Ladies and gentlemen, the leaders of Quebec universities, in view of recent events that have punctuated the news and fueled the controversy that exists between the pursuit of objectives promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education, and the protection of fundamental and universal values, such as the freedom of teaching and research, a clarification is essential.
The Act respecting academic freedom in the university environment provides institutions with all the tools necessary to ensure that these fundamental values are respected and even enriched. The objective of the Act is to better support universities in the framework of academic freedom and to promote its development for the coming decades.
Under no conditions should we tolerate censorship in academia. Censorship inhibits thinking, and fearful thinking hampers the pursuit of excellence that is central to the academic mission. We cannot sacrifice academic freedom in the name of certain struggles, at the risk of losing both in the end. Academic freedom constitutes the very foundation on which higher education was built and must continue to be so.
It shapes our actions, our thoughts and our way of looking at higher education for the benefit not only of the student and teaching community, but of Quebec society as a whole. It is inseparable from democratic pluralism, which is the backbone of our common institutions. This academic freedom is not only a fundamental value, but it is also a Quebec value of which we are proud. It is my duty to remind you of this and to ensure that it is respected.
However, the pursuit of diversity and inclusion goals within educational institutions is legitimate and necessary. This approach promotes equal opportunity, because we all want educational environments that encourage growth, both personally and academically.
However, these objectives should in no way lead to any form of discrimination or injustice. However, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) requirements of Canada Research Chair programs, set by the federal government, rather restrict certain rights and reduce the primacy of the notions of competence and excellence.
Following a motion that I tabled in the National Assembly last December, the Quebec political class, all parties combined, unanimously denounced these ways of doing things. I underlined that a greater representation of the target groups, under-represented, must always be carried out in a logic of equal competence. This way of doing things is at the heart of the Quebec model, in all sectors of society.
It is in this same spirit that I asked the Chief Scientist of Quebec to review his evaluation grid in the allocation of Quebec research funds, so that the EDI criteria are not necessarily predominant, but rather complementary . To do otherwise would endanger excellence, the search for truth, and academic freedom.
It is now up to you to achieve this goal. It is about the quality of teaching, research and the relevance of academia in general.
These expectations are not only those of the government and mine, but they are those of Quebec society. Meeting these expectations is a delicate responsibility that can require difficult trade-offs. This is why, dear leaders of academic institutions, you can count on my full support in the pursuit of this objective.