Published annually since 2011, the Campus Freedom Index uses specific, measurable and replicable criteria to assess the free speech climate on Canadian university campuses, giving university administrators and student union executives clear standards they can adopt to better protect free speech rights for students
With 242 grades awarded to 61 campuses, Canada’s universities and student unions in 2020 have received eight ‘A’ grades, which is an improvement from five in 2019. Six universities earned an ‘A’ grade in 2020—an improvement from 2019, when only four universities received an ‘A’ grade. Only one student union (Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association) earned an ‘A’ grade in 2020, a figure unchanged from 2019.
Thirteen universities earned at least one ‘F’ grade in the 2020 Campus Freedom Index, a notable increase from eight universities in 2019. A whopping 23 student unions earned at least one ‘F’ grade, up from 13 student unions in 2019.
While Canadian universities earned more ‘A’ grades this year, they also earned more ‘F’ grades. More universities publicly defended freedom of expression this year, when faced with calls to cancel events or engage in censorship; yet more universities also engaged in censorship.
View our grading methodology to learn more about why your school and student union received its grades.
THE A-LIST
The following six universities earned at least one ‘A’ grade in the 2020 Campus Freedom Index:
Dalhousie University (Practices)
McMaster University (Policies)
St. Thomas University (Policies)
University of Lethbridge (Policies and Practices)
University of Regina (Practices)
University of Windsor (Policies)
The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is the only student union surveyed to earn a ‘A’ grade in 2020, in the Policies category.
The FLUNK LIST
The following 13 universities earned at least one ‘F’ grade in the 2020 Campus Freedom Index:
Brock University (Policies and Practices)
Laurentian University (Practices)
Mount Royal University (Practices)
Queen’s University (Practices)
Royal Roads University (Practices)
Simon Fraser University (Practices)
Thompson Rivers University (Practices)
University of Alberta (Practices)
University of British Columbia (Practices)
University of Manitoba (Policies)
University of Regina (Policies)
University of Victoria (Practices)
University of Winnipeg (Policies)
The following 23 student unions earned at least one ‘F’ grade in the 2020 Campus Freedom Index:
Brandon University Students’ Union (Policies)
Capilano Students’ Union (Policies)
Concordia Student Union (Policies)
Dalhousie Students’ Union (Policies and Practices)
Kwantlen Students Association (Policies)
Students’ Association of MacEwan University (Policies)
Student Society of McGill University (Policies)
McMaster Students’ Union (Practices)
OCAD Student Union (Policies)
Ryerson Students’ Union (Policies)
Simon Fraser Student Society (Policies and Practices)
St. Francis Xavier Students’ Union (Policies)
La Confédération des associations d’étudiants et étudiantes de l’Université Laval (Policies)
University of Alberta Students’ Union (Policies and Practices)
UBC Alma Mater Society (Policies and Practices)
University of Calgary Students’ Union (Policies)
University of Guelph Central Student Association (Policies and Practices)
University of Manitoba Students’ Union (Policies)
University of Ottawa Students’ Union (Policies and Practices)
University of Regina Students’ Union (Policies and Practices)
University of Toronto Student Union (Policies)
University of Victoria Students’ Society (Policies)
York Federation of Students (Practices)
THE BEST AND WORST OF 2020 (UNIVERSITIES)
THE BEST UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Regarding their policies, the best universities for protecting free expression are:
These four universities earn an ‘A’ grade for their policies. They have a clear and unequivocal commitment to free speech on campus, set out in the university’s mission statement, statement on freedom of expression, or other policy documents. They have no express or implied “speech code” that prohibits or restricts speech on grounds of it being “offensive,” “disrespectful,” “inappropriate”, “triggering”, or a “micro-aggression,” and the university does not impose or create so-called “safe spaces” where speech is restricted. They do not provide funding to groups, departments, committees, commissions or other bodies that engage in ideological advocacy by promoting vague and ambiguous concepts like “diversity and inclusion,” and they have an anti-disruption policy which prohibits students (and other people) from blocking, obstructing, disrupting or interrupting speech on campus.
