You're a brave man and those who persecuted you need to feel shame and disgrace. Something similar happened to me in a Quebec Cegep. I was harassed and fired for suggesting to students that they should actually study the science (through peer reviewed academic lit) and question the media / government narrative. Not one teacher even bothered to call me to see how I was, let alone apologize. You sir are one of the very, very few teachers worthy of great honour. The rest I send to hell.
I don't want to say too much as things like this tend to come back and punish the whistleblowers. Let's just say I was teaching critical thinking (which is part of the course program) and I gave a presentation on media concentration and how due to the internet the print and tv media became benefactors of government media subsidies. As a result, one had to question the veracity of the mainstream news and look elsewhere. I then showed examples of guerilla media and illustrated what these alt media sources were showing could be verified by peer reviewed academic literature. I also showed them how to research patents to see if any of this was true or not. When the admin found out they started asking my students questions (which I was not aware of) and the students, being impressionable, told them I showed them alt media sources (which the admin regarded as 'fake news'.) I was then interrogated by 3 people from HR for 2 months, with the union appointed lawyer doing nothing to help me ...just taking notes. (one is not allowed to have their own lawyer.) They refused to show me my file (which they were required to do). Officially, they fired me without cause. I sought outside legal counsel and was informed that this case could go to the Supreme court of Quebec if I were to pursue it...and that there was little chance of winning. This should not surprise anyone. we live in a defacto communist state. And those people with cushy government salaries and cradle to grave protection are so fearful to upset their easy lives. There is next to nobody wiht an ounce of character in our God-forsaken consumerist society. At the very least, I found out who my real friends are and am more committed than ever to leave this country as I see the youth are hopelessly lost...and the boomers are too comfortable to bother doing anything.
This is sadly an all too common story. I was "cancelled" as well. One of the things I have learned is that if you're being bullied you are far better off fighting back tooth and claw than cowering under, especially if you're already down. But, it's your choice.
Thank you, I totally understand. You are telling a shocking story I must say. If you were teaching a course in critical thinking and media, I would expect as a starting point that you would do exactly what you did. Especially the point about potential media bias, potential conflicts of interest, and how to look for alternative information and to be able to fact check it, on your own, using the best qualified data available (as you say, patents, and peer-reviewed studies [not that peer review necessarily means all that much any more, given that science has become so politicized]). I am genuinely shocked. I literally live my life as you suggested to students, and to think this is verboten, well, I don't know what to say. Were they gunning for you for some other reason, as well?
Gunning? most likely. As an anglophone in a French school, and with a man-hating department head who had harassed me consistently for over a decade, I was fair game. What I have learned from my experience teaching is to never question the status quo. I tried to improve many things at the school, offering ideas and advice on several things, including placement exams, marking schemes, and solving the bias against francophone students who are placed in the lowest level of English. But none of this goes anywhere. I was mainly ignored and ostracized. Schools have their cliques. It is as bad as what teenage girls experience in high school. They claim they want more men in the schools, but this is hogwash. Men are at first labelled as security risks to children (I was when I taught elementary for a spell) and then mostly hated by the women who have administrative power. It's like walking on eggshells in many places.
And in retrospect, although I attended McGill, and absolutely had the grades to do graduate work in any field I chose, I am glad I got out after undergrad and got into the professional workforce. And never looked back.
OK thanks, that adds some perspective. I TOTALLY get it. Higher ed is extremely political, holy cow. I think your analogy to high school mean girls is perfect. As Jordan Peterson correctly points out, female anti-social behavior is very real, it just manifests as the ways you describe here. Good luck.
Thanks. By the grace of God, I found myself teaching a year later in adult ed to new Canadians. The people there are wonderful...students included. I have zero desire to ever teach at any so-called 'prestigious' institution...public or private.
Sad and horrible. This world is not a friend of truth tellers. It is a world of lies. I had something similar happen where I was run out of a job in 2020 for objecting to speech codes introduced in our workplace in the name of "diversity". It was a nasty experience, but here I still am. I hope you can find another job, even if that's doing independent tutoring.
What happened to Jim McMurtry was a disgrace and shall forever be a blot on the reputation of Canada. Of course, with our Parliament endorsing the "historical fact" that Canada committed "genocide," there is little good left in Canada's reputation. I just wish if Canadian authorities wish to commit cultural suicide, they would leave the rest of us honest citizens out.
Excellent article Jim, the injustice of which leaves me with apoplectic rage. How is it possible that you can be dismissed for being honest and truthful while the architect of the "Big Lie", Roseanne Casimir, is selected in 2022, by Castanet News, as Person of the Year for 2021 and was made a Member of the Order of British Columbia. Of course, adding insult to injury, our woke federal government sweetens the deal with a $12.5 mil for a new healing center which is nothing more than an incentive to encourage more dishonesty. But of course we must remember that such dystopian actions are all for the greater good of moving us one step closer to reconciliation !!
