UFV Life Link Statement: April 9, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Response to Misleading Comments Made by the University of the Fraser Valley<\/strong><\/p>\n

This statement is in response to misleading comment made by the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) concerning the cancellation of the Life Link event on Wednesday April 10^{th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n}

UFV alleges that the LifeLink event was merely postponed and not cancelled.  However, in correspondence with the club leaders, UFV stated that the \u201croom booking for the 10th of April has been cancelled and we would request that you remove your posters advertising this event.  We also request that you remove the event posting that is located on the weneedaLaw website.\u201d  The university did state that the event could continue on the date booked, but only if it was off campus. <\/p>\n

Life Link was told, in the email from Friday April 5^{th<\/sup>, that \u201cif you wish for your Life Link event to happen at UFV the date will have to be postponed.\u201d Considering, however, that the campus is entering exams and the semester is ending, this still means, in effect, that the event has been completely shut down \u2013 at least until the next school year starts in September. <\/p>\n}

The cancellation also failed to address why a risk management plan could not have been discussed when the event was booked three weeks ago or even in the last few days, after the university became concerned about potential protesters.  Comments made in the  University’s April 5^{th<\/sup> email to Life Link such as having the event off campus and the need to ensure \u201can event that provides a balanced view of the issue at hand\u201d also demonstrates the university\u2019s desire to censor the pro-life message.<\/p>\n}

The university also claims that it does not object to anti-gendercide materials on campus.  Why then were club resources restricted to a classroom? The university has stated to the media that graphic or potentially upsetting\/offensive resources may be subject to \u2018alternative arrangements for display\u2019 out of public space.  This indicates that UFV considers the resources in question, which show a pregnant women\u2019s belly and state facts on gendercide and which have been used on other Canadian universities, to be \u2018graphic\u2019 and, as such, subject to university censorship. <\/p>\n

The University’s Friday April 5^{th<\/sup> email sent to Life Link can be viewed here:  <\/span>http:\/\/ufvlifelink.ncln.ca\/files\/2013\/04\/Correspondence-from-UFV-to-Life-Link_April-5.pdf<\/a> <\/p>\n}

The resources in question can be viewed here: http:\/\/ufvlifelink.ncln.ca\/2013\/04\/08\/resources\/<\/a><\/p>\n