University of Regina professors quit lecture series due to censorship., page 1

www.leaderpost.com...

REGINA — Profs in the Park, a public lecture series which kicked off on Tuesday, came to a controversial end only one day after it started.

The Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID) partnered with the University of Regina’s Faculty of Arts to provide public lectures in Victoria Park every Tuesday until August 30.

However, on Wednesday, the professors were told by Richard Kleer, dean of arts, that Emily Eaton was told to either change her lecture topic scheduled for Tuesday or it would be cancelled.

Eaton’s presentation was titled, Solidarity with Palestine: The Case for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions Against Israel.

Eaton was simply told to contact the RDBID.

“I returned the phone call and was made aware that the talk was under scrutiny and then the next day that it was pulled,” she wrote in an email to the Leader-Post. “I was told that the talk was being cancelled by the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District ... I’m not sure who it was that complained.”

The office of Judith Veresuk, executive director of RDBID, said they were not willing to comment on Thursday.

The professors involved in the series unanimously decided to change the venue but future plans are unknown.

Marc Spooner, an education professor, said Eaton’s lecture discusses a difficult topic but it is still extremely important.

“We can’t allow censorship to trump dialogue,” he said. “It’s our job to foster spaces where divergent views can be expressed in the hope of gaining understanding.”

Gail Chin, an art history professor, said “city property is public property” and that such censorship must not be tolerated.

“This is an infringement on basic freedom of speech,” said Chin. “Dr. Eaton has the right to talk.”

pmills@leaderpost.com
© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-Post

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reply to post by Game_Over

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Aah yes, the old "freedom of speech" ploy, but you can only speak what we tell you to - these aren't crazed hippies or military freedom fighters, these are PROFESSORS.

Shutting down the school of journalism at the U of SK wasn't enough, the new "Edwards" economics division at the U of S also tells the tale in a sordid way. May be slightly off topic, but yes censorship is alive and well in our "professional" education system.

SHAME

reply to post by Game_Over

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Don't you know, it is illegal to criticize Isreal?

reply to post by Game_Over

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Section 2(b) of the Charter states that "Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: ... freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication." www.uottawa.ca...

so tell me how they can get away with not allowing the topic?...

seems a bit illegal and draconian.

reply to post by ItsEvolutionBaby

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to the political right...professors and liberal hippies are one in the same.

sad really

reply to post by CaDreamer

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I guess so - the political right is always in attack mode when they see others a'smarter than they are. Shut them down quick, before the people catch on---

reply to post by WhoKnows100

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Not to be lazy, but would you mind sharing the email address with us?

I will email them too.

Originally posted by ItsEvolutionBaby
reply to post by Game_Over

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Aah yes, the old "freedom of speech" ploy, but you can only speak what we tell you to - these aren't crazed hippies or military freedom fighters, these are PROFESSORS.

Shutting down the school of journalism at the U of SK wasn't enough, the new "Edwards" economics division at the U of S also tells the tale in a sordid way. May be slightly off topic, but yes censorship is alive and well in our "professional" education system.

SHAME

Most crazy hippies grew up to become professors. Most teachers, instructors and professors are nothing more then crazy left-wingers that should be thrown in jail for using their positions to expand their own personnel creeds and bigoted philosophies.

reply to post by Game_Over

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Don't you know speaking out against Israel is anti-semitic?
Doesn't matter if you are only speaking facts...

S&F cause I love that they didn't just cave to this racism,because that's what it is,racism.....

Originally posted by CaDreamer
reply to post by Game_Over

---

Section 2(b) of the Charter states that "Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: ... freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication." www.uottawa.ca...

so tell me how they can get away with not allowing the topic?...

seems a bit illegal and draconian.

From wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org...):
"Section One of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the section of the Charter that confirms that the rights listed in that document are guaranteed. The section is also known as the reasonable limits clause or limitations clause, as it allows the government to legally limit an individual's Charter rights. This limitation on rights has been used in the last twenty years to prevent a variety of objectionable conduct such as hate speech (e.g. in R. v. Keegstra) and obscenity (e.g. in R. v. Butler). It has also been used to protect from the unreasonable interference of government in the lives of people in a free and democratic society by defining these limits."

I was taught this in university too. We don't have freedom in Canada, because the government defines the limitations. There's also a clause in the charter that states reasonable limits "under God", so it is up to the government to define what that means as well.

As for the story in the OP, the Professor should do this: Say "screw you" and continue the lecture. She would have a populist movement backing it if the censor nazis crash it.

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