Justice Committee on May 27th, 2024

[Prof. Meric Gertler]

The answer is yes. I mentioned that the incident from the history was in the Temerty faculty of medicine, and their training now includes a module exactly on this very issue.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Thanks.

Going to that, can I ask you to please table with the committee Dr. Kuper's study about anti-Semitism in medical school prior to the most recent October 7 events?

I have less than a minute, but I'm passing it over to Mr. Mendicino.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Thanks very much.

I want to highlight a concern around foreign funding and foreign influence, and indeed, foreign interference in the post-secondary sector.

A number of groups have written me and my colleagues to express their concerns around this. I'm wondering if I can get a commitment from all of the universities that are represented in today's hearing to raise the bar when it comes to transparency around private funding of your institutions to ensure that the funding is in alignment with Canadian values, including the values that have been espoused today, academic freedom and certainly not hate and anti-Semitism.

I'll start with those online. Yes or no?

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

Time is up, but I think you've heard Mr. Mendicino's question.

[Prof. Deep Saini]

My answer is yes.

[Prof. Meric Gertler]

Mine is as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

Mr. Fortin, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

My question is for Mr. Saini, from McGill University.

We are obviously talking about antisemitism, since that is the topic of the study the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights is currently conducting, but there are other forms of hate.

At McGill University, aside from the cases of antisemitism we are talking about, are there also cases of Islamophobia, racism or homophobia, for example? Are there other forms of hate that currently exist on McGill University's campus?

[Prof. Deep Saini]

In 2022, we implemented an initiative on Islamophobia and antisemitism. To do that, we engaged in extensive consultations, especially with our Muslim and Jewish communities. Based on those consultations, we made a number of recommendations, which have already been implemented. Of course, we did that study because we recognized that Islamophobia and antisemitism existed in our community.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Saini. I apologize for rushing you a little, but time is running out. I have about a minute left.

In your opinion, should all forms of hate be treated the same, or should the responses be tailored to the type of hate in question?

[Prof. Deep Saini]

As part of our policies, we look at all forms of hate on a case-by-case basis. All forms of hate, exclusion and harassment are included in our policies.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Saini.

Mr. Carr, I have about 30 seconds left to ask you the same questions.

Are there other forms of hate at Concordia University? Should they be treated differently, or is there a panacea that could apply to all of these situations?

[Dr. Graham Carr]

Unfortunately, all forms of hate exist throughout society, and some are obviously also found on our campuses.

As I mentioned earlier, Concordia University has set up a task force that is looking at a number of different forms of hate. I am waiting for recommendations from the various sub-task forces, including those on antisemitism and Islamophobia, in order to better understand what their recommendations are for the future.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

Thank you very much, Mr. Fortin.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Lena Metlege Diab]

For the final two and a half minutes, we'll go to Mr. Garrison, please.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I'm going to address one other thing that's been bothering me in this session, and that is the emphasis on due process. I'm going to direct my question to Dr. Carr to start with.

When you say that there are processes under way, I have a certain amount of sympathy with that. Do your processes not require that those who are accused of anti-Semitism, harassment or other offences cease the behaviour while those processes are taking place? In other words, if we were talking in a public context, if someone continued the behaviour, that wouldn't be acceptable. They may not be found guilty of an offence yet, but they have to cease the behaviour while the process is going on.

Is there no way in any of your processes to require ceasing anti-Semitic, hateful and harassing behaviour?

[Dr. Graham Carr]

It is part of our code, indeed, that with individuals for whom we have evidence-based complaints, the processes are launched. Clearly, if the behaviour continues or is manifested in some further way, an actionable response needs to happen.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

What does “an actionable response” actually mean in the real world?

[Dr. Graham Carr]

As I said, we are very committed to upholding our process. If someone continually behaves in a way that is not acceptable according to our codes, we apply our codes.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

I know we're going to run out of time here. I will ask the same question of Professor Gertler at the U of T.

Do the processes not require people to cease abusive, harassing behaviour while those processes take place?

[Prof. Meric Gertler]

They absolutely do.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

How are these behaviours continuing if you say, at the same time, the processes are under way?

[Prof. Meric Gertler]

I can't comment on individual cases, but I can tell you that when individuals have demonstrated repeated behaviour that we believe to be in violation of our code, we follow up directly with them, and we have done so.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes my questions.