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Douglas Todd: Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein put UBC at centre of debate over academic activism

Against opinion polls showing three in four Canadians believe political ideology should be kept out of universities, five years ago UBC hired left-wing climate activists Lewis and Klein as professors

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When the University of B.C. hired left-wing activists Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein as faculty, Canada’s second-largest post-secondary institution took a firm position on a polarizing discussion over whether academics should openly advocate political causes.

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Against opinion polls showing three in four Canadians believe political ideology should be kept out of universities, five years ago UBC hired filmmaker Lewis — who was elected leader of the federal NDP on March 29 — and well-known climate activist Klein.

While PhDs are required for virtually anyone seeking to be a professor at UBC, Lewis has only a bachelor’s degree. Klein, author of many books and journalism articles, does not have a degree.

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In the year ending April 1 of 2025, Lewis, employed part-time, was paid $92,000.

Klein was paid $277,000.

The UBC geography website says Lewis is currently “on leave.” UBC officials say he last taught in the winter of 2024, a third-year course titled “climate justice.”

Klein teaches one graduate seminar a year, called “topics in human geography.” She is among “multiple instructors” of a second-year........

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