Contents The 2015 Campus Freedom Index 1 Executive Summary 1 Free expression in 2015: the best and the worst universities 3 Significant changes in 2014-2015: The Good 4 Significant changes in 2014-2015: The Bad 4 The State of Free Speech at Canada’s Universities 5 The State of Free Speech at Canada’s Student Unions 7 Methodology and Grading Criteria 10 The legal obligation of universities to defend free expression 13 “Speech Codes” at Canadian universities 13 About the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms 17 About the authors 18 The State of Campus Free Speech in 2015 19 - 242 2015 Campus Freedom Index Acadia University, Wolfville, NS 19 Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, QC 22 Brandon University, Brandon, MB 24 Brock University, St. Catherines, ON 28 Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS 33 Capilano University, North Vancouver, BC 35 Carleton University, Ottawa, ON 39 Concordia University, Montreal, QC 44 Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS 51 Grant McEwan University, Edmonton, AB 58 Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey, BC 60 Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON 63 Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON 66 McGill University, Montreal, QC 69 McMaster University, Hamilton, ON 75 Memorial University, St. John’s, NL 79 Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB 82 © Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. All Rights Reserved #253, 7620 Elbow Drive SW • Calgary, AB • T2V 1K2 Phone: (403) 475-3622 JCCF.ca Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB 84 Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS 89 Nipissing University, North Bay, ON 91 OCAD University, Toronto, ON 94 Queen’s University, Kingston, ON 100 Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC 104 Ryerson University, Toronto, ON 106 Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NS 113 Saint Paul University, Ottawa, ON 117 Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC 119 St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS 122 St. Thomas University, Fredericton, NB 125 Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC 127 Trent University, Peterborough, ON 131 University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB 135 University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC 139 University of Calgary, AB 147 University of Guelph, ON 152 University of King’s College, Halifax, NS 158 University of Lethbridge, AB 161 University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB 164 University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB 169 University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC 171 University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON 173 University of Ottawa, ON 177 University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE 183 University of Regina, Saskatchewan 188 University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon 192 University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC 195 University of Toronto, ON 198 University of Victoria, BC 205 University of Waterloo, ON 211 University of Windsor, Ontario 214 University of Winnipeg, Manitoba 220 Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC 223 Western University, London, ON 227 Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON 231 York University, Toronto, ON 235 The 2015 Campus Freedom Index Executive Summary The 2015 Campus Freedom Index is the fifth annual report released by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) to measure the state of free speech at Canada’s universities. Starting with a survey of only 18 universities in 2011, this year’s edition has grown to include 55 publicly funded Canadian universities—the largest and most expansive Index released so far, with information relevant to the more than 750,000 students who attend these institutions. The 2015 Campus Freedom Index includes an individual report about each university and student union. The Campus Freedom Index is the first report of its kind in Canada to measure the state of free speech at Canadian universities. While other major Canadian university rankings provide statistics on student life, classroom size and faculty quality, the Campus Freedom Index is the first resource available for Canadian high school students and parents to help them to choose a school that will encourage—not stifle—their free expression rights on campus. This report also provides information to aid current students, as well as faculty and administrators, in improving the state of free at their schools, by clearly indicating which policies and practices support free speech and which of these needs to be improved. With 220 grades awarded to 55 campuses, Canada’s universities and student unions in 2015 have received only eight ‘A’ grades—less than 5%, and only three more ‘A’ grades than were awarded in 2014. Conversely ‘F’ grades were earned 41 times: 15 times by universities, and 26 times by student unions. In