An Unbearable Climate on Campus

"[Students will no longer tolerate our university's remorseless complicity in the occupation of Palestine and the destruction of its people."

"McGill students have demonstrated that we will remain steadfast in advancing the Palestinian struggle for liberation, despite intimidation and repression."

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights McGill  (SPHR) student group

McGill University students rally on campus Nov. 9, 2023. (Alyssia Rubertucci, CityNews Image)

 

McGill University gave due notice it could take steps to sever ties with its student union over its  activities voting in favour of adopting a contentious pro-Palestinian policy. A Monday vote garnered 78 percent support of students who participated, voting in favour of the policy titled Policy Against Genocide in Palestine, against the background of tensions on  university campuses brought by the Israeli-Hamas Conflict.

Jewish advocacy group B'Nai Brith Canada took legal action purposing to stop the policy from being taken to a vote. The University was called upon in an open letter signed by Jewish students and alumni to remove the question from the Students' Society of McGill University's 2023 fall referendum, one of several topics that students voted on during the referendum. Subject to a legal review, several steps remain before the policy can be adopted.

"The proposed policy, if adopted, will sharpen divisions in our community at a time when many students are already distressed", responded a  university spokesperson; despite the voting results, it was pointed out, the stance on the issue by the university will remain. The SSMU's constitution stipulates the student  union is meant to facilitate interactions between all students, behaving in their best interests.

An adoption of the policy would represent, the university stated, a breach of that constitution. The  university administration had contacted the SSMU to "outline the consequences of adopting the policy", similar to last year when students voted in favour of a Palestine Solidarity Policy, which was never ultimately adopted.

SSMU president Alexandre Ashkir observed its board of directors are set to review the policy prior to voting whether it should be ratified. According to him the union is of the belief the policy would not cause such tensions as McGill claims would result on its ratification. Piously, he claimed, would that be the case, the question would never have been included in the referendum.

This year's turnout for the vote more than doubled from the earlier event when students voted in favour of the pro-Palestinian policy the year before. While 8,400 students voted in the referendum, representing 35 percent of eligible voters, 5,974 voted for the policy, with 1,620 voting against it, and another 807 students chose to abstain.

In response to what the school described as "abhorrent" posts made by SPHR (Students for Palestinian Human Rights McGill), the  university is attempting to revoke its use of the university's name. The policy voted on by the students calls on the university to condemn the bombing in Gaza and to cut ties with corporations "complicit in genocide, settler-colonialism, apartheid or ethnic cleansing against Palestinians".

Public comments from McGill officials since the outbreak of the war, were also criticized by the student union, characterizing them as threats aimed toward students who voice their solidarity with Palestinians. Jewish students and alumni voiced concerns that the policy could make an already "unbearable" climate on campus even worse.

 

Students from Concordia, McGill and Université de Montréal held walk-outs to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. (Erika Morris/CBC)

"[The university has taken step in recent weeks to ensure the discourse on campus remains safe and responsible] and to put in place measures to support students and colleagues who feel especially vulnerable and hurt at this time."

"Notably those who are Muslim, Jewish, and Arab."

McGill University

"Some McGill students say their right to express support for Palestinians is being suppressed, after a Quebec court temporarily put a stop to a student plan to adopt a pro-Palestinian policy at the university.

Quebec Superior Court issued a safeguard order Tuesday, preventing the student union from moving forward until the court can hear arguments from both sides on March 25, 2024."

"A McGill student — who remains anonymous and is represented by a lawyer working for Jewish advocacy group B'nai Brith Canada — filed an injunction to stop the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) from adopting a 'policy against genocide in Palestine' that was approved in a referendum this week."

"The policy calls on McGill University to cut ties with people, corporations and institutions that are 'complicit in genocide, settler-colonialism, apartheid, or ethnic cleansing against Palestinians'."

CBC News