Written by The University of Victoria pro-life club, Youth Protecting Youth, are fighting back against their student union—in court.
Youth Protecting Youth (YPY), the pro-choice student club at UVic, has initiated legal action against the UVic Student Society (UVSS) for what they claim is “a protracted campaign of censorship and discrimination against the club, in which the Student Society has deprived YPY of official club status and withdrawn its funding to punish it for expressing pro-life views.” The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) has been assisting YPY over the past year, and is seeking intervener status in the lawsuit.
We’ve already seen the BC Civil Liberties Association standing up for Youth Protecting Youth in the media.
Now, YPY has lost and regained club status multiple times, and they actually have club status now, but the lawsuit demands a formal apology, financial restitution for funds denied since their difficulties began in October 2008, and—most importantly—a guarantee that club status will not be denied in the future. At universities like McGill, Victoria and Lakehead, we’ve seen trouble constantly resurface—club status now doesn’t mean club status next year.
This lawsuit sends a message to student unions that pro-lifers are willing to stand up for their rights.
Thank you for letting your readers know about YPY’s free speech struggles. The Maclean’s article is a bit lacking in context; for details about how we would have to sign a new anti-pro-life policy to remain a club, see
http://youthprotectingyouth.com/2010/05/02/freedom-of-expression-update-new-policy-of-censorship/
And see our press release describing legal action:
http://youthprotectingyouth.com/2010/05/03/press-release-pro-life-students-take-legal-action-against-their-student-union/