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In October 2016, a University of Toronto psychology professor named Jordan Peterson gave an impassioned speech to student protesters in front of Sidney Smith Hall. The events surrounding Peterson at the time would spark a larger discussion about free speech on university campuses across Canada that continues to this day.

It’s now a widely held belief that campus free speech is under threat from student protesters, campus organizations, and even university officials.

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In recent years, student unions have moved away from their original role of holding campus officials accountable and upholding student rights by actively working to shut down events and silence speakers. In response, governments have created free speech policies directly targeting unions. We’ve seen it in the United States, and in Ontario.

President Donald Trump signed anexecutive order on March 21, 2019 mandating free speech on college and university campuses. In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford‘s government introduced two new policies to bolster free speech on campus.