"Given the way their platform is worded, and the increasing amount of referring to Western and Canadian national identity, I think that really what this means is a white identity and those who do not bring into this country, their own cultural values, specifically for Muslim individuals who adhere to Islam."

Paralovos disagrees with that notion, saying the PPC’s platform does not target specific populations.

“We’re talking about fiscal policies to run the country,” he said.

“We’re not talking about hating specific people or groups, period. And that’s true of our policy platforms, all of them.”

I think @csaguelph and @cupe1334 cancelling the event that was previously scheduled for tonight is undemocratic. Sighting no evidence they libeled me in their newsletter and unilaterally removed the ability of their students to hear from all candidate. https://t.co/7iDpRRPNZh — Mark Paralovos (@MarkParalovos) October 2, 2019

Hassan and Williams also cited student safety as a reason to cancel the debate, with the latter pointing to recent events in Hamilton.

On Sunday, four people were arrested following clashes between protesters and counter protesters at Mohawk College’s West Mountain Campus, where PPC leader Maxime Bernier was holding a fundraiser with YouTube personality and political commentator Dave Rubin.

“We were concerned that similar events might transpire on campus with our event,” Williams said.

“We didn’t have the infrastructure in place and the supports in place from campus security to be able to stop potential violence from happening.”

Williams further alleged that Paralovos threatened the university with bringing protesters to the debate and potentially disrupt the event.

Paralovos denied the allegation, calling it “absolutely false.”

“One-hundred per cent in no way shape or form, or in any misunderstanding way, did I threaten to bring protesters,” he said.

“I would not show up at an event I wasn’t invited for. That’s why I was trying to get an invitation.”

In an email to the Mercury Tribune, university spokesperson Lori Bona Hunt said nobody in the school’s administration had a conversation like this with Paralovos.

Further, Paralovos pointed to his attendance at other all-candidates events, which have had no issues.

“I’ve attended the Italian Canadian Club debate, I attended the Bishop Macdonell high school debate, and both times I sat beside the Communist candidate,” he said, referring to Juanita Burnett.

“There were no issues, despite the fact that she called out my party twice while sitting next to me. No issues.”

Free speech on campus

Another issue facing the debate’s organizers, and eventually resulting in its cancellation, was the province’s policies around free speech on campus.

First introduced last year, the province gave universities and colleges until the start of 2019 to implement policies around freedom of expression on campus.

Under those new rules, post-secondary institutions will be monitored and could face funding cuts should they not comply with principles outlined by the province, such as ensuring campuses are “places for discussion and free inquiry,” that they “should not attempt to shield students from ideas or opinions that (those students) disagree with or find offensive;" and that "members of the university/college ... may not obstruct or interfere with the freedom of others to express their views."

The University of Guelph unveiled its new freedom of expression policy in time to meet the province's deadline.

“It’s our freedom of expression to also decide who we believe will add to a meaningful discussion and it’s up to us to decide who gets that platform and who doesn’t,” Hassan said.

“We’ve been reached out to by our constituents who were concerned about his presence, and at the end of the day we have to listen to the student body.”

Williams added that, under that policy, campus police and the university would be barred from removing Paralovos from campus if there were to be any issues.

“We decided that it was in the interest of the safety of the students to cancel the event,” she said.

“It was pretty much the last thing that we wanted to do, but in the interest of being able to maintain our position of not giving him a platform, it’s unfortunately the decision that we had to make.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to clarify quotes and correct typos.