Is university violating law?

Re: Shepherd affair is hardly over, Rex Murphy, Dec. 29

Rex Murphy is correct, we simply cannot just move on from the incident and let Wilfrid Laurier University carry on as usual. We must scrutinize university policy if we want to find the underl ying problems there. In her statement and apology, Laurier president and vicechancellor Deborah MacLatchy said the university respects human rights, but on its website in the job application section, an entire portion of the application process suggests that Laurier is committed to identity politics and arbitrary categorization. Laurier wants to know if you are a racialized person/visible minority, an Indigenous/Aboriginal person, a disabled person, an LGBTQ2S+ person, or if you are a woman.

These questions are not only irrelevant to an individual’s competence and merit, but a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Commission website states that “Section 23( 2) of the Code prohibits the use of any application form or written or oral inquiry that directly or indirectly classifies an applicant as being a member of a group that is protected from discrimination. Application forms should not have questions that ask directly or indirectly about race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, record of offences, age, marital status, family status or disability.”

If Laurier wants to reestablish its reputation, it not only has to stand up for freedom of speech but must also commit to casting aside divisive identity politics and commit to actual diversity and inclusion, not just the kind of diversity that makes for a pleasing brochure. Cody Botelho, Cambridge, Ont.