Rights panel to hear Carleton students' case
Last Updated: Friday, August 7, 2009 | 5:14 PM ET Comments32Recommend28
CBC News
Carleton University students who say their school has denied them the freedom to express their political views will have their case heard, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal says.
The group Students Against Israeli Apartheid says its members have been threatened with expulsion for engaging in what it believes are legitimate political activities.
Last year, the group put up posters around campus to promote "Israel Apartheid Week," which opened at universities in 10 countries on March 1.
The posters showed an Israeli helicopter firing a missile at a Palestinian child labelled "Gaza."
Both Carleton and the University of Ottawa removed the posters from their respective campuses but did not cancel the events, the first of which was launched in Toronto in 2005.
Palestinian supporters said banning the posters was proof that universities were biased against them and pointed out that both U of O president Allan Rock and Carleton president Roseann Runte had accepted trips to Israel paid for by Israeli advocacy groups.
Protesters rally
A week and a half after the posters were banned at Carleton, about 100 protesters rallied outside Runte's office to have the posters approved.
The poster ban and subsequent threats of expulsion that some students in the group reported are the key issues in the human rights complaint.
Ben Saifer, a member of Students Against Israeli Apartheid, said students worried that the school would impose even further restrictions on their expression.
"They basically put a chill on our activism, on our activities," he said.
Saifer said students fretted that "if we crossed a line — and we were unaware where this line was — then we could be expelled."
At the time of the ban, pro-Israel groups were calling for tough action against the March 1 events at the school and commended Carleton for taking action against the ads.
Frank Dimant, the executive vice-president of B'nai Brith Canada, which was among the groups that approved of the ban, said the Jewish advocacy organization is now dismayed that the tribunal is examining the university's decision.
"The university did the right thing. I am confident that if the tribunal will be fair, it will throw the case out," Dimant said. "I'm just shocked that they would even entertain looking at it."
In a written statement, Carleton University representatives said the charges against the school were "false and completely unfounded."
Carleton, officials said, would "vigorously defend itself."
A mediation date has been set for Sept. 1.
