Canadian academics advised against non-essential U.S. travel

Professors across Canada are being advised to avoid non-essential travel to the United States. Danton Unger reports.

An organization representing university professors in Canada is advising them against non-essential travel to the United States, citing the ongoing political climate under U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) recently released a memo for its 70,000 members strongly advising them to only travel to the U.S. if it’s essential and necessary “due to the rapidly evolving political landscape in the United States,” and amid reports of people having difficulties crossing the border.

“This is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this in 75 years,” CAUT President Peter McInnis said. “It shows you the state of play right now in the United States. They are an unpredictable ally if they even are an ally anymore.”

In recent months, academic visitors to the United States have been detained, deported or denied entry due to opposition against Trump and his U.S. policies.

“Social media can be scrutinized, and even expressing a view of contrarian position towards Donald Trump, which a lot of us are doing because Trump is attacking universities, could get us denied entry,” he said.

McInnis is also advising academics who have expressed negative opinions about Trump or current U.S. policy, those who identify as transgender, and those whose research could be considered contrary to current U.S. policy to be even more cautious.

“Right now, it is something of a Twilight Zone of illegality,” he said. “We don’t really know if you can get across, and if you are entered into the United States, your situation may become quite complicated.

“In the past, we would assume Global Affairs Canada would come to your aid, and they’ll try. But given the state of people that had been summarily removed from the United States for various reasons, there are no guarantees anymore.”

Astonishment, surprise and despair felt by Winnipeg professor

In his more than 40 years in education, University of Winnipeg biology professor Scott Forbes said he’s never seen a situation like this.

“You might be putting your career at risk. You might be risking incarceration for doing what I do, which is express opposition to the policies of Mr. Trump and his attacks on science,” Forbes told CTV News.

He said he already cancelled all his travel to the U.S. when Trump returned to the White House.

He still felt shocked when he saw the travel advisory from CAUT.

“First surprise, and then (I) just start to feel, actually, despair,” he said. “It’s sunk so quickly so far, that diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Canada.”

Political landscape having a ‘deep chilling effect’ on scientific collaboration: professor

Forbes said in the past there has been extensive two-way collaboration between academics in Canada and the U.S.

He said he completed his post-doctoral studies in the States at the University of Oklahoma, and would often travel south of the border for conferences.

“There’s no question this is going to have a deep chilling effect on scientific collaboration,” he said.

It’s a concern shared by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association, which said it is aware of some members cancelling their trips to the U.S. altogether.

“It is a profoundly weird moment,” Association President Erik Thomson said, adding he has not heard of any members experiencing issues in the U.S. or at the border.

Locally, the University of Manitoba said they have resources available for staff who need to travel internationally to stay safe.

“UM is paying close attention to current events and government travel advisories and encourages our faculty, staff and students to do the same when considering any international travel,” a spokesperson said in a statement.