Overview

• Justice Francesca Marzari dismissed the petition on Sept. 2, ruling the Simon Fraser University Faculty Association acted within its stated purposes.
• The court found the association’s purposes are broadly worded rather than confined to the university campus or region, as petitioners claimed.
• The contested resolutions condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged divestment from arms manufacturers after vigorous debate among members.
• Petitioning members argued political positions should be expressed individually, not through the association, but the court rejected that view.
• The ruling noted prior unchallenged political resolutions by the association, including on the Pinochet regime, Soviet abuses, the Trans Mountain pipeline, and climate change.