(Quebec) Elected officials adopted Bill 32 on Friday aimed at better protecting academic freedom in the university environment.
Posted at 2:10 p.m.
The eight members of Québec solidaire (QS) who were present, however, expressed their discomfort by abstaining from voting.
This is because Law 32 gives the Minister of Higher Education the right to bring “necessary correctives” to educational establishments deemed to be non-compliant.
This article “allows the Minister to take the pencil and then go and write, in place of the universities, the internal policies that they must adopt”, lamented the deputy of QS Alexandre Leduc.
“We wanted to make sure that it was not unanimous in the National Assembly which gave the green light to this precedent which comes, in essence, to play in university autonomy”, he justified himself. .
When coming to testify before elected officials, the rectors were also opposed to the bill.
Disturbing Events
But “the last few years have shown us that (academic) freedom is not as acquired as one would be tempted to believe,” recalled Minister Danielle McCann in her closing remarks this week.
She said she was aware of several “disturbing events”.
Last year, a University of Ottawa teacher was suspended in the wake of a complaint for using the word that begins with the letter “N” in her classroom.
Law 32 responds to all the recommendations set out by the Cloutier commission, in addition to integrating certain opinions it formulated, argued the minister.
It defines university academic freedom and ensures that institutions adopt an exclusive policy aimed at recognizing, promoting and protecting it.
Finally, the law makes these establishments accountable for the implementation of their policy.
“Quebec is positioning itself as a pioneer in terms of university academic freedom and the fight against self-censorship,” said Ms.me McCann in a statement released Friday.
“Very concretely, thanks to this bill, all subjects can be addressed and all words can be spoken in an educational context.
“I hope other jurisdictions will follow our model. […] The universities […] must provide an environment conducive to learning, discussion and debate,” she concluded.
Reaction
The National Federation of Teachers of Quebec (FNEEQ-CSN) believes that the amendments made by the Minister make Bill 32 “acceptable and relevant”.
However, the law “does not guarantee the protection of one of our members who criticizes the positions of his employer. […] This is an omission that requires great vigilance,” according to the vice-president of the FNEEQ-CSN, Christine Gauthier.
The law also does not impose an explicit obligation on the management of establishments to take up the cause of employees prosecuted by third parties for the exercise of their academic freedom, underlined the union.