UBC will hold a post-APEC forum on Jan. 20, 1998 in the Chan Centre for the
Performing Arts.
“We should take the opportunity offered by the APEC experience to reflect
on the values of a democratic society and on the role of universities within
such a society,” said President Martha Piper in a letter to campus following
the Nov. 25 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which was hosted by the federal
government at the Museum of Anthropology.
Piper has offered funding to each of UBC’s two student organizations, the
Graduate Student Society and the Alma Mater Society. The $5,000 given to each
group is “to support UBC students and is available to fund research, legal or
otherwise, on the events of Nov. 25.”
UBC is also supporting a request by Vancouver-Quadra MP Ted McWhinney to the
Solicitor General to undertake an enquiry or review of police actions once the
RCMP’s internal report is forwarded to the government.
Piper’s Nov. 26 letter to campus also reaffirmed the university’s position
in light of the demonstrations which took place on campus during the leaders’
meeting.
“The University of British Columbia upholds the right of all to express their
views freely and engage in peaceful demonstrations. Should any members of the
UBC community feel that these rights were denied during the recent demonstrations,
we encourage them to bring their concerns to the attention of the university,
care of Dennis Pavlich, associate vice-president, Academic and Legal Affairs,”
she wrote.
More than 90 messages ranging from expressions of concern regarding police
action to comments on the proposed post-APEC forum have been received to date.
UBC will review its agreement with the federal government to determine whether
there was any breach of obligation on the part of the government with respect
to security issues outlined in the agreement. Part of the review will include
the submissions received from campus as well as a detailed report from the RCMP.
