Controversial speaker returning to Lethbridge this weekend, concerns being raised

When Frances Widdowson arrived on campus last February, she met with Indigenous students, faculty and community members, engaging with them while students surrounded her, shouting, and at times chanting and playing guitar.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

A controversial speaker whose speech was interrupted by protests at the University of Lethbridge is February in set to give a talk at a different location on Saturday.

Former Mount Royal University policy studies professor Frances Widdowson is set to give her “How Does Woke-ism Threaten Academic Freedom?” talk at the Lethbridge Public Library despite backlash she received at one of her speeches earlier this year.

“I think it’s incredibly important,” Widdowson told CTV News in an interview about her upcoming talk.

On Feb. 2, a large crowd of around 700 students, faculty members and residents protested her planned speech at the University of Lethbridge. Days before her arrival, her talk was cancelled by the university.

When Widdowson arrived on campus, she met with Indigenous students, faculty and community members, engaging with them while students surrounded her, shouting, and at times chanting and playing guitar.

After nearly an hour on campus Widdowson was removed over security concerns.

Now, Widdowson, along with U of L professor Paul Viminitz and U of L student Jonah Pickle are going ahead with the speech, but at a different location.

“We need to take the discussions outside of the universities now,” Widdowson said. “There are serious problems with universities in Alberta - the University of Lethbridge is just one example and this is due to woke-ism sort of penetrating all aspects of the university.”

Widdowson was fired from Mount Royal University in 2020 after comments critical of Black Lives Matter and for saying there were some educational benefits to the residential school system.

DISRESPECTING UN DECLARATION OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

News of her planned event isn’t sitting well with some.

“I think it really takes away from the truth and reconciliation we're trying to push for as a country,” said Foster Wright, the Indigenous representative with the U of L’s Students’ Union (ULSU). “It leaves holes and questions that people shouldn't have when it comes to residential schools.”

Wright says Widdowson is disrespecting the Charter of Rights and the UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights. He feels she shouldn’t be welcomed on Saturday.

“I think her coming and being sung out whenever she opened her mouth and the singers and dancers went, I think that should've been enough of a push to understand that she's not welcome on these lands and she's not welcome on the territory of the Blackfoot people,” Foster added.

The event is planned for 2:30 p.m. at the Lethbridge Public Library.

In a statement, the library says “this event is not a library-sponsored or affiliated event.”

“The individual hosting the event booked a library meeting room in accordance with library policies related to facility use. Lethbridge Public Library provides room rentals as a service to the community on an equitable basis. Use of meeting rooms by any individual, group or organization does not constitute an endorsement by the library,” the statement reads.

As for Widdowson, she's unsure if she'll face any protesters.

“If it does get cancelled or there are people attempting to shut it down, this once again proves our point that we cannot have these kinds of discussion in society generally,” she added.

As a result of her cancelled speech in February, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, on behalf of Widdowson, Viminitz and Pickle, is suing the university.

The court action seeks a declaration that the University of Lethbridge breached the applicants’ freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed under the charter, as well as an injunction requiring the university to permit the event to proceed on campus.