On Campus

UCalgary pro-life group reinstated

Campus Pro Life still in dispute over trespassing notice

A University of Calgary pro-life group that displays images of aborted fetuses and compares abortion to the Holocaust will retain its official student group status. The student union had revoked the group’s standing, but a review board has overturned that decision.

The group, Campus Pro Life Club is still in a dispute with the university administration over a trespassing notice. Since 2006, the group has been accused of trespassing at least four times for failing to comply with an order to turn their controversial images inward. One of those cases resulted in legal action, but the Crown stayed charges against six group members in November due to lack of evidence. However, in May, U of C officials found 10 Campus Pro Life members guilty under non-academic conduct provisions, over the failure to turn their signs inward. The Group is currently appealing the decision, and is being represented in the process by the Canadian Constitution Foundation.

The group has pledged to continue with its Genocide Awareness Project. “We’re planning to continue as normally as we have in the past couple of years with various activities, and we’ll put the Genocide Awareness Project in the fall,” group president Alanna Campbell told Canwest. Another member, Peter Csillag indicated that Campus Pro Life, in its bid to overturn the university`s decision to find it guilty of misconduct, is prepared to challenge the U of C in court. “We’ll fight this internally and if we need to — to the Court of Queen’s Bench it goes,” he said.

The university has not yet agreed to consider an appeal. “A review board is going to meet at a later date to see if there is grounds for an appeal,” spokesman Grady Semmens said.

Photo by January152010

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