37% of Right-Leaning Canadian University Students Fear Reprisal for Sharing Honest Opinions in Class: Poll

University students walk on campus in a file photo. A new survey finds evidence of a significant political bias on the left in universities in Canada. Katherine Daly Morris/Shutterstock

Thirty-seven percent of Canadian university students with right-leaning views fear facing formal consequences—including lower grades—if they share an opinion in class that differs from the accepted “safe” stance on controversial topics, a new poll suggests.

A recently released study from the Fraser Institute found that left-leaning political viewpoints are dominant on university campuses in Canada, with even 30 percent of self-described left-leaning students fearing formal consequences if they express a viewpoint in class that conflicts with what is considered the “safe” stance.

“When students attend university, it is assumed that they will encounter a broad array of opinions, and that differing views will be discussed, contested and debated openly,” Fraser Institute senior fellow and study co-author Matthew D. Mitchell said in a statement. “But that’s not happening at campuses across Canada, according to the students themselves.”

The study, which is based on a poll of 985 undergraduate and 215 graduate students across the country, indicated that 83 percent of right-leaning students and 45 percent of left-leaning students feel their professors present material from a leftist perspective. Few students—regardless of whether they identified as left-, centre-, or right-leaning—reported that their professors advocated a right-leaning perspective.

Students on both ends of the spectrum agreed there is a “safe” political view on controversial topics discussed in university classes, according to the study. Fifty-eight percent of right-leaning students and 51 percent of left-leaning students agreed with the statement “On controversial topics there is very clearly a ‘safe’ point of view.”

Many of the students surveyed said they feared “informal consequences from expressing honest thoughts, opinions or even questions” in class, regardless of their political leanings, but right-leaning students were slightly more likely (52 percent) to feel that way than left-leaning students (47 percent).

Common worries were that their professor would “dislike me personally” or would publicly criticize them, but students were also concerned about being publicly ridiculed by their peers.

Fewer students were worried about formal consequences for expressing their views but right-leaning students were more likely to feel that way than left-leaning students, at 37 percent and 30 percent respectively.

Among right-leaning students who feared experiencing formal consequences for expressing the “wrong” viewpoint during class discussions, 74 percent feared that the professor might lower their grades compared to 53 percent of left-leaning students.

“Students should never be afraid to ask tough questions, express their honest opinions or challenge conventional views in class,” study co-author Michael Zwaagstra said in a statement. “These findings raise serious questions about the quality of university education Canadian students are receiving.”

Freedom of Expression

The study said the findings could stem from most Canadian professors being largely left-leaning in their political ideology. It noted a 2022 survey published by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute that indicated 88 percent of Canadian university professors vote for parties on the left and only 9 percent support right-leaning parties.

As a result, many right-leaning students are left with the impression that their personal views are not discussed or welcomed in class, the study said.

Forty-two percent of students with right-leaning views said their university classroom environment “limited discussion and questions on controversial topics to only one side of the argument,” whereas only 29 percent of students with left-leaning views reported a similar experience.

A majority of right-leaning students polled indicated there were times when they felt uncomfortable expressing their views in class, while students who lean left were less likely to feel that way.

Fifty percent of the right-leaning students polled reported feeling uncomfortable expressing their opinions during discussions because of the views of their professors , compared to 36 percent of left-leaning students.

Students on both ends of the political spectrum reported witnessing other students feeling uncomfortable, “even to the point of being self-restrained in sharing their views or even asking questions” in class. Forty-five percent of right-leaning students and 39 percent of left-leaning students said they had witnessed this.

The study noted a 2024 survey published by Heterodox Academy and College Plus which found that more than half of Canadian university students were hesitant to engage in discussions on specific topics, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and gender identity, while nearly half expressed reluctance to talk about political matters.

The survey found that over 54 percent of students were reluctant to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 51 percent avoided gender identity issues, and 45 percent steered clear of political discussions entirely.

The Fraser Institute study authors said the results of past surveys and their own analysis indicate a large gap in Canadian university learning environments.

“If some students feel that certain political views are unwelcome on campus, they are less likely to participate freely in vigorous open-ended discussions,” the study authors wrote. “The poll reveals that there is more work to be done when it comes to creating a learning environment in which all students feel welcome, in which all ideas are heard, and in which differing viewpoints can be rigorously challenged and assessed.”