Canadian universities need to shed their left-wing reputations to safeguard themselves against future Trump-style attacks, according to an academic, but others fear becoming less political will have little effect.

The Trump administration has used a number of different policies to target universities in the US. Meanwhile, its trade war with Canada was the key factor that helped the Liberal party cling onto power in Ottawa.

With Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives letting a huge poll lead slip, Christopher Dummitt, professor of Canadian history at Trent University,��told Times Higher Education that this was a narrow escape for the sector.

Despite Mark Carney’s comeback win, Dummitt warned that the Liberals are “reaching their end point” as a governing force – which was worrying when higher education had become a touchpoint in culture wars amid political polarisation.

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“Conservatives see universities as political enemies – and not without reason given the political demographics but, even more so, the avowed political purposes embraced by many sections within universities.

“Whenever a Conservative government does come to power, it will almost certainly see universities as politically compromised. It would be smart to get out ahead of this now.”

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He urged Canadian universities to embrace institutional neutrality more strenuously than they have done so far, and ensure they are no longer seen as intrinsically left-wing.

Dummitt admitted that administrators would certainly suffer “blowback” from faculty and some students if they backtracked on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues.

However, he added: “The call isn’t for universities to turn to the right – but just to back away from politics – and to realise that many activities it engages in are political and not neutral as is frequently claimed.

“It’s a dilemma for homogenous organisations that they can’t see themselves as an outsider would.”

However, James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said this view of universities as ruled by “a left-wing cabal” was overly simplistic.

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And although Poilievre had been critical of universities, and there was an “anti-intellectual trend” in Canada, the political context was very different overall from Washington, according to Turk.

“I don’t think that there’s an attempt to politicise things or use universities as Trump is using them as red meat for his base.

“The situation of universities is very different in Canada…and I think there’s more generally respect, and recognition of the need for a reasonable degree of insulation between universities and politicians.”

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Poilievre had been viewed as a “’Trump-lite” figure by some, particularly on cultural issues, where he vowed to “defund wokeism and fight antisemitism” in universities.

But Turk said the rise of a “populist demagogue” is much less likely in Canada than it is south of the border, and that the university sector should not attempt to appease one in advance.

“What’s important is for universities to be very clear about their values and to try to live up to those values.

“That’s the way you build trust with the public and where the public loses trust in universities is where they see universities acting in manners that are inconsistent with their values.”

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patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com