total, Canada’s universities and students earned eight more ‘F’ grades than they did in 2014. There are 24 campuses that earned at least one ‘F’—the same total as last year, but this year’s Index included more universities. — 1 — 2015 Campus Taxpayer University University Student Union Student Union Freedom Index Funding Policies Practices Policies Practices millions % op. budget 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 Acadia University 31.5 33% B B C C C D A A Bishop’s University 23.5 46% C C C C D D C C Brandon University 39.4 66% C C C C F F B B Brock University 90.7 29% C B C D C C B B Cape Breton University 21.8 42% D D F F D D C C Capilano University 35.9 41% NA C NA D NA F NA D Carleton University 161.8 41% D D C C B B B A Concordia University 296.0 57% C C D F C D D F Dalhousie University 212.8 54% C C F F F F D D Grant McEwan University 114.4 50% NA D NA C NA F NA D Kwantlen Polytechnic University 66.8 43% C C D D D F D D Lakehead University 62.5 54% D D D D F F F F Laurentian University 76.8 45% B B A A D F C C McGill University 657.3 56% D D D C D D F F McMaster University 228.3 40% B B C C C C D D Memorial University of Newfoundland 440.8 70% C C C A D D F F Mount Allison University 22.1 49% F F D D D D B B Mount Royal University 84.1 39% C C F C D D D D Mount Saint Vincent University 19.9 39% C C C C D F C C Nipissing University 35.1 51% C C C C C D C C OCAD University 27.1 37% C C D D D D C D Queen’s University 366.2 43% C C F D D C C C Ryerson University 207.8 46% C C A A D D F F Royal Roads University 17.8 29% NA D NA C NA D NA C Saint Mary’s University 36.0 30% D C F F D F D D Saint Paul University 6.3 34% NA F NA C NA C NA C Simon Fraser University 224.3 48% C C B B C C C C St. Francis Xavier University 32.2 44% D D B B D D C C St. Thomas University 14.1 46% B B B B D D D D Thompson Rivers University 73.8 41% NA D NA B NA C NA C Trent University 51.2 51% C C D D D D F F University of Alberta 897.0 49% B B C F F F C C University of British Columbia 513.0 51% C C C F D D D D University of Calgary 741.6 60% D D C D D F F C University of Guelph 247.4 36% C C C C D D F F University of King’s College 5.6 27% C D A B C C C C University of Lethbridge 99.0 67% B B B F D D C A University of Manitoba 368.6 43% C D C C D F F D University of New Brunswick 112.0 61% C C D A D D C C University of Northern British Columbia 48.3 59% C C C C C D B B University of Ontario Institute of Tech- 62.1 62% NA D NA C NA D NA C University of Ottawa 379.9 49% D F F F D F D D University of Prince Edward Island 102.9 52% C C F F D F D D University of Regina 113.1 56% B C F F D D C C University of Saskatchewan 337.6 66% C C C C B B C C University of the Fraser Valley 55.8 49% C D F F D D D C University of Toronto 1,723.8 61% A A F B D D F F University of Victoria 244.0 47% C C F F F F C F University of Waterloo 209.6 34% D D F D C B D D University of Windsor 97.2 38% C C D D D C D C University of Winnipeg 56.1 59% C C C C D D C C Vancouver Island University 57.5 43% D C D C C B C B Western University 279.7 40% B B D D D C F D Wilfrid Laurier University 100.5 39% C C D D D D D D York University 371.7 37% D D D D F F D D — 2 — Free expression in 2015: the best and the worst universities Best Universities Policies Practices 2014 2015 2014 2015 1 Laurentian University B B A A 2 Ryerson University C C A A 3 Memorial University of Newfoundland C C C A 4 University of New Brunswick C C D A Worst Universities Policies Practices 2014 2015 2014 2015 1 University of Victoria C C F F 2 University of the Fraser Valley C D F F 3 Concordia University C C D F 4 Cape Breton University D D F F 5 University of Alberta B B C F 6 University of Prince Edward Island C C F F 7 University of Regina B C F F 8 Dalhousie University C C F F 9 Mount Allison University F F D D Best Student Unions Policies Practices 2014 2015 2014 2015 1 Carleton University Students Association (CUSA) B B B A 2 Vancouver Island University Students’ Union (VIUSU) C B C B 3 University of Lethbridge Student Union (ULSU) D D C A 4 University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union (USSU) B B C C Worst Student Unions Policies Practices 2014 2015 2014 2015 1 Ryerson Student Union (RSU) D D F F 2 University of Victoria Students Society (UVSS) F F C F 3 Lakehead University Students’ Union (LUSU) F F F F 4 Concordia Students’ Union (CSU) C D D F 5 Students Society of McGill University (SSMU) D D F F 6 Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) F F D D 7 Memorial University of Newfoundland Students’ Union (MUNSU) D D F F 8 University of Toronto Students Union (UTSU) D D F F 9 York Federation of Students (YFS) F F D D — 3 — Significant changes in 2014-2015: The Good Carleton University Students’ Association – from B to A The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) has been improving its position in the Index steadily since 2012, when it still had speech-restricting clauses in its Discrimination on Campus Policy, which had been used to deny ratification to student groups with pro-life views.