With the York University Student Centre facing accusations of censorship from the university’s own administration after canceling a debate on abortion, York is expected to reschedule the event for later this week. The talk, originally set for Thursday, Feb. 28, was to host Michael Payton, of the group Freethinkers, Skeptics, and Atheists, and Jo Jo Ruba of the anti-abortion organization Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform.

The CCBR is known for displaying graphic images of aborted fetuses alongside pictures of Holocaust victims in controversial campus exhibits, advocating the view that legalized abortion constitutes genocide.

In an open letter to the National Post, Robert J. Tiffin, VP students at York, reprimanded YUSC’s decision to call off the debate, and announced the university administration’s intent to host the event elsewhere on campus.

In response to media backlash, YUSC sent out a letter to the York University community explaining their actions. The letter claimed that the National Post mischaracterized the event cancellation as a denial of free speech rights. It further asserted that the event was not truly an academic debate, but a mere publicity event for CCBR.

The letter comments on a “environment of intimidation” faced by women on campus, referring primarily to multiple rapes at York this academic year. It states that anti-abortion campaigners contribute to this environment and “will not be permitted to use student’s resources to further their campaign of intimidation and harassment.”

Stephanie Gray, executive director of CCBR, denounced the letter’s allegations. “In no way do we harass people. We have a policy of nonviolence, we have a policy of not raising our voices, we have a policy of being respectful to those that we are interacting with,” she said.

Gray criticized Kelly Holloway, president of the York Graduate Students’ Association, for canceling the event. “[Holloway’s] suppression of debate indicates she’s absolutely fearful of the status quo changing,” said Gray. “I“I actually don’t think this is very controversial,” Holloway told the Toronto Star. “Most people understand that every woman has the right to choose what she does with her own body and that moral considerations about abortion are a very personal matter for individuals to decide.”

With files from Andre Bovee-Begun