Court Rules Against Freedom Of Expression At B.C. University

VANCOUVER, June 11, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Justice Cohen, of The Supreme Court of British Columbia, has ruled against a pro-life student group at the University of British Columbia.  Stephanie Gray, the former President of the University pro-life group took the University student government to court after an incident three years ago where a pro-life display was destroyed by members of the university student government.  The vandalism was captured on video.  All students at the university are required to fund the student government known as the Alma Mater Society (AMS) with their student fees.  Nonetheless, the AMS was biased in its dealings with the pro-life group.  While AMS gave funds to the pro-abortion campus group, they rescinded room bookings of the pro-life group. Moreover, after its members attacked the pro-life display, the AMS refused to condemn the actions and also refused to refer the matter to student court as the pro-life group requested.  The AMS also passed a motion to ban all Genocide Awareness Project images from AMS controlled campus locals.  Gray argued in court that the contract with the university guaranteed students academic freedom and that the AMS was violating that freedom by forbidding the images. Gray also sought to have the AMS jointly liable for the damage done to the pro-life display by AMS members.  The courts ruled in favor of the AMS on both the arguments.  However, the court did award the pro-life group $5000 in damages for the destruction of the pro-life display to be paid by the three students responsible for the destruction.  Various media coverage reported that the ruling was a defeat for the university but Gray told LifeSite in an interview today that the ruling against the three vandals was nothing more than the setting of a fine since they had already defaulted on their filing of a defence.  Gray sees the decision as a dangerous precedent and is considering an appeal.  However, the costs are prohibitive with legal experts suggesting that the trial thus far would have cost tens of thousands.  “This decision is extremely disappointing and frustrating, particularly after having gone through this for over three years.  Its also frightening to consider the dangerous implication this decision has on any student at any university in Canada dealing with an issue they are passionate about,” she said.  See the decision online at:  https://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/Jdb-txt/SC/03/08/2003BCSC0864.htm