Equal Tuition Fees = Unequal Status?
Erin Stewart
Does that sound right?
It's come to my attention that universities are the breeding grounds for limiting human rights. Constantly, one group of people or another is being treated as unequal. This is unacceptable, no matter what the reason is.
Recently, I learned that York University's student government has placed a ban on all pro-life groups and made it impossible for these groups to continue to meet for any purpose in student areas on campus. Additionally, at other Canadian universities, anti-abortion groups and clubs have had their club status revoked on campus. I cannot claim to know the bylaws of every single university student government/union in this country, but I know that where I attend university, every single student pays equal fees for their student government. This means that every single student has equal access to all the clubs and services that they offer. Not even factoring human rights into this equation, how is it legally possible to discriminate against a group of students that are entitled to participate in their activity of choice on campus as a result of paying the same student fees. Additionally, these students' personal rights are also being targeted. Individuals in Canada still hold freedom of speech, expression and association rights. Those students being forbidden from meeting in public places to discuss their stance on a particular issue are being limited of all three of these freedoms.
Regardless of what your personal stance is in this specific debate - please recognize the slippery slope that is occurring here: when one individual or group's freedoms are limited, dangerous principles are left behind that pave the way for limitations coming from all directions and in all walks of life. The next time your weekly book club wants to meet, maybe they won't be allowed because the book you're reading offends a particular group. The group of gals you meet with at the local coffee shop will perhaps be kicked out next time because all too often you discuss your views on marriage. The after school program that you run will not be allowed to take their weekly trip to the park because you commonly teach the children the benefits of taking care of our planet. These examples may appear to be far-fetched. However, there are hardly differences between these cases and what is happening in the universities across Canada right now.
Do we not live in a free country where everyone is entitled to their opinion and freedom of speech? The last time I checked, I am allowed to walk into a coffee shop with a friend or group of friends and discuss whatever our conversation leads us to; in addition, so can anyone else who wants to. How is it possibly justifiable to limit a group of students from doing the exact same thing in a building owned by an organization they are all forced to pay to be a part of? This is a gross violation of human rights. I hope that the York University's student government, as well as the other universities that have been making decisions like this, takes a step back and realizes the example they are allowing to be set for all of society - and I hope they reconsider and follow the principle set forth by our nation: freedom.
Erin Stewart
Brantford, ON
