CAUT releases open letter protesting Canada’s refusal to allow Dr. William Ayers entry into Canada
(Ottawa, January 21, 2009) The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has written an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper protesting the refusal by Canada to allow Dr. William Ayers, Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of Illinois-Chicago, entry into Canada.
Professor Ayers had been invited by the Centre for Urban Schooling at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto to give a public lecture at the University. He was also scheduled to meet with Toronto District School Board principals and senior staff, with youth community workers at a school in Regent Park, and to be interviewed on CBC. He was refused entry to Canada on Sunday, January 18.
“It is wrong for the Government of Canada to decide which scholars universities can invite to their campuses,” the letter says. “Too often, in recent years, this has been practice of the Bush Administration in the United States – a practice we and our American counterpart – the American Association of University Professors – have denounced… It is with shame that we now find our government is behaving in the same manner.”
CAUT is calling for a public investigation into Professor Ayers’ denial of entry into Canada, and wants the Prime Minister to advise the University of Toronto that should it invite Professor Ayers again, the government will allow him to enter Canada.
CAUT’s letter to Prime Minister Harper is available here [html] and here [pdf].
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