Controversial speaker suing U of L for cancelling event
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on August 2, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com A court action has been filed against the University of Lethbridge, challenging a decision to cancel an event in which former Mount Royal University professor Frances Widdowson was invited to speak earlier this year.The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announced Tuesday that a court action was filed against the university on July 26, on behalf of Frances Widdowson, U of L professor Paul Viminitz, and U of L student Jonah Pickle.
 In the court action the three applicants challenge the university’s decision to cancel an event in February in which Widdowson was slated to speak on the topic of “How Woke-ism Threatens Academic Freedom,” as violating their Charter-protected freedoms of expression and assembly.
The court action seeks a declaration that the University of Lethbridge breached the applicants’ freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed under the Charter, as well as an injunction requiring the university to permit the event to proceed on campus.
The University of Lethbridge did not respond to a request for comment by press time Tuesday.
In February hundreds gathered at the University of Lethbridge atrium to oppose the presence of the controversial former Mount Royal professor.
A few Lethbridge Police Service officers were present to make sure things did not get out of hand, in collaboration with multiple members of campus security.
Members of the Indigenous community were in attendance to show support for those gathered to oppose Widdowson.
In an interview with The Herald that day, Widdowson said “the president of the University of Lethbridge (Mike Mahon) has created an absolutely terrible situation for academic discussion on campus. You can see that by the emotional tone of everything that has happened, when things like the residential schools are very important issues that need to be discussed as they have real world consequences.”
Mike Mahon, then university president, said in a statement following the event, “tonight’s events were a coming together of our community to show support for each other and a reflection of the values of the University of Lethbridge.” Follow @APulidoHerald on Twitter 4
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