Home>News>Major victory for academic freedom and freedom of expression as Langara instructor reinstated

Major victory for academic freedom and freedom of expression as Langara instructor reinstated

For immediate release
November 20, 2025

The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE) is pleased to announce that Dr. Natalie Knight has been reinstated to her position at Langara College effective January 26, 2024, pursuant to an arbitration award issued by Arbitrator Randy Noonan. Dr. Knight’s employment had been terminated for cause by the College after she made controversial remarks in support of Palestinian resistance.

“We have secured a critical victory in overturning an unjust termination that was tainted by ministerial interference. Langara abused its power and acted impulsively while ignoring key principles of natural justice and procedural fairness when it terminated Dr. Knight’s employment,” said Michael Conlon, Executive Director of FPSE. “Langara had a duty to resist online intimidation and the well-orchestrated campaign to have Dr. Knight fired. It had a prime opportunity to uphold the principles of freedom of expression and academic freedom, and it failed to do so,” contended Conlon.

As was widely reported in the media, Dr. Knight was put on paid leave pending an investigation by the College into remarks she had made at a rally on October 28, 2023, regarding the war in Gaza. After an exhaustive investigative process, including consideration of a thorough, thoughtful internal report by the College’s Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression Advisory Committee that rigorously examined these matters in the context of Langara’s policies on academic freedom and the Charter right to freedom of expression, the College found that Dr. Knight had not violated any Langara policy. On January 18, 2024, Dr. Knight was reinstated without discipline under the collective agreement.

On January 23, 2024, Dr. Knight participated in a lawful demonstration and informed participants that she had been reinstated to her role without any discipline under the collective agreement, both of which were factually correct statements. Dr. Knight also made comments related to the ongoing war in Gaza. Selina Robinson, then Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills and a consistent critic of Dr. Knight, subsequently abused her position to publicly advocate for Dr. Knight’s termination.

Approximately 72 hours after that demonstration, and without a comprehensive investigation or due process, Dr. Knight was terminated for cause on January 26, 2024. Langara President Paula Burns announced the termination to the Langara community, the media, and the public prior to providing a written letter of termination to Dr. Knight.

The Langara Faculty Association (LFA) grieved the termination of Dr. Knight’s employment and the violation of her rights under the collective agreement, the Human Rights Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and the Langara College Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression. Following mediation between the parties, Arbitrator Noonan issued his award on November 19, 2025.

“I am grateful that this troubling episode in Langara’s history has come to a close,” said LFA President Pauline Greaves. “I understand many in our community were hurt and offended by what Dr. Knight said. But collegial dialogue and tolerance for views we don’t like are the bedrock of a robust, engaged academic environment. Dr. Knight should never have been fired, and an injustice has been corrected,” emphasized Greaves.

FPSE was joined by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), our national partners, in denouncing the termination of Dr. Knight’s employment. CAUT took particular note that Dr. Knight’s employment was terminated despite the finding of the College’s own Committee on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression that Dr. Knight had not violated any aspect of Langara’s policies or the collective agreement. Langara acted only after Minister Robinson called for Dr. Knight’s termination. At the time, FPSE and CAUT consequently called for Minister Robinson to resign, and shortly thereafter, she did resign from her position as Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

“The College’s conduct and public statements cast a pall over the right to engage in pro-Palestinian speech,” said CAUT Executive Director David Robinson. “The Minister’s intrusion into this case was an outrageous violation of Dr. Knight’s rights to academic freedom and freedom of expression. The Minister’s inappropriate remarks also made a mockery of the separation between government and post-secondary institutions. We are very pleased that Dr. Knight has been vindicated, and this case should serve as a cautionary tale for any institution that meekly bows to external pressure and shirks its duty to protect academic freedom and freedom of expression,” asserted Robinson. 

Langara College was initially guided by its excellent Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression. As this painful episode draws to a close, FPSE and the LFA are looking forward to a renewed commitment to the principles set out in the Statement.

“I am tremendously grateful for the support of FPSE, CAUT, and my local union, the LFA. My case is an important testimony to the collective power of unions to protect workers against the arbitrary actions of employers,” said Dr. Natalie Knight. “I share this victory with everyone who has faced intimidation or threats to their livelihood for speaking out about the ongoing war in Gaza. Looking forward, it is my hope that this case will serve to protect those who continue to express solidarity with the more-than-77-year Palestinian struggle for national self-determination,” concluded Knight.

For media inquiries, please contact FPSE Executive Director Michael Conlon at (604) 873-8988 or info@fpse.ca.

For more information, please see the following documents:

FPSE is the provincial voice of 10,000 faculty and staff at our 18 member locals at BC’s universities, colleges, institutes, and private-sector institutions.