Dear John,

A new poll conducted for the Fraser Institute reveals a troubling truth about Canadian campuses:

1 in 3 students are afraid to speak freely in class.

They fear lower grades, academic punishment, or even social backlash simply for expressing viewpoints that diverge from the perceived “safe” political narrative.

And this isn’t just a conservative complaint.

Among students who identify as:

Right-leaning students? 37% fear formal consequences for expressing honest opinions. Centre-leaning? 33% Left-leaning? 30%

Yes, you read that right.

Canada’s universities are supposed to be places where ideas are debated – not dictated. But according to students themselves, that promise is being broken.

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Our new study exposes just how widespread the problem has become:

58% of right-leaning students – and 51% of left-leaning students – say there's a “safe” political view you’re expected to follow. 50% of right-leaning students – and 36% of left-leaning students – say they feel uncomfortable expressing honest views if their professor holds opposing politics. 85% of right-leaning students believe their professors push a leftist perspective – and nearly half of left-leaning students agree!

This is not healthy.

Students should never be afraid to ask tough questions, express their honest opinions or challenge conventional views in class.

Here at the Fraser Institute, we’re committed to shining a light on this issue – backed by polling, research, and real student voices.

We’re the only Canadian organization publishing hard data on campus bias, viewpoint suppression, and the narrowing of academic debate.

If you care about academic freedom, intellectual diversity, and the future of open debate in Canada, please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation today [[link removed][campaignid]].

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Niels Veldhuis

President

The Fraser Institute

PS: Want to dive deeper into our research? Our donors receive The Quarterly – a print magazine featuring our latest insights on education, economics, energy, and more. Donate $100 or more annually to get your copy [[link removed][campaignid]].

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