Then the student union (or university, for that matter) can choose or not to sponsor a particular event. If they choose not to, the pro-life group can get funding from an outside organization, which should not be difficult.

This is a compromise to give the student union the choice to spend or not student levy funds, while not barring access to space or limiting speech.

These student unions are saying that they do not want the message on campus. As such that is why they are trying to ban Pro-Life clubs because they are scared that people are actually standing up to them and what they believe in. I really hope that society stands up and says no to this before they start going on to silence something else.

I think one way to get around the room booking problem would be for universities to allow any student to book a room at no cost, just as they allow any professor to book a room at no cost. After all we all pay for these rooms through tuition.

For approving posters and leaflets, it is important that the university and students’ union have clear guidelines which allow freedom of expression to the extent permitted Canadian law. (I have presented a motion to that effect at both our local AGM and at the CFS-Ontario AGM last year, both were adopted)

I understood that this is what you meant, but in my opinion this is a moral (or political, which is similar) judgement on the purpose of the university.

Also, I feel this might be a naive and irrational position to hold. If you have a look at what the university ACTUALLY does, you see that a series of political/economical/social influences contribute to determine the teaching and research program of universities. Knowledge is always researched/produced with certain motivations in mind.

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Jeff brings an interesting point:
“On that basis, students are entirely justified in promoting social change within their institutions not because it’s the one and only place to do that, but rather because it’s simply where they happen to be.”

I agree with Jeff and I would add that I don’t see why people have to be activists (or more generally, simply be concerned citizens) on weekends and evenings. This applies as well to salaried professionals, to students, etc. If you spend most of your waking hours in your workplace/university, this is why you should be creating social change first. A local injustice is an injustice, and people learn more from local events than distant events. You have way more influence on your immediate environment than on global politics.

Second, being an official “club” does confer important advantages and benefits. The ability to participate in a clubs’ fair, for example. Funding, which Carson mentioned. The right to book rooms on campus for meetings, which is perhaps the most critical for many groups seeking to organize. I entirely agree that one’s entire identity shouldn’t be dependent on official extension of these benefits, but they are significant benefits nonetheless.

Coming from a union environment, I understand why “official” status as a club is meaningful. We don’t have the resources to give funding, allocate rooms, or even allow space at an annual clubs’ fair for every individual who might ask for it. Therefore, there’s a process to get recognized. Using that process as a means to silence groups you dislike is a dangerous game. Yet as Sarah justly points out, as soon as you get into it you are unavoidably into it. No one wants the White Supremacist Club on campus. So judgment is unavoidable. But beyond what’s already in the university’s code of conduct (or similar) I don’t think a union should go around denying recognition and resources to groups that are otherwise allowable.

Again, I know it can seem like a funny line, that a students’ union has this kind of power at all. But as soon as you have a room to book or a dollar to allocate, you start to need rules about how you book it and how you allocate it. I fully respect and understand why the anti-abortion group, seeking to organize, would make an issue of that. Where any amount of power exists, it’s valid and oftentimes important to ensure it’s used responsibly.