"As coercive monopolies that spend other people's money taken by force, governments are uniquely unqualified to solve problems. They are riddled by ignorance, perverse incentives, incompetence and are self-serving." ~ John Stossel
This is the new age of communist Canada or Nazi Canada take your pick in any event the truth falls victim to the lies and propaganda of our alleged woke masters, those in control. You only have to look outside of Canada to reliable news sources to see how our so called prime Minister is viewed by other heads of state. He is despicable and considered a fool not to be trusted and indeed we are being left far behind by those free and democratic countries.
All is not lost however as we are starting to see the first crumblings of this nutter and his bobblehead fools, failing terribly in the polls he and his crew of missfits are beginning to run for cover like rats leaving a sinking ship. We may have to wait for two more painful years but eventually we will be free of his kind of woke control.
History was my favourite subject growing up. As I grew older into adolescence I used to enjoy the diversity of opinions and perspectives between history staff and it was an intellectual challenge for me to figure out their political leanings and politely challenge, which was usually recieved as a sign of intellectual curiosity and engagement. People are afraid of finding truth and want to be told what to think because their natural curiosity has been conditioned out of them. Great teachers cannot stop teaching and that's what you continue to do Jim! It's your calling.
On a very related matter: This morning's Victoria BC paper had a headline story "Controversial Speaker Not Welcome In Alberni Valley: Tsheshaht First Nation"
Tanya Gaw of Action4Canada was set to speak in Port Alberni but the event was cancelled. The Tseshaht First Nation said that she was not welcome in their territory, "which includes the entire Alberni Valley."
Gaw has said that "It's time to pull the plug and end the charade of the Truth and Reconciliation witch hunt. The graves are empty and Indigenous violence is their own doing!"
Port Alberni council decided Action4Canada, Gaw's organization, would not be allowed to use city facilities, and elected Tseshaht Councillor Ken Watts said that it was disappointing to see Gaw denying the brutal reality of residential schools.
You're a brave man and those who persecuted you need to feel shame and disgrace. Something similar happened to me in a Quebec Cegep. I was harassed and fired for suggesting to students that they should actually study the science (through peer reviewed academic lit) and question the media / government narrative. Not one teacher even bothered to call me to see how I was, let alone apologize. You sir are one of the very, very few teachers worthy of great honour. The rest I send to hell.
I now live in Ontario but I am from Quebec, and went to John Abbott, years ago. Can you elaborate on your story? I am interested to hear more. Thx.
I don't want to say too much as things like this tend to come back and punish the whistleblowers. Let's just say I was teaching critical thinking (which is part of the course program) and I gave a presentation on media concentration and how due to the internet the print and tv media became benefactors of government media subsidies. As a result, one had to question the veracity of the mainstream news and look elsewhere. I then showed examples of guerilla media and illustrated what these alt media sources were showing could be verified by peer reviewed academic literature. I also showed them how to research patents to see if any of this was true or not. When the admin found out they started asking my students questions (which I was not aware of) and the students, being impressionable, told them I showed them alt media sources (which the admin regarded as 'fake news'.) I was then interrogated by 3 people from HR for 2 months, with the union appointed lawyer doing nothing to help me ...just taking notes. (one is not allowed to have their own lawyer.) They refused to show me my file (which they were required to do). Officially, they fired me without cause. I sought outside legal counsel and was informed that this case could go to the Supreme court of Quebec if I were to pursue it...and that there was little chance of winning. This should not surprise anyone. we live in a defacto communist state. And those people with cushy government salaries and cradle to grave protection are so fearful to upset their easy lives. There is next to nobody wiht an ounce of character in our God-forsaken consumerist society. At the very least, I found out who my real friends are and am more committed than ever to leave this country as I see the youth are hopelessly lost...and the boomers are too comfortable to bother doing anything.
This is sadly an all too common story. I was "cancelled" as well. One of the things I have learned is that if you're being bullied you are far better off fighting back tooth and claw than cowering under, especially if you're already down. But, it's your choice.
Okay, now go get'em.
- Mark Hecht
ohhh thats exactly what I did!.lol. nobody at that college questioned a thing.
Thank you, I totally understand. You are telling a shocking story I must say. If you were teaching a course in critical thinking and media, I would expect as a starting point that you would do exactly what you did. Especially the point about potential media bias, potential conflicts of interest, and how to look for alternative information and to be able to fact check it, on your own, using the best qualified data available (as you say, patents, and peer-reviewed studies [not that peer review necessarily means all that much any more, given that science has become so politicized]). I am genuinely shocked. I literally live my life as you suggested to students, and to think this is verboten, well, I don't know what to say. Were they gunning for you for some other reason, as well?
