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A free speech victory has just come out of Ontario, as the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) has reversed its decision to arbitrarily suspend a parent council member who took a stand against compelled land acknowledgement speech.

In May, Catherine Kronas, who serves on the council and also has a child enrolled in the district, was shocked to be suspended by the board nearly a month after she respectfully declined to participate in a land acknowledgement and requested her objection be noted in the minutes.

“I was taken aback by the Board’s decision to suspend me from the School Council after delivering a respectful objection,” said Kronas in a statement. “Especially given assurances made at a previous council meeting and outlined in the Council bylaws that open dialogue and diverse perspectives are welcomed.”

HWDSB banned Kronas from her duties and from attending council meetings, claiming that she had caused “harm” and that she violated the Board’s Code of Conduct policy by declining to recite the mantra. Kronas partnered with Hatim Kheir, a constitutional lawyer contracted by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), to defend herself against what they argued was a blatant infringement of her Charter-protected right to freedom of expression.

The JCCF issued a warning letter to the board, calling for the immediate revocation of Kronas’ suspension and demanding that her right to freedom of expression be respected, lest they risk facing potential legal action.

Kronas' counsel also urged Ontario’s Minister of Education to amend provincial legislation to safeguard open dialogue and free expression in schools.

On July 16, 2025, after sustained public pressure and legal advocacy, the HWDSB reversed its decision. The board’s Human Rights Office determined that Kronas had not breached the Code of Conduct, clearing the way for her return to the council.

“We are pleased to see that the Board has lifted its unconstitutional and unfair suspension of Ms. Kronas’ participation in her child’s school council,” said Kheir in a statement following the decision.

In a letter sent to Kronas on July 16, marked “Private & Confidential,” the HWDSB acknowledged that “the threshold assessment indicates your conduct does not amount to a Code of Conduct or Human Rights Policy violation.” However, it also noted that “parents and community members who brought forward their concerns shared that they have experienced significant harm,” and cited concerns about the “school council climate.”

The letter further emphasized that Kronas' remarks objecting to the land acknowledgement were “not on the agenda for discussion” at the April 9 meeting and that while she had a right to express her opinion, the board believed it had a “responsibility to interrupt behaviour that may be contrary to the Code of Conduct.”

In a post to X, Kronas shared the letter, calling it “a master class in Orwellian doublespeak.”

Despite the board’s reversal, it maintained that the practice of opening meetings with land acknowledgements would continue, stating: “The Board does not compel or force anyone to read or participate in the Land Acknowledgement... HWDSB will continue the practice... as this aligns with the Board’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.”

For Kronas, the decision is both a personal and public vindication. While pleased with the outcome, she, like many other Canadians, remains sharply critical of the broader issue: the imposition and pressure of divisive land acknowledgements, which portray some Canadians as outsiders in their own country.