Kudos to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) for wisdom and courage.
The wisdom to recognize that the consitutional right to free speech covers all shades of opinion. And the courage to take a stance that might anger their allies on the left. A highly reasonable stance, in our opinion, but one that might raise hackles among progressives nonetheless.
The CCLA earned their pat on the back by writing a letter, addressed to the Carleton University Student Association (CUSA) in Ottawa.
On November 11, the CUSA voted to “decertify” a student group called Carleton Lifeline. Without certification, student groups can’t receive funding or even use certain buildings and facilities on the Carleton campus.
The Carleton Lifeline group is vehemently opposed to abortion. Problem is, a few years back, the CUSA approved an “anti-discrimination” motion that supports the right of women to abort their pregnancies. Student groups are required to endorse this clause if they want certification and CUSA funds.
Not surprisingly, Carleton Lifeline refused to go along with this dictate. As a result, they got the boot.
Regardless of whether you think abortion is a right or is tantamount to legal homicide, the CUSA’s position is poorly thought out at best and totalitarian at worst. Essentially, the CUSA is saying that the Carleton campus is no place for the free exchange of ideas and opinions. All student groups have to toe the same ideological line, or else.
The CCLA was quick to attack this authoritarian logic.
“You can be pro-choice and for free speech,” stated Nathalie Des Rosiers, CCLA general counsel, in her strongly worded letter to the CUSA. “Student governments must act like a government and represent all students, not just the ones who think like them. They have a duty to protect minority views. We have told them that what they are doing is not proper and they should respect the right of dissent.”
“Associations like ours are pro-choice, but that doesn’t mean that you can deny the right to an anti-abortion group to have access to their facililities to express their views. You are strengthening your choice view if you allow others to speak,” added Des Rosiers, according to the CBC.
As the CCLA understands, the very definition of “choice” means the ability to select from a range of options. In terms of abortion, that includes the right to either terminate a pregnancy or take it to full term and have a child. It goes to follow that students at a public university should be able to hear out both pro and anti-abortion groups on campus.
The CCLA is right; Carleton Lifeline deserves recognition and funding by the CUSA.
Otherwise, pro-choice means no choice at all.
