Opinion: Land acknowledgments aren’t political. They uphold the rule of law in Canada – The Globe and Mail

Scott Franks is an assistant professor at the Allard School of Law with expertise in Aboriginal law.

Last week, four tenured faculty members and one former graduate student at the University of British Columbia filed a petition to stop the university from declaring or acknowledging the legal status of the lands on which it is situated. Their petition also sought to prohibit the university from making statements on Israel and Palestine and on equity, diversity and inclusion, arguing that these statements are political and contrary to s. 66 of the University Act, which requires that universities are non-sectarian and non-political in principle.

At the heart of the petition, however, is a deep mischaracterization of land acknowledgments as a “political position” or “political statement,” as well as a lack of understanding of Canada’s constitutional framework.

Read More: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-land-acknowledgments-arent-political-they-uphold-the-rule-of-law-in/