Cases of Discrimination
The institution of the university ought to be a place where free speech is respected and where debate and dialogue on controversial topics can take place. Unfortunately campus pro-life groups have discovered that, when the issue is abortion, debate and dialogue are sometimes replaced by discrimination and censorship.
This page is currently under construction but will eventually include comprehensive information about current and past cases of discrimination as well as links to media coverage.
Current Cases of Discrimination and Censorship
Fall 2010: CARLETON LIFELINE, Ottawa ON
The Arrests (October)
- Over the summer of 2010, Carleton Lifeline students attempted to book the Tory Quad, a large public outdoor area at Carleton University, for the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP). After months of silence, the university finally responded, denying their booking request for the Quad on the grounds that the display uses “promotional materials which are disturbing and offensive to some.”
- As a “compromise”, the university offered the club use of Porter Hall, which in fact is an isolated and enclosed room.
- Unwilling to cave to the censorship and cognizant of their rights under the university‟s own policies, the student indicated they would go ahead with the display, citing their right to protest.
- On Monday October 4th at approximately 9 a.m., the students attempted to reach the Quad with the materials for the display but were stopped by campus security officers. They were not permitted to continue on to the Quad and, after refusing to pack up and leave, were arrested.
- Handcuffed and locked in a police van, they were taken to the security office and issued tickets. They were charged with two counts of trespassing and subsequently released.
Denied Club Status
- The Carleton University Student Association (CUSA) advised Lifeline that unless the pro-life club changed the article of its constitution which states that the club considers abortion to be wrong, CUSA will not re-certify the club. (For the letter please click here.)
Cases of Censorship and Discrimination from the Past Three Years
|
Event Name |
University |
Description/Result |
|
Debate on abortion |
York University (Toronto, ON) |
Club was told on the day of the approved debate that it was being cancelled. Student Union became “officially pro-choice” shortly thereafter. |
|
Silent No More Awareness Campaign |
McGill University (Montreal, QC) |
Women who have had an abortion sharing their abortion experience. After the event, a McGill student council member commented: “As a woman on campus, their activities are offensive to me. Within the context of their current activities, I don’t want them on campus,”[i] When the club persisted in running pro-life events, the pro-life group had their club status revoked one month later. |
|
Pro-Life Posters on Campus |
Lakehead (Thunder Bay, ON) |
Club members had to fight for 3 years to gain club status, after group was falsely accused of placing pro-life posters in washrooms. |
|
Life Fair |
University Of Guelph (Guelph, ON) |
Club was without club status for 6 months, after group organized a ‘life fair’ which featured representatives from nearby pregnancy centres and the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. |
|
Lecture in closed room by Jose Ruba (CCBR) |
St. Mary’s University (Halifax, NS) |
Before Mr. Ruba had chance to begin his presentation, he was shouted down by protestors. Rather than removing those causing the disruption from the room, the event was forced to an off-campus location.[ii] |
|
Posters[iii] |
University of Victoria (Victoria, BC) |
Posters encouraging students to ‘Question Abortion’ from Feminists for Life were deemed “offensive” and the club lost funding and status.[iv] Funding and status were obtained this summer after a legal battle. |
|
Club status |
Capilano University (Vancouver, BC) |
The student union became officially pro-choice and denied the club status and funding due to the club’s pro-life stance. The club fought and received its status. |
|
Genocide Awareness Project |
University of Calgary (Calgary, AB) |
Students were charged with trespassing and found “guilty” of non-academic misconduct. The club has status and continues to carry out its activities. |
[i] http://www.mcgilldaily.com/articles/20444
[ii] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWZsNXVqu_M&feature=related
[iii] http://www.feministsforlife.org/ads/index.htm
[iv] http://youthprotectingyouth.com/2010/03/18/summary-of-ypy-controversy-2008-%E2%80%93-2010/
National Campus Life Network is actively involved in supporting pro-life groups whenever they face discrimination on campus. Please consider supporting our work to educate, network and support campus pro-life groups across Canada.
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