Read the "no-problem" article in The Citizen about James Moore and the UNBC convocation (May 27) at UNBC, and CBC chatter about the 2016 ceremony going off without a hitch, no pesky protesters evident amidst the celebrants. I graduated from SFU in 1991, very happily, after starting my university travels in 1967, at U of A Edmonton.
I made no secret of my opinion of Stephen Harper and his ilk.
The Tories were basically anti-science (unless it furthered their ends), anti-inquiry, not interested in opinions contrary to theirs (except to be seen to be "listening" to dissent - not analyzing other ideas and perhaps modifying your "tough" decision based on additional info, but rather in checking off the "consultation" box), ruled by money, and slaves to economic theorems rather than the needs of people.
I was horrified to see Weeks and the other old boys select Moore as chancellor-in-waiting of a university whose virtues I had often promoted.
I watched Moore toadie up to Harper and his "vision" and never once considered him a suitable chancellor, alumnus status and connections notwithstanding.
I perhaps naively thought that almost 2,200 petition signatories might make Matheson and Weeks think twice about the appointment, but apparently not: they seem to have decided to wait a few months, a classic PC technique, pay lip service to the objectors, and get their way in the end.
Except we inherit Mr. Moore and a deeply-divided campus. Good luck representing it from the Lower Mainland.
Oh, and as a final insult, thanks presumably to Matheson and Weeks, grads now have the Chancellor's Luncheon, rather than the President's Luncheon to look forward to.
It seems the administration just decided to wait it out, and they won, sort of...
The biggest question is whether or not university boards will continue to tether universities to government.
If so, a fundamental principle in place since universities developed in medieval Europe will be violated. The Moore appointment, by a government-appointed board, threatens institutional autonomy and academic freedom. The implications for a free society are very significant. And the implications to the reputation of UNBC are also very significant, negatively so.
Doug Wilson
Prince George
