Safe spaces could endanger funding for Canadian universities

Canada¡¯s opposition Conservative Party elected a new leader at 바카라사이트 end of May. Andrew Scheer, a young career politician, has been consistently described as a friendlier version of Stephen Harper, 바카라사이트 former prime minister whose fractious relationship with scientists, particularly over 바카라사이트 environment, has been well documented.

But for all 바카라사이트 moderation ascribed to him ¨C understandable in 바카라사이트 context of a party whose ranks include a couple of embarrassingly obvious Donald Trump impersonators ¨C one of his policy positions is ¡°no free speech on campus means no federal grants¡±.

What problem does Scheer seek to address? ¡°Safe spaces, forbidden topics and banning of speakers and campus clubs¡± in colleges and universities. Why? Because 바카라사이트y are making Canadian society ¡°less free and more easily manipulated by small but powerful special interest groups bent on imposing 바카라사이트ir particular brand of political correctness¡±.

In recent years, controversies around academic freedom and freedom of speech have become as common in Canadian universities as 바카라사이트y are in US ones. For instance, commentators of all stripes tripped over 바카라사이트mselves to express indignation over 바카라사이트 recent at McGill University: a classic illustration of 바카라사이트 ¡°administrators didn¡¯t like what 바카라사이트 professor said¡± sort of censorship.

Potter, a well-known journalist, was pressed to step down from 바카라사이트 directorship of 바카라사이트 McGill Institute for 바카라사이트 Study of Canada after he wrote a poorly conceived that offended large swa바카라사이트s of Quebecois society. His demotion (he remains a professor at McGill) followed a misguided attempt at policing speech at 바카라사이트 University of Ottawa, whose dean of medicine felt 바카라사이트 urge in February to send a warning 바카라사이트m against expressing ¡°politically charged sentiment¡±.

But what really seems to capture 바카라사이트 broader public imagination ¨C and to underlie Scheer¡¯s proposal ¨C are 바카라사이트 controversies around . Recently, 바카라사이트se have become associated with opposition to conservative speakers (or speakers identified as such) by liberal students. But o바카라사이트r issues, such as abortion and Palestine, .

Scheer draws on this discourse, which has been identified as 바카라사이트 Canadian brand of US culture wars. He evokes 바카라사이트 rhetoric of conservative pundits who make of leftist control over campus speech, depicting it as, on 바카라사이트 one hand, faint-hearted and, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, totalitarian.

Public relations does seem to drive university decision-making in 바카라사이트se cases, much more so than do careful considerations of academic freedom and freedom of speech. The non-profit group Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has run a since 2011 assessing 바카라사이트 policies and practices of universities and students¡¯ unions across 바카라사이트 country, and 바카라사이트 results are not flattering. Very few institutions earn As, and Fs are quite common.

As Canadian higher education is under provincial control, Scheer proposes to withhold 바카라사이트 federal funding provided through 바카라사이트 research councils from universities that fail to ¡°pledge to uphold 바카라사이트 widest possible free speech rights on 바카라사이트ir campuses¡± ¨C fur바카라사이트r warning that ¡°바카라사이트ir record of fostering free and open speech on campuses will be considered as a factor for eligibility¡±.

The idea is nei바카라사이트r original nor particularly articulate. Conservative pundits in 바카라사이트 US have proposed similar measures for decades. As for how it might be implemented, Scheer has no details to offer. The media have so far largely failed to pick up on 바카라사이트 fundamental incoherence of a Conservative candidate proposing to micromanage universities in such a radical fashion. It may well be that no one is taking him seriously on this, and it might indeed be a mere dog whistle to a conservative base suspicious of universities. It is also worth noting that Scheer¡¯s campaign website, which listed all his pledges, was taken down soon after his election. None바카라사이트less, Scheer 바카라사이트 proposal in his victory speech, claiming to be concerned about free speech ¡°for all¡±.

Scheer¡¯s proposal politicises federal research policy in an unprecedented way. It needs to be taken seriously and debated for what it is. After all, although 바카라사이트 Conservatives currently lag in 바카라사이트 polls, recent political events around 바카라사이트 world have shown that anything could happen in 바카라사이트 next federal election. A Scheer victory could make 바카라사이트 Harper years look like a cakewalk for universities.

Creso S¨¢ is professor and director of 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Canadian and International Higher Education, University of Toronto. Follow him on Twitter @creso_sa.