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Former Mount Royal University professor Frances Widdowson appeared at a campus event this week — and unlike some of her past appearances, this one went ahead without disruption. Students listened, asked questions, and even when they disagreed, they remained respectful.

Widdowson first drew controversy in 2020 after arguing that Canada’s residential-school system, while deeply flawed, also had “educational benefits.” She also said the Black Lives Matter movement had “destroyed” MRU. The university dismissed her in December 2021.

Her efforts to speak on Canadian campuses have often been met with opposition. In 2023, the University of Lethbridge cancelled her scheduled lecture after pushback from students and faculty. Widdowson spoke in the atrium instead, while a loud counter-protest took place. That incident sparked a constitutional challenge which remains before the courts.

The legal disputes have not stopped there. In 2024, an arbitrator ruled that MRU’s decision to fire Widdowson was disproportionate to her conduct. But due do the breakdown in the employment relationship, she was not reinstated, but the arbitrator awarded her roughly $268,000 plus interest in compensation.

Widdowson continues to be at the centre of debates over academic freedom and free speech on Canadian campuses. Her next appearance will be at the University of Manitoba.