Gunning? most likely. As an anglophone in a French school, and with a man-hating department head who had harassed me consistently for over a decade, I was fair game. What I have learned from my experience teaching is to never question the status quo. I tried to improve many things at the school, offering ideas and advice on several things, including placement exams, marking schemes, and solving the bias against francophone students who are placed in the lowest level of English. But none of this goes anywhere. I was mainly ignored and ostracized. Schools have their cliques. It is as bad as what teenage girls experience in high school. They claim they want more men in the schools, but this is hogwash. Men are at first labelled as security risks to children (I was when I taught elementary for a spell) and then mostly hated by the women who have administrative power. It's like walking on eggshells in many places.
And in retrospect, although I attended McGill, and absolutely had the grades to do graduate work in any field I chose, I am glad I got out after undergrad and got into the professional workforce. And never looked back.
OK thanks, that adds some perspective. I TOTALLY get it. Higher ed is extremely political, holy cow. I think your analogy to high school mean girls is perfect. As Jordan Peterson correctly points out, female anti-social behavior is very real, it just manifests as the ways you describe here. Good luck.
Thanks. By the grace of God, I found myself teaching a year later in adult ed to new Canadians. The people there are wonderful...students included. I have zero desire to ever teach at any so-called 'prestigious' institution...public or private.
🙏
Sad and horrible. This world is not a friend of truth tellers. It is a world of lies. I had something similar happen where I was run out of a job in 2020 for objecting to speech codes introduced in our workplace in the name of "diversity". It was a nasty experience, but here I still am. I hope you can find another job, even if that's doing independent tutoring.
🙏
I was a high school teacher from 1979 to 1988. I loved my job with a passion.
I would never last one day in the current orthodoxy. I am sorry this happened to you. Both you and your students deserve better.
🙏
What happened to Jim McMurtry was a disgrace and shall forever be a blot on the reputation of Canada. Of course, with our Parliament endorsing the "historical fact" that Canada committed "genocide," there is little good left in Canada's reputation. I just wish if Canadian authorities wish to commit cultural suicide, they would leave the rest of us honest citizens out.
🙏
Excellent article Jim, the injustice of which leaves me with apoplectic rage. How is it possible that you can be dismissed for being honest and truthful while the architect of the "Big Lie", Roseanne Casimir, is selected in 2022, by Castanet News, as Person of the Year for 2021 and was made a Member of the Order of British Columbia. Of course, adding insult to injury, our woke federal government sweetens the deal with a $12.5 mil for a new healing center which is nothing more than an incentive to encourage more dishonesty. But of course we must remember that such dystopian actions are all for the greater good of moving us one step closer to reconciliation !!
"As coercive monopolies that spend other people's money taken by force, governments are uniquely unqualified to solve problems. They are riddled by ignorance, perverse incentives, incompetence and are self-serving." ~ John Stossel
This is the new age of communist Canada or Nazi Canada take your pick in any event the truth falls victim to the lies and propaganda of our alleged woke masters, those in control. You only have to look outside of Canada to reliable news sources to see how our so called prime Minister is viewed by other heads of state. He is despicable and considered a fool not to be trusted and indeed we are being left far behind by those free and democratic countries.
All is not lost however as we are starting to see the first crumblings of this nutter and his bobblehead fools, failing terribly in the polls he and his crew of missfits are beginning to run for cover like rats leaving a sinking ship. We may have to wait for two more painful years but eventually we will be free of his kind of woke control.
Shameful representation of BC's "Bible Belt." The truth seems to be a common casualty these days.
History was my favourite subject growing up. As I grew older into adolescence I used to enjoy the diversity of opinions and perspectives between history staff and it was an intellectual challenge for me to figure out their political leanings and politely challenge, which was usually recieved as a sign of intellectual curiosity and engagement. People are afraid of finding truth and want to be told what to think because their natural curiosity has been conditioned out of them. Great teachers cannot stop teaching and that's what you continue to do Jim! It's your calling.
❤️
On a very related matter: This morning's Victoria BC paper had a headline story "Controversial Speaker Not Welcome In Alberni Valley: Tsheshaht First Nation"
Tanya Gaw of Action4Canada was set to speak in Port Alberni but the event was cancelled. The Tseshaht First Nation said that she was not welcome in their territory, "which includes the entire Alberni Valley."
Gaw has said that "It's time to pull the plug and end the charade of the Truth and Reconciliation witch hunt. The graves are empty and Indigenous violence is their own doing!"
Port Alberni council decided Action4Canada, Gaw's organization, would not be allowed to use city facilities, and elected Tseshaht Councillor Ken Watts said that it was disappointing to see Gaw denying the brutal reality of residential schools.
All the best to you and Amy!
❤️
Embittered orthodox-sniffers - love that. Keep going Jim.
❤️