The Minister of Higher Education Pascale Déry is concerned about a possible “slippage” in the respect of academic freedom in the university environment, following several controversies that have arisen in recent months. She thus sent a letter to all the leaders of the universities of Quebec to call on them to correct the situation.
“We have to see how we can adjust the shooting to ensure that there is no drift, slippage on university campuses,” launched the minister Monday evening, in an interview at the To have to.
In recent months, controversies in academia have followed one another. The cancellation of a conference that was to be given on January 10 by British professor specializing in human rights Robert Wintemute at McGill University caused a stir. Activists from the LGBTQ + community then deplored that the professor was a director of the LGB Alliance, which many associate with a hateful and transphobic group. Activists eventually succeeded in getting the conference canceled by holding a protest inside the hall where it was taking place.
Last summer, two professors from Laval University were also suspended for several weeks because of their comments deemed controversial by the establishment concerning vaccines against COVID-19.
Thus, seven months after the adoption of the Act respecting academic freedom in the university environment, Minister Pascale Déry notes that it is slow to be respected by several institutions. She thus sent a letter Monday to all the leaders of the universities of the province to call them to order.
“We have fundamental values, we have universal values and for me, it’s really important that this law be respected,” insisted Ms.me Déry in interview. “We cannot sacrifice academic freedom in the name of certain specific struggles, at the risk of losing both in the end”, indicates her letter, of which The duty got a copy early Monday evening.
find a balance
The minister is also concerned about the “drift” that she observes in the application by universities of federal criteria aimed at facilitating diversity and inclusion in certain research programs that Ottawa funds, which is sometimes to the detriment of “freedom of teaching and research”, according to her.
In her letter, the minister argues that the establishment of diversity and inclusion targets in academic institutions must not, “under any circumstances”, result in “any form whatsoever 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,” adds the document. .
In recent months, Laval University had been criticized in particular for having excluded white men from potential candidates for the position of holder of the Canada Research Chair in the History of Canada-Quebec. In this context, Pascale Déry calls for a search for a “balance” that will allow universities to respect the principles enshrined in the Academic Freedom Act while promoting diversity and inclusion. One thing is certain, “the law is there and I will make sure that it is respected,” concluded the minister in an interview.