Education
40 Canadian professors urge Trudeau government to abolish DEI mandates
From LifeSiteNews
“Many agree with us – including senior, tenured faculty – but will not speak publicly for fear of repercussions”
Dozens of Canadian professors have joined together to call for an end to the pro-LGBT diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandates in universities.
In a May 24 letter to Parliament, 40 Canadian university professors appealed to Prime Minster Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government to abandon DEI initiatives in universities, arguing they are both ineffective and harmful to Canadians.
“While some may view this as a weakness, we hope most will see it simply as an act of conscience from academics no longer able to remain silent,” the professors began.
“These policies disproportionately punish small institutions, are not supported by evidence, employ flawed metrics with no end goal, and are unpopular with the public who funds the research,” the letter explained.
“Many agree with us – including senior, tenured faculty – but will not speak publicly for fear of repercussions,” the letter revealed. “Specifically, they are scared even to question Tri-Council policies relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).”
Currently, DEI quotas are mandated across Canada through the Canada Research Chairs program. Under the program, universities must meet specific hiring requirements, skewed in favor of racial minorities and those who identify as “LGBT.”
The letter cited various studies which revealed that the DEI mandates not only harm universities but lead to more discrimination.
The professors referenced a case at Laurier University in Ontario where the institution sought to hire six black and six indigenous faculty.
“During the process, an informal outside inquiry made on behalf of a promising black candidate had to be rebuffed because black people were ineligible,” the letter explained. “This open racial discrimination in the name of fighting systemic racism is one concrete example of negative impacts of EDI.”
Similarly, a February research report from Wilfrid Laurier University social scientist David Millard Haskell, a signatory of the letter, found that there is “no evidence that EDI reduces bias or alters behavior.”
“In fact, DEI interventions have been shown to do harm by increasing prejudice and activating bigotry,” the letter declared.
The professor’s recommendation comes as Trudeau recently pledged $110 million of taxpayer money to hire DEI consultants tasked with looking into a supposed problem of “racism” in Canada.
Indeed, the Trudeau government has spent over $30 million on DEI-affiliated contracts among many federal ministries since January 2019.
This has led to an increase in woke ideology creeping into all parts of society. As LifeSiteNews reported recently, the University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver campus posted an opening for a research chair position that essentially barred non-homosexual white men from applying for the job.
Signatories:
Geoff Horsman, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University
David Haskell, PhD
Associate Professor of Digital Media & Journalism, and Religion & Culture, Wilfrid Laurier University
Zachary Patterson, PhD
Professor, Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Concordia University
Stephen Lupker, PhD
Professor of Psychology, Western University
Lawrence M. Krauss, PhD
President, The Origins Project Foundation
Foundation Professor, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, retired
Kirsten Kramar, PhD
Mount Royal University
Stephen Quilley, PhD
Associate Professor of Social and Environmental Innovation, University of Waterloo
Scott Davies, PhD
Professor of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, University of Toronto
Edward Vrscay, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo
Martin Drapeau, PhD
Professor of Counselling Psychology and Psychiatry, McGill University
Frances Widdowson, PhD
Political Science professor
Brian F. Smith, PhD
Professor of Business and Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University
Christopher Dummitt, PhD
Professor of Canadian Studies, Trent University
Altay Coskun, PhD
Professor of Classical Studies, University of Waterloo
Ron Thomson, PhD
Professor and Chair of Applied Linguistics, Brock University
Chet Robie, PhD
Professor of Organizational Behaviour & Human Resource Management, Wilfrid Laurier University
Mark Collard, PhD
Canada Research Chair in Human Evolutionary Studies and Professor of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University
Janice Fiamengo, PhD
Professor of English, University of Ottawa, retired
Philip Carl Salzman, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, McGill University
Laurence Klotz, CM, MD, FRCSC
Professor of Surgery, University of Toronto
Sunnybrook Chair of Prostate Cancer Research
Chair, Council for Academic Freedom at University of Toronto (CAFUT)
Member, Order of Canada
Division of Urology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Brad Fedy, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo
Scott Smith, PhD
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University
Henry Wolkowicz, PhD
Professor of Combinatorics and Optimization, University of Waterloo
Gail S. K. Wolkowicz, PhD
Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University
François Charbonneau, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
Rima Azar, PhD
Associate Professor of Health Psychology, Mount Allison University
Douglas W. Allen, PhD
Burnaby Mountain Professor, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
Rachel Altman, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Simon Fraser University
Alexandra Lysova, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University
Richard Frank, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University
John Craig, PhD
Professor, Department of History, Simon Fraser University
Dennis Sandgathe, PhD
Senior Lecturer, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University
Mike Hart, PhD
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
William McNally, PhD
Professor of Finance, Wilfrid Laurier University
Yannick Lacroix, PhD
Professor of Philosophy, Collège de Maisonneuve
Julie Guyot, PhD
Professor of History, Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
Leigh Revers, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences, Institute of Management for Innovation, University of Toronto
Rob Whitley, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, McGill University
François Caron
Professor of Chemistry, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston
Emeritus Professor, Laurentian University
A new Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee has been struck to address classroom challenges.
