Letters, Feb. 25
Open letter to the Allan Rock administration, University of Ottawa
I INTERVIEWED PROF. Rancourt at his home in Ottawa on March 13, 2009 for my master’s-level research into rising authoritarianism in so-called first-world democracies. Two weeks later, Prof. Rancourt was fired by the University of Ottawa. This interview and firing had a significant effect on the direction and tone I decided to take in the final thesis.
It is unfortunate and unfair that Prof. Rancourt was fired; however, it proved very powerful in the context of my work. It clearly indicated that what I was writing about was not theoretical or exaggerated but painfully real. Prof. Rancourt also contributed important ideas regarding actual resistance to rising authoritarianism.
Of interest was my thesis defence. First, the external examiner read aloud parts of a joint support letter I had cited for Rancourt from Canadian academic freedom fighters Olivieri and Noble: “For these [presidents, chancellors, provosts, rectors, principals, vice-presidents, deans] miscreants of hierarchy and bureaucracy, and their retinue of retainers who lie for a living, the defining mission has always been not dogma, or dictate, or profit, much less the truth, but the sociopathic acquisition, maintenance, and enlargement of their own individual and collective power and privilege within the institution.”
The external examiner, a conscientious, concerned, and involved university dean, then went on to ask me seriously what they could personally do to actively improve situations within the university. Secondly, an assistant professor on the examining committee remarked, “I was not aware a tenured professor could be fired.” Yes, a tenured professor can be fired and the circumstances of the firing can be manufactured by the hierarchy of the university itself—or should I say oligarchy, in the case of the University of Ottawa.
My 2009 thesis (Silence Descends: the effects of rising authoritarianism and fear on citizen engagement) is instructive in that it explains how we in Canada have come to a place where a tenured professor can be fired for political reasons. If one tenured professor can be vilified and silenced, who is next?
After I had turned off the tape recorder, I asked Prof. Rancourt what he hoped would happen in the coming weeks, and he indicated that being fired was absolutely not what he wanted. Being relegated to the court system means an endless expenditure of resources trying to get back to where you can resume your real work. Professor Rancourt’s real work is as a teacher of physics and an activist teacher in a university that desperately needs more balance as it tilts toward a more authoritarian stance. From a purely selfish perspective, it is in the best interest of all of us as a society that Prof. Rancourt be reinstated now.
I ask that all those involved take a critical look at the University of Ottawa administration’s actions in this matter and reject the political firing of professor Denis Rancourt.
Marc Brillinger, PhD Student, M.A. (UBC), B.A., B.Ed. (York University)
Well stated, Marc. The hierarchy at the University of Ottawa is indeed tightening its grip on power. To them, the truth seems to be a toy like silly putty in the hands of a child manipulating it into whatever shape suits their fancy. The end justifies the means in their view, and the end is being proven to be very self-serving. I'm sure you've heard about the other recent cases of repression of dissent at Ottawa U (e.g. Marc Kelly, Joey Hickey, Seamus Wolfe) but you may be interested to look into it in more detail. The situation is quite dynamic. You'll never get a job with the University administration after being so critical of them, but then again, there are lots of jobs out there to be created. Former and current Fulcrum staff seem to be doing pretty well for themselves.