University of Lethbridge students push back against controversial speaker
The University of Lethbridge says a controversial guest speaker appearance will go ahead, despite pushback from some students.
The university says a faculty member at the school has scheduled Frances Widdowson to speak on Feb. 1.
The former MRU professor made headlines in 2020 for criticizing Black Lives Matter and espousing the educational benefit of residential schools.
Widdowson was fired from Mount Royal University in January 2022, after more than 6,000 students signed a petition calling for her to be fired.
Despite pushback from U of L students, the university says its mandate affirms freedom of expression and the event will take place as scheduled.
In a statement, U of L president Mike Mahon said, "The university does not tolerate behaviour that undermines the safety of our diverse community. And the university will restrict expression that violates the law, defames an individual or that constitutes a threat of harassment."
The U of L said an opposing position talk has been arranged to counter Widdowson's speech but some students said that isn't enough.
"The University of Lethbridge really prides itself on its Indigenous name and land acknowledgments," said Jason Ranaghan, of the U of L Student Action Assembly,
"And to see someone who has not only made one or two off-end comments, but has made her entire academic career off of defaming and denying the existence and painful history of residential schools is extremely disheartening to see."
Jason Ranaghan from University of Lethbridge Student Action Assembly
"It feels like a slap in the face," Ranaghan added, "to all the work that they're doing."
The Student Action Assembly says it's planning a peaceful protest outside the classroom where the speech will be held.
With files from Cynthia Roebuck
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.