CFE Blog

On Thursday, Calgary Police forcibly dismantled the pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Calgary within hours of its formation. Those who advocate the same tactic at other Canadian universities, including University of Toronto, argue that an encampment is not a legitimate form of protest because it is disruptive and occupies space that should be open to all. A columnist in the Globe & Mail even argued that the encampment is not a form of expression and thus deserves no protection. 

In late 2015, Ontario’s Protection of Public Participation Act, 2015 took effect. Commonly referred to as the “anti-SLAPP” regime—a reference to the term “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation” from US jurisdictions—the law quickly changed the litigation landscape in Ontario, particularly in defamation actions.  

Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx, both provincial mega-agencies using, exclusively, public-private infrastructure partnerships, have imposed a requirement on the public that is supposedly being served, according to a Toronto Star article (March 19). That is, any community member that wants to participate in the ‘consultations’ regarding the expropriation and tearing down of the local Riverdale Plaza (one of the many sites designated by the province as a future ‘transit-oriented community’, known by locals as ‘developer-oriented transit’) needs to sign a “non-disclosure” agreement. 

In September, the Federal Government called a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canadian elections.

Do you ever worry that Canadians have a niceness problem? In classes and in groups many of us are afraid to voice opinions that others might see as unpleasant, contrary, or even worse, hateful. It isn’t that we all agree with one another. Our opinions and views are as varied as they are in any other society. But many of us have been conditioned simply to be agreeable with one another. We have not learned how to disagree or that disagreement can lead to better understanding of issues. It is a skill that can and should be taught from a very early age.

“I always thought that, as a researcher, if I based my arguments on rigorous research and had the facts on my side, that would be enough. Now, I’m not so sure. For the first time in my professional life, I’m afraid of the consequences for speaking out.”