The total number of ‘A’ grades assigned to University policies is unchanged from the 2019 Campus Freedom Index.
THE WORST UNIVERSITY POLICIES
By contrast, the following four universities earned ‘F’ grades for their policies:
These four universities have none of the criteria listed for an ‘A’ grade. They do not have a clear commitment to free speech set out in their policy framework, nor do they have a policy prohibiting disruption. They have one or more speech codes that prohibit speech based on subjective criteria, and they fund bodies that engage in ideological advocacy. A university also earns a ‘F’ grade if it fails to make relevant policies available to the public.
The total number of ‘F’ grades for policies rose from three in 2019 to four in 2020.
THE BEST UNIVERSITY PRACTICES
Three universities received ‘A’ grades in the University Practices category:
These three institutions defended free expression publicly and vigorously in the face of pressure to censor speech on campus in the 2019-2020 academic year.
At Dalhousie University, a “leadership development bootcamp” called Advanced Summit Halifax was scheduled to occur on the campus in November 2019. The event was not affiliated with the university itself. The Dalhousie LGBTQ2+ society and the Dalhousie Students’ Union (DSU) lobbied the university administration to cancel the event, as one of the speakers was former People’s Party of Canada candidate Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson. Despite the efforts to get the event cancelled, Dalhousie proceeded with allowing the Advanced Summit to occur on campus.
At the University of Lethbridge, former United Conservative Party of Alberta candidate Caylan Ford was to deliver a presentation on March 13, 2020 titled “Free Inquiry in the Age of Outrage.” A handful of campus community members called for the cancellation of Ford’s presentation, and in response to the controversy, University of Lethbridge Acting Provost Dr. Erasmus Okine published a statement that read:
While the University does not endorse the opinions and views expressed by invited speakers, including Ford’s, by its very nature, a university permits free and open critical inquiry in all matters. The University’s Statement on Free Expression elaborates on this commitment.
[…]
Mutual respect, tolerance, and civility are valued within the University but do not constitute sufficient justification for closing off the discussion of ideas, no matter how offensive or disagreeable they may be.
Ford’s presentation was ultimately cancelled, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, not because of university censorship.
At the University of Regina, Canadian poet George Elliott Clarke was to deliver the Woodrow Lloyd Lecture on January 23, 2020. His talk was titled “‘Truth and Reconciliation’ versus ‘the Murdered and Missing’: Examining Indigenous Experiences of (In)Justice in Four Saskatchewan Poets.” Some faculty members and indigenous leaders were alerted to Clarke’s working relationship with Stephen Brown (aka Steven Kummerfield), one of the men convicted in the murder of indigenous woman Pamela George in 1995. Richard Kleer, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, released a statement claiming the Faculty stands by the invitation, and that the event would proceed. Clarke later withdrew from giving the presentation, but the university remained steadfast in defending his right to speak.
These three universities’ defences of free expression on campus are a welcome improvement from the 2018–19 academic year, as no university earned an ‘A’ grade for its practices in the 2019 Campus Freedom Index.
THE WORST UNIVERSITY PRACTICES
10 universities earned an ‘F’ grade for practices of censoring or failing to protect free expression rights for students, faculty and/or guests:
University of British Columbia
Brock University failed to publicly defend the academic freedom of professor Tomáš Hudlický after an article he wrote for the German-based journal Angewandte Chemie was criticized and retracted.
At Mount Royal University, instructor Mark Hecht published an op-ed in the Vancouver Sun about social trust and ethnic diversity, an op-ed which was very controversial and ultimately pulled from the Vancouver Sun. While Hecht’s academic freedom was originally defended by the university, the field school Hecht was scheduled to teach in the Spring 2020 semester was subsequently cancelled, with no legitimate reason provided.
