Many campuses, like MacEwan, already have policies and procedures in place.

The Ministry of Advanced Education must “assess the need” for laws protecting freedom of expression and The Ministry of Advanced Education must “assess the need” for laws protecting freedom of expression and academic freedom in post-secondary schools across Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith wrote in a mandate letter directed to Myles McDougall, the Minister of Advanced Education.

In the mandate, which was sent on Sept. 22, Smith says that she expects the ministry to work with the Ministry of Justice. Yet many post-secondary schools across Alberta already have policies and procedures in place to allow students and instructors to think, speak, and share ideas without fear of punishment.  

So, what is the purpose of the United Conservative Party exploring the need for legislation? 

“you wouldn’t be well-served and you’d be getting less than you think that you’re getting. You   would be getting a curtailed version of the education that you think you’re getting.”

— Darren Tellier, president of the Grant MacEwan Faculty Association

 “I’m not sure why they’d be doing that,” Darren Tellier, the president of the Grant MacEwan University Faculty Association, says. He also says that universities are supposed to be free from government interference. “For a government that likes to suggest it likes small government, less government interference, and liberty, it seems odd.”

Tellier says he believes that the government lacks evidence for why they need to create legislation for freedom of expression and academic freedom protections. Instead, they point to sentiments that they hear from people. 

Academic freedom — the freedom to engage in scholarly work in pursuit of truth without fear of censorship — is not protected by Alberta’s provincial government, but instructors are protected via collective agreements, says Marc Shroeder, vice-president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers. Collective agreements ensure academic staff associations to enforce academic freedom rights. “It’s really a collective agreement matter that’s dealt with through labour law–it’s not dealt with through the courts,” Shroeder says. 

“It’s really a collective agreement matter that’s dealt with through labour law–it’s not dealt with through the courts” 

— Marc Schroeder, vice-president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers

Shroeder also says some schools may adopt their own academic freedom policies that are not enforceable with collective agreements. Instead, schools can change the policies themselves or through the board of governors without permission from instructors.

Shroeder says that when politicians speak about academic freedom, they are speaking about what they believe needs to be defended. “Sometimes they’re particularly concerned with certain types of political speech on one end of the political spectrum and not so much on another.” Instead, Shroeder says collective agreements defend academic freedom for professors, regardless of political ideologies. 

Many campuses across Alberta, MacEwan included, also have policies in place to protect freedom of expression, which safeguards individuals’ right to communicate ideas without institutional interference. According to MacEwan’s Free Expression on Campus Policy, the university recognizes that freedom of expression is “essential to the pursuit of knowledge.” It also says it doesn’t “seek to shield anyone from a full range of views, nor permits interference with Free Expression.”

Tellier wants students to understand that the purpose of a university is to pursue the truth and to discuss and debate important topics. He says that if there are laws restricting this freedom, “you wouldn’t be well-served and you’d be getting less than you think that you’re getting.” 

“You would be getting a curtailed version of the education that you think you’re getting.”