Quebec minister defends herself after intervening in another college course on Palestinian literature

Quebec's Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, responds to the Opposition during Question Period at the Quebec Legislative Assembly, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry is defending herself amid new revelations that she intervened in another course on Palestinian literature at Vanier College.

“As I’ve said over the last few days, I’ve been asking questions. I will continue to ask questions. That’s my role, that’s my obligation,” she said Thursday during a short press scrum.

La Presse reported on Thursday morning that the minister had questioned the CEGEP management about the subject chosen for an English course.

It was also reported that the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) had tried to intervene in the content of the same course. Déry sat on the CIJA board from 2016 to 2022.

Last week, the minister admitted to having intervened in a course on “Palestinian identity” at Dawson College. This decision drew criticism from the academic community and opposition parties.

“We know that the climate on some campuses has visibly deteriorated. There have been complaints of harassment and intimidation. My role is to ensure that all students can develop in a healthy and safe climate,” added the minister.

‘Curtailing academic freedom’

The situation provoked heated exchanges between Minister Déry and Québec solidaire (QS) in Question Period on Thursday.

“At a time when her network is suffering, does the minister really consider that curbing academic freedom should be her priority?” questioned Québec solidaire MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard.

Déry again defended herself, saying she was only doing her job. She accused QS of not being concerned about social peace.

“We saw it with Maurice Richard’s NNA (Haroun Bouazzi) when he called Quebecers racists,” she said.

In December, Déry launched investigations at Dawson and Vanier colleges in the wake of demonstrations that took place on campus in connection with the Israel-Hamas war. The investigations are still ongoing.

In an investigation by La Presse published recently, teachers at Dawson and Vanier colleges denounced what they considered to be interference by the Ministry of Higher Education in their institutions.

Last week, the Legault government blocked a QS motion calling on “the National Assembly to denounce any political interference in the content of courses in the Quebec college network.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 27, 2025.