comparison to a supposed "gay ban" is apropos. It absolutely is a matter of life and death in civil war. The stakes are high. People she knows are in harms way. People she loves have likely been harmed in some way. It's very hard not to loose perspective when war visits your door.

We walk down a dangerous path if we allow businesses to always decide what speech is appropriate. If she had said, "I'm going to play at a crummy venue, that's one thing". But espousing an unpopular political opinion? Whatever happened to "the opinions expressed by this <show/actor> do not reflect those of the <company name> inc." That's usually more than enough to cover a matter appropriately.

I guess I'm very uncomfortable with banning a performer just because she has an unpopular opinion. If it was a hateful opinion or broke Canada's hate laws in some way, that would be another matter. But expressing support for your ethnic side of a conflict?

I think we are better served when we allow those who disagree with us to have a place to speak it without reprisals.