Taking action on class size and complexity
Classrooms in Alberta continue to grow and are becoming increasingly complex, and immediate action is needed to address these issues in the public education system. To meet these issues head on, the Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee has been created. The cabinet committee will help guide government policy and deploy resources to deal with class sizes and classroom complexity.
“We are committed to providing world-class education, and we’re building schools and funding education at a rate unprecedented in this province. This committee will help us address the concerns of teachers, parents and students around class sizes and complexity.”
Throughout November, Alberta’s government will continue work with school boards to collect data on class sizes and classroom composition. The cabinet committee will use this data to direct resources to the classrooms that need it the most. Starting in January, this data will be made available and released annually.
The Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee will be co-chaired by the Premier of Alberta and the Minister of Education and Childcare. It will also include non-voting members representing school boards, administrators and a teacher representative of the ATA. The committee will also hear from school boards, academic experts, teachers, educational assistants, complex needs specialists and parents to inform its decisions and guide this vital work.
“We heard teacher concerns, and we are providing solutions. The Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee will help us take immediate action and ensure teachers and students are given the support they need to succeed.”
In June 2025, Alberta’s government established the Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team to provide advice on addressing classroom complexity. The report has been received and will be released soon. Over the coming months, the cabinet committee will start rolling out solutions informed by the action team’s recommendations. In addition, the committee will guide the creation of a new inclusive education policy framework.
“The work of this committee will support teachers in responding to the growing complexity in our classrooms. We will ensure that the voices of the contributors to the initial work guide
solutions that truly improve the educational experience for students and the educators who serve them.”
“I appreciate the government’s recognition of the impact of classroom complexity and their commitment to working collaboratively for improvement. Supporting teachers ultimately improves classroom conditions and student outcomes.”
Using data collected, this cabinet committee will also guide Alberta’s government in executing its commitment to hire 3,000 new teachers and 1,500 new educational assistants over the next three years. They will also assist in identifying and prioritizing where new schools and modulars should be built, advancing the government’s commitment to invest $8.6 billion to build 130 new schools, and provide 109 modular classrooms in the growing communities that need them urgently.
Quick facts
- Members of the Class Size and Complexity Cabinet Committee include:
- Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
- Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare
- Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services
- Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction
- Searle Turton, Minister of Child and Family Services
- Lynnette Anderson, chief superintendent, Edmonton Catholic Schools
- Nicole Buchanan, chair, Red Deer Public Schools
- Marilyn Dennis, former president of Alberta School Boards Association
- Mike McMann, superintendent, Fort Vermilion Schools and President, College of Alberta School Superintendents
- Joanne Pitman, chief superintendent, Calgary Board of Education
- Dr. Elissa Corsi, Alberta Teachers’ Association
- Only Cabinet members are voting members. Additional guests will be invited to attend and share their expertise at the discretion of the chairs.
- School boards will be required to submit data on Alberta classrooms by Nov. 24.
Better data, better outcomes for Alberta students |
To help schools address classroom complexity, Alberta’s government will begin collecting annual data on class size and composition.
Over the past three years, Alberta has welcomed more than 80,000 new students. With this unprecedented growth, classroom complexity and class sizes are among the biggest issues facing schools and teachers across the province.
To meet this challenge head on, Alberta’s government will work with school boards to gather yearly data on class sizes and composition. This information will be used to better understand staffing, student needs and classroom complexity. School boards will be required to submit data on Alberta classrooms by Nov. 24, and by January, this data will be made publicly available and will then be released annually.
Data collected on classroom complexity will help the province understand and address issues in schools, including class sizes, and support strategic investments in classrooms. Over the next three years, school boards will be provided with funding to hire 3,000 teachers and 1,500 new education assistants to support students with complex needs.
“We are ready to work with school boards and teachers to address classroom complexity and class sizes. We have heard them loud and clear and we are taking bold action to address these issues.”
Alberta’s government is establishing a Class Size and Complexity Task Force to begin work immediately on identifying solutions to the challenges facing Alberta classrooms. Alongside new annual data collection, the task force will ensure every student gets the attention and support they need to succeed. Details about the task force will be shared in the coming weeks.
“This data will provide essential insight into classroom realities, guiding evidence-based decisions and advocating for sustainable funding to address complexity, ensuring every student and educator in Alberta has the support to thrive.”
Quick facts
To inform decisions on addressing classroom complexity, data will be collected on total numbers of:
- all staff, per school, including roles
- substitute teachers
- district staff, listed by job title
- students, per classroom, per school
- severe, mild/moderate, and gifted/talented students, per classroom, per school
- English as an additional language (EAL) students, per classroom, per school
- refugee students, per classroom, per school
- First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, per classroom, per school
- Individualized Program Plans, per classroom, per school
- students waitlisted for assessment, per classroom, per school
- incidents of aggression and violence
- $55 million was provided in Budget 2025 to address classroom complexity.
- 8.6 billion is being invested to build and renovate more than 130 schools across the province.
- Budget 2025 is investing $1.6 billion in learning support funding to help meet students’ specialized learning needs.
- Budget 2025 is investing $1.1 billion to hire more than 4,000 teachers and educational staff.
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