INTRODUCTION
Freedom of expression on campus is not a new issue, but it
bubbled up as a hot topic in 2017.
Although the media may have moved on, the issue of freedom of
expression on campus remains as complex and pressing as ever
– and it's only a matter of time before the next
controversy erupts. In the meantime, universities and colleges have
the opportunity to reflect on how they should respond when
confronted with situations where freedom of expression may be at
issue. This article provides a high-level overview of freedom of
expression as a constitutional right protected under the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and what courts
have said about the application of the Charter to
universities.1 Of course, a one-size-fits-all article is
impossible given the countless scenarios where freedom of
expression—and alleged limits on freedom of
expression—could arise in the university or college setting.
The law reviewed here cannot be applied in a vacuum but
