For eight years, the Campus Freedom Index has monitored the state of free expression at Canadian public universities. Sadly, the threat of campus censorship continues to undermine the free exchange of ideas in Canada.
But the Campus Freedom Index is providing Canadians with the intellectual ammunition they need to hold university and student union leadership accountable when they unfairly and unlawfully punish students, faculty and guests on campus simply for holding controversial views.
Know your rights! Read Resisting Censorship on Campus
Released jointly with the 2019 Campus Freedom Index is a new report to inform university students about their legal rights on campus. Resisting Censorship on Campus explains the legal basis for students’ free speech rights on campus, and the processes by which students can assert their legal rights in the face of censorship by their university or student union. This resource also encourages students to contact the Justice Centre for pro bono legal advice and assistance. Resisting Censorhip on Campus is also summarized in a brochure.
Email your university/student union president
Tell your leadership that you want your campus to be a leader in protecting free speech on campus. Send them a message!
Sign up for the Justice Centre student mailing list
Pass the Resolution in Support of Free Expression
Lobby your student union to adopt the Justice Centre’s Template Resolution in Support of Free Expression. The Resolution was drafted with careful attention to provide students with clear, unequivocal protections on their freedom of expression in the event of censorship.
View the draft resolution here
Have you been censored? Take legal action!
If you feel your freedom of expression has been violated on campus, contact the Justice Centre to inquire about legal options to defend your rights! The information you provide will be kept in strictest confidence by the Justice Centre, and will be protected by solicitor-client privilege. After you have completed this form, a member of our legal team will be able to follow up with you.
Build a Free Speech Wall
For many years the Justice Centre has been partnering with students across Canada to build campus “free speech walls,” whiteboard displays which allow students to share their thoughts and questions as an exercise of their free expression rights. The wall events provide an open forum to educate students about the importance of free speech at Canadian universities. Recently the Justice Centre has put a new twist on that idea, by rolling giant beach balls onto campus and encouraging students to write on the ball to exercise their free speech rights.
If you would like to raise a free speech wall or ball at your campus, contact the Justice Centre to inquire about sponsorship!
