Controversial Activist Arrested at UBC Following Tense Campus Confrontation
Frances Widdowson, a controversial author and activist known for her critiques of what she calls Canada's "reconciliation industry," was arrested at the University of British Columbia on Thursday morning. This incident marks her second arrest at a British Columbia university within the past two months, following a similar confrontation at the University of Victoria in December 2025.
Escalating Tensions Lead to Police Intervention
According to B.C. RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Vanessa Munn, officers were present on the UBC campus to monitor public safety during an event organized by B.C. MLA Dallas Brodie and Widdowson. The gathering took place outside UBC's Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, a location that has become symbolic in discussions about Canada's residential school legacy.
When Widdowson, Brodie, and their supporters arrived on campus, they found themselves vastly outnumbered by counter-protesters. Video footage from the scene captured a tense standoff between the two groups, with emotions running high on both sides of the contentious debate about residential school history and reconciliation efforts.
Police Separate Groups to Maintain Public Safety
Sgt. Munn explained that "officers maintained a visible presence to support a peaceful environment and to respond if required." She continued, "During the course of the event, a group in protest of the event was also present. The situation escalated to a point where police intervention became necessary to maintain public safety. As a result, the involved parties were separated to prevent further escalation."
Video evidence shows Widdowson being carried from the scene by an RCMP officer and placed in a police cruiser before being driven away from campus. Meanwhile, Brodie and her followers were escorted by police into the UBC Aquatic Centre and subsequently removed from campus by bus.
UBC officials confirmed to The Canadian Press that when "it became clear that there were potential safety risks," Brodie's group was instructed to leave the campus. When they failed to comply with these instructions, RCMP officers facilitated their departure.
Pattern of Campus Controversies
This incident represents the second time in recent months that Widdowson has been arrested during campus events. She was previously arrested at the University of Victoria on December 2, 2025, while conducting an unsanctioned event that also resulted in clashes with counter-protesters. That event was similarly hosted by MLA Dallas Brodie, and like the UBC incident, Widdowson was released without charges being laid.
Widdowson's background adds complexity to these campus confrontations. She is a former associate professor at Calgary's Mount Royal University who was dismissed in 2021 following criticism of her comments regarding the residential school system and the Black Lives Matter movement. She has authored books including Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry and Indigenizing the University, works that have generated significant controversy within academic and Indigenous communities.
Broader Context of the Debate
The campus events featuring Widdowson and Brodie have become flashpoints in ongoing national conversations about Canada's treatment of Indigenous peoples. Brodie has publicly challenged claims that First Nations children are buried at the former Kamloops Residential School, while Widdowson's writings question what she describes as institutional approaches to reconciliation.
These positions have drawn strong responses from Indigenous organizations. The Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has characterized calls to exhume remains at residential school sites as a distraction that "blatantly disregard[s] the abundance of well-documented archeological, archival and testimonial evidence which demonstrate that First Nations children died under abusive conditions at residential schools across Canada."
The recurring pattern of campus protests and arrests highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding these deeply divisive issues within Canadian academic institutions and society at large.
