University of Calgary alumni should cut off their donations

This story in the National Post is an embarrassment to all Calgarians and all alumni of the University of Calgary (of which I am one).

Over the past few weeks, Calgary police have been turning up at the homes of anti-abortion university students, charging them with trespassing on the very campus where they are enrolled in classes.

It's not as violent a response as the APEC fiasco at UBC, where peaceful students were pepper-sprayed, roughed up and strip searched by police for the sin of offending foreign dictators driving by in their limousines. But in a way it's more appalling: the U of C's police harrassment of its students is a planned, thoughtful, strategic assault on freedom of speech, academic freedom, and the very nature of universities. It's not a case of a bad judgment call in a high pressure situation. It's positively planned out.

How un-Canadian.

This is part of a disturbing trend of censorship on Canadian campuses. Just weeks ago, Queen's University announced roving squads of conversation "monitors" -- busybodies who would butt into private conversations to lecture students who said anything politically incorrect.

U of C goes straight for the cops.

In my travels, from time to time I find myself rebutting stereotypical perceptions of Calgary and Alberta. I point out that, in fact, our city has the highest rate of post-secondary education in the country; that we are very multicultural; that we are enlightened, and educated and open-minded, and I always have a half-dozen proof points.

But it's going to be tough to make the case now that the city's university sends cops after young women to bully them into ceasing their political discussions.

I'm glad to read that the Canadian Constitution Foundation has caught notice of the case; the Canadian Civil Liberties Association should intervene, too.

I think a pre-emptive lawsuit against U of C is in order (in addition to defending the students against the trespass charges). And -- far more effective -- a boycott on donations by alumni is in order, as well.

This is not a pro-life vs. pro-choice discussion. That's irrelevant. This heavy-handed bullying by the U of C would be appalling no matter which side of the debate was being squashed. I think that any pro-life alumni should be extra angry that the university is officially gagging one side of that debate. But any pro-choicer who believes in freedom of speech should be disgusted with their alma mater, too.

I know I am.