The University Campus and Freedom of Expression

Students, professors, researchers and the community at large come to university campuses to explore ideas and grapple with challenging issues. Post-secondary institutions have always been considered places where people must have the freedom to speak their minds, but how far does freedom of expression go on a university campus? Does it include the right to express views that may be considered hateful or discriminatory? Can some expression on campus make other students or faculty members feel in danger or personally attacked? Finally, with expression increasingly taking place online, how far can a university go in disciplining students for views that may be expressed online but “off-campus”? This panel will attempt to answer some of these questions and invite conference participants to do the same.

• John Carpay, Counsel to anti-abortion group at the University of Calgary
• Colin Feasby, Counsel to CCLA in University of Calgary v. Pridgen, Osler LLP
• Charlotte Kingston, Former President, University of Calgary Students’ Union
  • Download the presentation
• Moderator: Cara Zwibel, Fundamental Freedoms Program Director, Canadian Civil Liberties Association

This session will be held on Saturday, October 22nd from 1:45 P.M. to 2:45 P.M. Full conference program and further details available here.

Speaker Bios

John Carpay, Counsel to anti-abortion group at the University of Calgary

Calgary lawyer John Carpay is President of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which defends freedom of expression in Canada’s courtrooms, with a particular focus on campus free speech. John has defended individual freedom in the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench (Boissoin v. Lund), Saskatchewan Court of Appeal (Whatcott v. Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission) and Supreme Court of Canada (R. v. Kapp). In 2010, Preston Manning presented John Carpay with the Pyramid Award for Ideas and Public Policy in recognition of John’s constitutional advocacy work. From 2001 to 2005, he served as Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, advocating for lower taxes, less waste, and accountable government. John, Barbra, and their four children reside in Calgary.

Colin Feasby, Counsel to CCLA in University of Calgary v. Pridgen, Osler LLP

Colin represents clients in corporate and securities litigation, energy industry disputes, franchise litigation, and constitutional matters. He has represented clients before all levels of courts in Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Federal Court of Canada, and before the Supreme Court of Canada.  He has also represented clients in arbitrations in the United States, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Alberta and is regularly in trial or arbitration hearings. Prior to joining Osler, Colin clerked for the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench and Alberta Court of Appeal.

Charlotte Kingston, Former President, University of Calgary Students’ Union

Charlotte completed her BA (Hons) in Political Science at the University of Calgary. She has served as the President of the University of Calgary Students’ Union, Vice President of the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union, and the Vice Chair of the Council of Alberta University Students. Following her undergraduate degree she spent a year interning with the Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership. She is currently completing her MA at the University of British Columbia, also in Political Science.

Cara Zwibel, Fundamental Freedoms Program Director

Cara Faith Zwibel joined the Canadian Civil Liberties Association in April 2010. Cara graduated from McGill University in 2001 with an Honours degree in Political Science. She received her LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2004, and articled as a law clerk to the Honourable Justice Ian Binnie at the Supreme Court of Canada in 2004-2005, before being called to the Ontario bar in 2005. Cara also received her Master of Laws degree from New York University, where she was an Arthur T. Vanderbilt Scholar. Prior to joining the CCLA, Cara worked as an Associate at a large national law firm, practicing in the areas of public law, health law and commercial litigation. She has experience representing clients at all levels of court and before administrative tribunals, and has co-authored published articles on the rule of law in the Supreme Court of Canada and on Charter advocacy. Her work with the CCLA involves providing legal opinions and research, coordinating interventions before the courts, preparing submissions to legislative bodies and assisting with the CCLA and CCLET’s public education work.