Controversial Calgary professor suing University of Lethbridge for cancelling speech

Widdowson, others suing University of Lethbridge Former MRU professor Frances Widdowson and others are suing the University of Lethbridge over freedom of expression and assembly.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A controversial speaker whose speech was interrupted by protests at the University of Lethbridge is February is now suing the institution over freedom of expression and assembly.

Former Mount Royal University policy studies professor Frances Widdowson was invited to speak at the University of Lethbridge on “How Woke-ism Threatens Academic Freedom” on February 2.

But, amid backlash from students, the university cancelled her speech.

Now, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, on behalf of Widdowson, U of L professor Paul Viminitz – who invited her to speak - and U of L student Jonah Pickle, is suing the university.

“The charter guarantees the right to freedom of conscious and expression and the freedom of assembly to peacefully get together and exercise your constitutional rights,” said Glenn Blackett, a lawyer for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. “So, in this application, we're pursuing the university for denying our applicants those rights.”

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.

Widdowson has come under fire for her opinions on residential schools and the Black Lives Matter movement.

But, she says universities need to allow speakers of all topics.

“Having professors able to invite speakers who are discussing matters of concern is very important and what we're seeing in universities now is a very pernicious ideology taking over and that ideology is referred to in the action as woke-ism,” Widdowson told CTV News in an interview on Wednesday.

CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS

Widdowson isn't the only controversial speaker to have been met by protest.

Conservative commentator Faith Goldy was supposed to speak at the University of Waterloo, but security costs forced the event to be cancelled.

And, human rights lawyer Robert Wintemute had his talk cancelled at McGill University after students stormed the room and unplugged the projector.

As for Widdowson, she was removed from the campus over security concerns after more than 700 students gathered in the UHall atrium.

Mount Royal University policy studies professor Lori Williams said the lawsuit raises questions on how to manage problematic speakers at schools.

“It’s important to emphasise the importance of academic freedom and that even controversial speakers should be able to speak, especially at a university,” Williams explained. “That's the job of the university, is to engage in debates of controversial ideas, to try and come to a better understanding of this.”

Widdowson doesn't want any money - instead she wants the U of L to declare it violated the charter and wants there to be another event without any conditions.

The University of Lethbridge says it won't comment on the lawsuit because it's before the court.

According Blackett, the university has not yet submitted an affidavit or statement on the matter.