There is a Town Hall happening on Wednesday, November 14 at 11:30 a.m. at TwelvEighty Bar and Grill, with the purpose of continuing a dialogue around the “free speech” policy mandated by the provincial government. The event will feature Ikram Farah and Dr. Patrick Deane, alongside Dr. Arig al Shaibah, Associate Vice President (Equity and Inclusion) for conversations about the potential implications of this policy.

All are welcome – complimentary beverages and appetizers will be provided for guests.

“Many students have expressed their concern with a provincially mandated “free speech policy” within McMaster University,” says Ikram Farah. “There are concerns related to the risks it presents to racialized and marginalized students, in addition to hesitations around the lack of consultation from the government behind this dictate. I strongly encourage students to engage with this opportunity to speak directly to senior University leaders on this issue.”

The town hall aims to address the dictate from the government of Ontario that the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) that requires all publicly funded post-secondary educational institutions to create and adopt a campus level “free speech policy” by January of 2019. If an institution fails to do so, a potential (undefined) cut to respective operating budgets would be incurred. The town hall serves as an opportunity for conversations surrounding what the dictate will mean in the context of McMaster University. Students are encouraged to come out to hear from University leadership about how these developments will impact student life in relation to dissent and protest.

For more information, please contact:

Ikram Farah
MSU President
president@msu.mcmaster.ca
(905) 525 9140 ext. 23885