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Northern College

2019 Free Speech Annual Report

This report covers the period from January 1, 2019 to August 31, 2019 responding to questions presented by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO).

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2019 Free Speech Annual Report

This report covers the period from January 1, 2019 to August 31, 2019 responding to questions presented by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO).

Institutional Culture & Policies

  1. In the wake of the government’s requirement for institutional free speech policies, has there been ongoing debate or dialogue on campus with regard to freedom of speech?
  2. There has been no ongoing dialogue in regards to free speech other than development and implementation of the Policy of Upholding Free Speech.
  3. Have institutional practices changed as a result of the free speech policy? For example, has the new free speech policy led to a re-examination or amendment of other institutional policies?
  4. Northern College continues to approach Free Speech from a cultural perspective, the same as prior to this policy. Free speech is accepted and utilized at Northern College.
  6. Have any issues emerged that would cause you to re-evaluate or amend your existing policy? The Free Speech policy has not led to any additional policy review, but it has had aspects of it utilized to support existing policies Northern College has in place. For example Conflict Resolution Policy.

Events

  1. Provide an estimate of the number of non-curriculum events that have been held at the institution since January 1, 2019.
  2. The four campuses of Northern College host various non-curriculum events throughout the year. Example of events held at the campuses would be open houses, education and career fairs, orientation, town hall meetings, professional development activities, guest speakers, indigenous events, Board of Governor’s meetings, along with federal and provincial government announcements. Our campuses of Moosonee, Kirkland Lake, Haileybury and Timmins would have hosted over 40 non-curriculum events during the reporting period.

Northern College campuses allow for external parties to rent facilities for events. These events would be hosted by athletic organizations and associations, corporate industry, education, not for profit agencies, municipal government and agencies, concerts, and weddings. Since January 1, 2019 Northern College has hosted approximately over 60 events on our campuses for external parties.

  1. Is there a designated office at the institution where members of the institutional community or guests are directed when there is a free speech related question or complaint about an event on campus?

Free Speech related questions or complaints would be directed to our Campus Managers. Complaints would be recorded under the Northern College Incident Management system, if a complaint were to arise, and remained unresolved it may be referred to the Ontario Ombudsman.

  1. How did your institution navigate free speech related costs and/or safety concerns related to events on campus? To your knowledge, were there any instances where a non-curriculum event did not proceed due to these concerns?

There have been no free speech related costs and/or safety concerns at Northern College. All non-curriculum events have proceeded without any issues or concerns.

Complaints

  1. Have any organized campus events or incidents on campus - curricular or non-curricular - caused members of the institutional community or guests to make an official complaint about free speech on campus?

Northern College has received no complaints for this reporting period.

Signed:

Dr. Fred Gibbons, President & CEO

Source: https://www.northerncollege.ca/uploads/2025/07/Free-Speech-Annual-Report-2019.pdf