Queen’s University track and field head coach Steve Boyd was fired for speaking out against the University of Guelph’s handling of misconduct allegations against their former coach Dave Scott-Thomas.
Royal Roads University, in response to entrepreneur W. Brett Wilson tweeting that Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi won his mayorship by playing the “race card,” released a statement condemning Wilson’s remarks and implied that Wilson’s honorary degree from the university could be in jeopardy.
Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria failed to stand up for freedom of expression and allowed “controversial” events to be cancelled due to the heckler’s veto.
At Laurentian University and the University of Alberta, professors were removed from their service positions over their views.
Thompson Rivers University failed on multiple occasions to uphold the academic freedom of professor Derek Pyne.
The total number of ‘F’ grades in this category increased from three in 2019 to 10 in 2020.
THE BEST AND WORST OF 2020 (STUDENT UNIONS)
THE BEST STUDENT UNION POLICIES
The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is the only student union surveyed to earn a ‘A’ grade in the Policies category. WUSA’s policy documents include an express commitment to free speech on campus, and they have no express or implied speech code that prohibits expression because it is “offensive,” “disrespectful,” “inappropriate,” or “creating a negative environment.” WUSA does not impose policies which censor campus clubs or treat certain clubs unfairly. Clubs can form based on a diversity of beliefs, opinions, and philosophies, and clubs can protect their mission, vision and integrity by limiting membership to students who share the club’s beliefs, opinions and philosophy. WUSA’s rules and regulations for elections and referenda do not impose restrictions on campaign speech and literature, and do not empower elections officers to censor speech (whether directly or indirectly). WUSA does not take or adopt political positions on provincial, federal or international issues that are not directly related to post-secondary education.
THE WORST STUDENT UNION POLICIES
21 student unions earned an ‘F’ grade for their policies—a notable increase from 13 ‘F’ grades in this category in 2019. These student unions enable censorship through the imposition of speech codes, by restricting campaign speech during student union elections, by not applying equal treatment to all student groups, and by endorsing positions on a variety of issues not directly related to their mandates. These student unions are:
Brandon University Students’ Union
Capilano Students’ Union
Concordia Student Union
Dalhousie Students’ Union
Kwantlen Students Association
Students’ Association of MacEwan University
Student Society of McGill University
OCAD Student Union
Ryerson Students’ Union
Simon Fraser Student Society
St. Francis Xavier Students’ Union
La Confédération des associations d’étudiants et étudiantes de l’Université Laval
University of Alberta Students’ Union
UBC Alma Mater Society
University of Calgary Students’ Union
University of Guelph Central Student Association
University of Manitoba Students’ Union
University of Ottawa Students’ Union
University of Regina Students’ Union
University of Toronto Student Union
University of Victoria Students’ Society
THE BEST STUDENT UNION PRACTICES
No student union earned an ‘A’ grade for its practices, which requires having publicly and vigorously defended free expression in the face of pressure to censor speech on campus.
THE WORST STUDENT UNION PRACTICES
Nine student unions earned an ‘F’ grade in the Practices category, a notable increase from three ‘F’ grades in 2019. Student unions are given an ‘F’ if they actively censor or fail to protect free expression rights for students, faculty and/or guests:
Dalhousie Students’ Union
McMaster Students’ Union
Simon Fraser Student Society
University of Alberta Students’ Union
UBC Alma Mater Society
University of Guelph Central Student Association
University of Ottawa Students’ Union
University of Regina Students’ Union
York Federation of Students
The Dalhousie Students’ Union, Simon Fraser Student Society, UBC Alma Mater Society, University of Regina Students’ Union, and York Federation of Students called for the cancellation of “controversial” campus events and/or released public statements that were dismissive of freedom of expression.
The Simon Fraser Student Society and University of Ottawa Students’ Union revoked club status from student groups with a pro-life mandate.
The University of Guelph Central Student Association denied two club applications on the discriminatory basis of their affiliation with a church, and the McMaster Students’ Union de-ratified a club on the allegation that it was related to an external historical society.