University Of Ottawa Systemic Racism
And Abuse
31 Jan 2012By Stephen Lendman
On June 3, 2008, former Canadian politician/UN
ambassador/pro-Israeli flack Allan Rock became U of O
president.
His administration's marked by secrecy, political
censorship, abuse of students and faculty, and
repudiation of fundamental university values.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association reprimanded
him for banning an Israeli Apartheid Week poster. He
then pressured a student union president into
distancing the organization from the student-run
Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG). It
opposes repressive Israeli practices as do growing
millions.
In September 2008, Rock got the Executive Committee of
the Board of Governors (EBOG) to suspend tenured
Professor Denis Rancourt. In December, he recommended
dismissing him and barring him from campus. In March
2009, he fired him for his principled stand on
Israel/Palestine, but blamed it on his creative
teaching methods.
Rancourt is a distinguished physics professor, a
recognized expert in his field, and a "phenomenal
teacher" according to members of the Environmental
Studies Student Association.
Its members said he provided an "extremely enriching
individualized.... empower(ing and) positive learning
environment where inspired students gained confidence
and courage."
Yet Rock twisted his innovate pedagogical approach and
grading methods as pretext to fire him. He then
ordered campus police to ban and remove him from
campus, assigned his graduate students to other
faculty members, fired his post doctoral research
fellow, and summarily dismissed him without cause.
That's how despots operate. Under Rock, U of O is more
police state than university. As a result, education
and learning suffer.
Ironically, U of O's Vision 2010 claims it "Support(s)
and recognize(s) initiatives designed to implement a
range of new and diversified strategies for learning
and evaluation."
Rancourt wanted U of O pedagogically improved and more
democratic. He also advocated effectively on
environmental concerns, professional ethics, lobbying,
media influence, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In response, university officials silenced him by
banishment.
In addition, Freedom of Information (FOI) documents
showed he was victimized by intense illegal
surveillance. A student spy and professional reporters
were enlisted to produce transcripts of his academic
and professional talks at other universities to use
against him.
Most likely, it was the first time a university used a
student to spy on a professor and like-minded students
in violation of Canadian and international law.
Under Rock, U of O is a hotbed of autocratic
extremism. It's also racist, according to a November
2011 lawsuit. A January 30, 2012 press release
explained, saying:
"Dr. Waleed AlGhaithy (Neurosurgery Residency Program,
University of Ottawa), Dr. Khalid Aba-Alkhail (Cardiac
Surgery Residency Program) and Dr. Manal Al-Saigh
(same) have filed a joint action against the
University of Ottawa and several of its officials."
Those charged include Dr. Jacques Bradwejn (Dean of
the Faculty of Medicine), Dr. James Worthington
(Ottawa Hospital's Vice President of Medical Affairs
and Patient Safety), Dr. Paul Bragg (Associate Dean
Postgraduate Medical Education), Dr. Eric Poulin
(Chair of Cardiac Surgery), Dr. Richard Moulton
(Neurosurgery Chair), Dr. Fraser Rubens (Cardiac
Surgery Program Director), and Dr. John Sinclair
(former Neurosurgery Program Director.
Charges relate to university discrimination against
foreign medical students at both provincial and
national levels. It also focuses specifically on U of
O abuses.
In spring 2011, plaintiffs held a press conference
announcing a Human Rights Complaint against U of O.
Attorneys Douglas Christie and Barbara Kulaszka
represent them.
Their November 2011 lawsuit detailed charges
explicitly and extensively. For example, plaintiff
Khalid Aba-Alkhail AlGhaithy asked for $25 million in
damages for wrongful dismissal and violation of his
freedom of expression under Section 2(b) of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as
Section 15(1), pertaining to issues of equality, right
to equal protection, as well as benefits without
discrimination.
Other charges included conspiracy to injure, public
office malfeasance, defamation, intimidation, breach
of fiduciary duty, negligence, breach of contract, U
of O liability for negligence and breach of contract,
vicarious liability, and violations of the 1990 Human
Rights Code.
Plaintiffs also said defendants treated them "in a
high-handed and oppressive manner. The conduct of the
University and the individual defendants described
herein constitute such wanton and reckless disregard
of their professional duties, their contractual
obligation as well as their Charter obligations, and
(have) caused such devastating harm that an award of
punitive and aggravated damages is warranted."
Damages plaintiffs suffered include loss of income,
reputation, mental distress and suffering (including
depression and anxiety), loss of future employment as
surgeons, and loss of time and opportunity to pursue
other medical specialties.
A Toronto trial was requested. At issue is securing a
neutral venue, exposing U of O administration and
faculty abuses, and assuring justice is served.
Nothing less is acceptable.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached
at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog
site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to
cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on
the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and
Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are
archived for easy listening.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/.
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