The B.C. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Simon Fraser University faculty association, stating that their resolutions condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and calling for divestment from arms manufacturers fall within their stated purposes.
Last year, the association passed these resolutions which sparked opposition from some members who believed that taking stances on controversial global issues was not aligned with the association’s mission.
According to the court ruling released on Tuesday, the resolutions highlighted Israel’s actions in Gaza, the Palestinian casualties, and the university’s investments in weapons manufacturers, and were extensively debated among the membership.
The judgment addressed the argument that individuals could advocate political positions independently but not through the faculty association, contending that their actions should be confined geographically to the university campus or region.
Furthermore, the court ruling pointed out that the faculty association had previously passed other political resolutions without challenge, including addressing human rights violations in various countries and environmental concerns like the Trans Mountain pipeline and climate change.
Justice Francesca Marzari, in her ruling, emphasized that the dissenting members failed to demonstrate that the Gaza and divestment resolutions strayed beyond the association’s broad stated purposes.