University of Winnipeg

Statement by President Axworthy on British UCU boycott of Israeli Academics

July 6, 2007

WINNIPEG - Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg, issued a statement today regarding the boycott of Israeli academics and universities by the British University and College Union:

“I stand in solidarity with leaders from the academic community across Canada and around the world in condemning the actions of our colleagues in the British University and College Union and voicing our strong opposition to this unacceptable boycott of universities and academics in Israel.

Universities can only serve their true purpose so long as students and faculty are free to engage in the unrestricted debate of ideas and flow of knowledge. This is not only a fundamental tenet of academic freedom; it is a core value of a democratic society. Scholars must have the right to express their opinions in the academic world in the same way as citizens can express their democratic rights in an election. No one group can be allowed to arbitrarily censure the right of another. We who believe in democracy would never stand for it."