A Canadian university canceled a film screening on abortion, prompting liberals to claim the country’s conservatives are displaying double standards when it comes to speech they don’t agree with.
A battle escalated Monday in Ottawa following Saint Paul University’s cancellation of a film screening. Science Minister Kirsty Duncan demanded Canada’s Conservative Party (also called the Tories) make a statement regarding the cancellation.
Organizers for the campus event will now hold a screening of the abortion film “Vessel” at a wellness center near the university.
The Tories have yet to make a public statement, but a spokesperson for the party did say a free exchange of ideas should be ever-present on university and college campuses.
“You can’t pick and choose the issues, the free speech issues that you stand up for,” Duncan told reporters Monday outside the House of Commons, according to the National Post. “The Conservatives speak up when it’s politically convenient … I think their silence speaks volumes.”
“We also firmly support a woman’s right to choose,” Duncan added.
The Conservative Party has not made a comment regarding the film’s cancellation or Duncan’s Monday statement, however, conservative leader Andrew Scheer told the Post in August, “I respect the right for universities to determine which outside groups they give a platform to.”
His comments came after the University of Toronto prohibited the Canadian Nationalist Party — which some regard as a white supremacy organization — from holding an event. Canada’s Ryerson University also canceled an event in August after students expressed discontent that right-wing personalities would speak at the event.
St. Paul University did not respond to TheDCNF’s request for comment in time for publication.
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