University Censorship Crisis: Canadian Campuses Face Mounting Free Speech Challenges
In a sobering assessment of contemporary higher education, former university president Peter MacKinnon has sounded the alarm about escalating censorship within academic institutions. While Canadian universities have traditionally enjoyed greater autonomy than their American counterparts, MacKinnon warns that similar patterns of speech suppression are emerging north of the border.
American Precedents: A Troubling Blueprint
The situation at American universities provides a concerning preview of potential developments in Canada. According to MacKinnon's analysis, Texas A&M University has become a focal point for academic censorship controversies. One philosophy instructor faced potential reassignment for including Plato in course readings, while another professor was dismissed for discussing gender fluidity concepts. Administrators at the same institution have placed approximately 200 courses under review for allegedly containing prohibited content.
At the University of Texas at Austin, the situation appears equally troubling. Approximately forty percent of faculty members reported experiencing pressure to modify their curricula, while the university's elected faculty council—established to advise administration on academic matters—was dissolved entirely last year.
Systemic Issues Beyond Isolated Incidents
These American examples represent more than isolated incidents. PEN America's research reveals that during 2025 alone, legislators in thirty-two states introduced ninety-three bills specifically targeting higher education with censorship measures. Simultaneously, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression documented a record number of American students facing disciplinary action for their speech.
MacKinnon observes that this censorship dynamic has become increasingly bipartisan. "Left-wing efforts to curb right-wing speech have been joined by right-wing efforts to curb left-wing speech," he notes, adding that politicians frequently collaborate with "officious university insiders" in these suppression efforts.
Canadian Parallels: Deference With Similar Effects
Although Canadian governments have historically demonstrated more deference toward post-secondary institutions, MacKinnon identifies disturbing parallels. Extremist viewpoints have proliferated on Canadian campuses, while virulent prejudices—particularly antisemitic sentiments—often remain unchallenged. Those who question prevailing orthodoxies face potential punishment, and what MacKinnon describes as "a clamouring for social justice" marginalizes individuals who dissent from dominant campus ideologies.
The Governance Question: A Six-Decade Gap
Addressing these challenges requires confronting fundamental governance questions. MacKinnon points out that nearly sixty years have passed since Canada's last comprehensive review of university governance—the Duff-Berdahl report. During this period, post-secondary institutions have undergone exponential growth in both size and complexity, while their social environments have transformed dramatically.
The central question becomes whether governance structures established six decades ago remain adequate for contemporary challenges. MacKinnon suggests that universities possess the inherent capacity to address these issues independently, but cautions that institutional patience comes at significant cost: ongoing injustices against faculty, staff, and students who resist prevailing trends, along with generations of graduates carrying what he terms "the baggage of the present system."
A Call for Institutional Reflection
As a former president of three Canadian universities and current senior fellow at both the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and Aristotle Foundation, MacKinnon brings substantial institutional perspective to these concerns. His analysis suggests that while universities should maintain their independence in addressing censorship challenges, they cannot afford complacency in the face of mounting threats to academic freedom and open discourse.
The path forward, according to MacKinnon, begins with honest assessment of whether current governance models—established in a dramatically different era—remain fit for purpose in addressing today's complex challenges to free expression and academic integrity on university campuses across Canada.
