Joan Orwell (I)

Joan Burke's positively Orwellian press release, issued late today, before a long weekend and her holiday trip to Moncton, contains an interesting passage:

“Our government has in no way made any attempt to intervene in the academic freedom or autonomy of Memorial,” said Minister Burke. “Memorial is a world-class institution with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars serving some 18,000 students. Obviously, government would have an interest in the leadership of this institution. That has nothing to do with academic autonomy and those who are suggesting so are simply wrong and are doing a disservice to the reputation of the university.”

Minister Burke noted that academic freedom is defined by the Canadian Association of University Teachers as: ‘It is the right to teach, learn, study and publish free of orthodoxy or threat of reprisal and discrimination. It includes the right to criticize the university and the right to participate in its governance. Tenure provides a foundation for academic freedom by ensuring that academic staff cannot be dismissed without just cause and rigorous due process.”

“I have yet to hear one concrete example of how exactly our government has impeded or interfered in academic freedom or autonomy,” said Minister Burke.

Minister Burke defines "academic freedom" and protests that she hasn't infringed her definition of it.

But she doesn't define "autonomy".

What is "autonomy"?

Given that "autonomy" is something that Danny Williams-Government wants for Grenfell; heck, he even wants it for Danny Williams-Government, someone should ask.

Someone should ask Joan Burke.

And someone should compare that definition to the instant case.