Rectors oppose Bill 32 to better protect academic freedom. This is the message they delivered on Wednesday to the Minister of Higher Education, Danielle McCann.
We don’t see the added value of a lawexplanation by the president of the Interuniversity Cooperation Office (BCI) and rector of the University of Sherbrooke, Pierre Cossette.
The president of BCI – representing 20 university establishments – insisted on defending their autonomy during its address to the Committee on Relations with Citizens.
He spoke out against requiring universities to adopt a policy exclusive to freedom of education and shall provide for the creation of a advice.
” We already have collegial bodies, program committees, departmental and faculty assemblies […] student advocates, ombudsmen, compliance offices. “
Furthermore, clause 6 of the bill is particularly problematic, as it gives the minister decision -making powers. really newHe added.
Legislation like this threatens academic freedomsaid Mr. Cossette.
Turning on the floor, Ms. McCann suggested pair issues of academic freedom and harassment, so that they can be addressed by both councils.
He asked to know why BCI opposed Bill 32, while teachers ’and lecturers’ unions were more in favor.
How come there is a gap between you[s] position[s]? the minister asked.
MNA Alexandre Leduc, from Québec solidaire, suggested that professors and researchers may feel neglected by their institutions in the event of a lawsuit.
We regularly take the teachers ’reason. We do this several times a year. We are always told that our defense of them is bad, I get confused when I hear thatreaction of Pierre Cossette.
He took the opportunity to insult the Cloutier commission survey, according to which 60% of faculty members and 28% of students have already censored themselves by avoiding the use of certain words.
According to him, the sample used by the commission is not representative.
There were 97% of those who asked and preferred not to answerhe pointed out.
The Cloutier commission was set up by the government in August 2021, following several incidents that took place in the academy and were reported in the news.
A teacher at the University of Ottawa has been suspended over a complaint for using the word beginning with the letter in his classroom NO.
Source: Radio-Canada
