WATERLOO - A pro-life student club at Wilfrid Laurier University will have Lindsay Shepherd as master of ceremonies for a campus debate on abortion.

Christine Schuknecht, a 21-year-old Laurier student and president of Laurier LifeLink, said the group approached Shepherd for the event titled, "Abortion: Whose Body? Whose Choice?" because "she is known for advocating for free speech."

"We thought she would be a good person to collaborate with us," she said.

Shepherd, a Laurier graduate student and president of the Laurier Society for Open Inquiry, gained national attention last year when she was reprimanded by two professors for showing a video clip to her tutorial which showcased a debate on the use of gender neutral pronouns. The university later apologized.

Last week, Shepherd's group attempted to host controversial and far-right commentator Faith Goldy on campus. Goldy was scheduled to give an anti-immigration talk for the first event in the group's "Unpopular Opinion Speaker Series." Hundreds lined up to attend the event and hundreds protested it.

The event was cancelled when someone pulled the fire alarm.

Shepherd, who said she is pro-choice, agreed to participate in the upcoming LifeLink event because it's a "classic debate topic" that will encourage people to consider where the other side is coming from.

"It's good to think about the deeper issues related to the human condition and on campus because this is a place of intellectual inquiry," she said, adding that her opinion on the issue will not interfere with her duties as an master of ceremonies.

The debate will feature London-based obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Fraser Fellows on the pro-choice side of the abortion debate, and in opposition to him will be Oriyana Hrycyshyn from the pro-life group, the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform.

Barbara Kay, a longtime National Post columnist will moderate - she was recommended for the role by the pro-life, National Campus Life Network, which is supporting the event, said Schuknecht.

Laurier professor, Steve Wilcox, who was critical of the previous event hosted by the Laurier Society for Open Inquiry, has concerns with this one as well.

Wilcox said having a debate that is almost entirely sponsored by one side of the debate "calls into question the validity of that exercise."

"Especially when the moderator ... has already expressed support for one side of the issue and then the pro-choice individual is not someone who is probably the best candidate to actually defend that side of it."

Wilcox is also critical of the university for allowing this particular event and said "campuses have a social responsibility to build on knowledge and to respect human rights."

Schuknecht disagrees with Wilcox's view of the panel and argues that Fellows is a good candidate for the debate because he performs abortions. She also argues that no matter what Kay's position is on the topic, she is expected to be a neutral moderator.

When asked if the university has received complaints about the event and if it would be permitted to go forward, director of communications, Kevin Crowley said the following in email:

"The university encourages the civil and respectful exchange of viewpoints, and it is hoped that this event will meet those expectations," he said.

The free event is being hosted on campus on April 5 and guests are required to register online - about 100 have already done so. There is a capacity of 200.

lbooth@therecord.com, Twitter: @BoothRecord

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