U of T rejects own working group's discrimination report

CP24 reported that on November 12 the University of Toronto (U of T) said it cannot accept the report or recommendations of its working group on discrimination against Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians. The university says some recommendations clash with collective agreements and academic freedom protections, and others fall outside its jurisdiction.

The nearly 300-page report itself found a general pattern of over-policing and under-protecting Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians at the university. It lists 57 recommendations, including a review of safety and risk metrics.

The university’s work on Islamophobia is older than the report: it began in 2017 with an Institutional Advisory Table. Ontario has since amended its universities law, in 2024, to require publicly assisted colleges and universities to have policies on racism and hate, including Islamophobia.

The university did not reject the problem itself: in its written response it acknowledged that anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian discrimination exists at the school. It also promises more work on Muslim prayer spaces and multi-faith spaces on all three campuses, and an e-module on such discrimination.

Sources: CP24 · University of Toronto