US EditionIsrael-Hamas conflict: Tension at Montreal college worse after Quebec's investigation
- Quebec's Higher Education Department published a report on July 3, 2025, after an eight-month investigation into tensions at Vanier and Dawson colleges in Montreal.
- The investigation followed a pro-Palestinian student strike in late November 2024 and addressed concerns about unsafe campus climates linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
- The report highlighted that colleges have limited authority over academic content, noted courses at Dawson and Vanier that were presented as language classes but centered on Palestinian cultural topics, and raised concerns that prayer rooms might contribute to student division and the risk of radicalization.
- Benoit Morin mentioned that he got the report last Friday and expressed concern that it may have intensified tensions and led educators to question their teaching. He added that encouraging an atmosphere where teachers feel compelled to censor themselves is likely among the most damaging approaches to limiting academic freedom.
- The report urges the Quebec government to introduce legislation governing academic freedom in colleges and emphasizes the need for prompt measures to ensure a safe, unified atmosphere that supports learning and community trust.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Report finds a 'deteriorating' and 'toxic climate' at Quebec's Vanier and Dawson CEGEPs
The findings are worrisome, says Pascale Déry. Quebec’s Minister of Higher Education released her report last week on the eight-month investigation into the “deteriorating” and “toxic climate” at two English colleges in Montreal. The report, officially titled “Administrative investigation into the management of situations involving behaviour that could reasonably give rise to fears for the physical or psychological safety of students“, is a dee…
The investigation exacerbated tensions, according to Cégep CEO Benoît Morin.
The Director General of Cégep Vanier in Montreal stated that a recent Quebec climate survey within the institution could have had a deterrent effect on teachers.
The Peterborough Examiner
Israel-Hamas conflict: Tension at Montreal college worse after Quebec’s investigation
MONTREAL - The director general of a junior college in Montreal says a recent government investigation into the climate at the school may have had a chilling effect on teachers.
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