New bill draws concern from universities
Ontario universities say new a bill that gives the post-secondary minister broad new powers could put their anti-racism or anti-hate policies at odds with the province’s human rights code.
“We support the intent of the bill,” said Steve Orsini, president and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities.
However, he added, all 23 of the province’s publicly assisted universities already “have policies and procedures to comply with the requirements under the Ontario Human Rights Code, and when you read Bill 166, there’s language there that’s broad enough that could include directives (by the minister) that could, under the rules that would be in place, be different than the requirements under the (code).”
Universities “can only go by the wording in the bill — not necessarily what the government plans to do,” he said, and that the accompanying regulations to the bill first go out for public consultation.
Bill 166 was introduced in late February by Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop. It includes a number of measures such as publicly disclosing tuition fees and other costs, as well as details of student mental health policies and supports, which schools already do.
The bill would allow the minister to “specify topics to be addressed or elements to be included” under mental health services, and says all publicly assisted colleges and universities “shall have policies and rules that describe how the institution will address and combat racism and hate, including but not limited to anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia.”
It also gives the minister the power issue directives “in relation to the manner in which their policies and rules address and combat racism and hate.”
Such measures also undermine the autonomy of universities, Orsini said.
Schools have been grappling with a rise in incidents on campuses since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last Oct. 7.
Liz Tuomi, Dunlop’s press secretary and senior communications adviser, said the legislation will ensure consistency across the province when it comes to addressing hate and racism, and “this includes having a complaint and resolution process that is transparent, consistent, and supports sector accountability. Any directive that is developed will be in line with institutions’ obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code.”
Tuomi said the government “looks forward to working with institutions to further support safe and inclusive campuses, advance mental health supports, and increase fee transparency.”
Last week, a number of professors began a letter-writing campaign to highlight their concerns about political interference at universities.