Denise Helly, a full professor at the National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS)—a branch of the University of Quebec (UQ)—focuses her research on multiculturalism, Islamophobia, systemic racism, and the anti-woke movement. On Dec. 20, Helly received word that Quebec’s Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, had struck down her candidature to the INRS administrative council. This news was met with much confusion at the INRS, as Helly had successfully cleared every step of the institution’s internal nomination process.
In an article published by the Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université (FQPPU) on Jan. 19, Jean-Charles Grégoire, president of the INRS’ professors’ union, stated that the structure of the INRS stipulates that the government nominate two professors designated by the faculty of the institute to the administrative council. Grégoire explained that although the INRS received the news that Helly’s candidature was refused, the Ministry provided no further explanation.
Déry and her cabinet enjoy ministerial discretion and are thus not required to disclose any information regarding Helly’s blocked nomination. Alexandre Cloutier, President of the UQ, expressed his concern regarding the unusual ministerial intervention to Le Devoir.
Cloutier decried the Ministry’s infringement on both university autonomy and academic freedom, stressing the importance of the university’s ability to carry out their duties without “doctrinal, ideological, or moral constraints.” The president of UQ declared having scheduled a meeting with Déry’s ministerial team, in which he intends to defend the institution’s internal nomination process and demand a justification for Helly’s veto.
Helly spoke out against the ministerial intervention, claiming in an interview with Le Devoir that the subject of her research, which includes multiculturalism, systemic racism, discrimination, Islamophobia, and the anti-woke movement, was likely behind the government’s opposition to her nomination. She believes that these topics of discussion are “bothersome” to the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), the provincial party currently in power. She also explained that if the minister refuses to explain her decision to exercise her discretionary power, the nature of the decision would be “arbitrary.”
Opposition party leaders and members of the teaching faculty have expressed their indignation regarding what they, too, deem as “arbitrary censorship” from the ministry and called for a clarification of the government’s opposition to Helly’s nomination. The circumstances surrounding the government’s decision raised concerns regarding the respect of the Law on academic liberty in the university sector adopted in June 2022, which protects higher education institutions’ autonomy.
Marwah Rizqy, the Liberal representative from Saint-Laurent in the National Assembly of Quebec, said that, without an explanation, Déry’s decision could be understood as an act of censorship. House Leader of the opposition party Québec Solidaire, Alexandre Leduc, implored Minister Déry to publicly explain the reason behind her decision.
After over a month of silence from the Ministry of Higher Education, Déry shared on Jan. 26 that Helly’s nomination to the administrative council of the INRS was foregone due to “links” with imam Adil Charkaoui, who Canadian authorities suspected of terrorism. In 2015, Helly received a prize for her “efforts in the fight against Islamophobia” from the Collectif Quebecois contre l’islamophobie (CQCI), an organization in which Charkaoui was a collaborator.
Helly spoke out against this justification for her blocked appointment to the administrative board, claiming that she was the object of a “smear campaign” led by the CAQ’s Ministry of Higher Education. Helly told Le Devoir that Déry’s statement did not “change the nature of the situation”: In the eyes of the INRS, the Ministry’s disregard for the institution’s nomination process constitutes a violation of university autonomy.
