An arbitrator has reinstated an instructor who was fired by a B.C. college after making comments that some interpreted as praising the Hamas-led attacks in Israel two years ago.
Natalie Knight, an English instructor at Vancouver’s Langara College, was dismissed in January, 2024, after being placed on paid leave in the wake of comments she made at a rally a few weeks after the attacks.
Arbitrator Randy Noonan wrote in a summary award issued Wednesday that Dr. Knight is to be reinstated to her position and should be made whole for the loss of compensation since January, 2024.
Speaking to a pro-Palestine gathering outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Oct. 28, 2023, Dr. Knight called the Oct. 7 attacks orchestrated by Hamas an “amazing brilliant offensive,” according to the arbitrator’s summary.
Her remarks drew widespread condemnation and she was placed on paid leave.
After an internal report of Langara’s advisory committee on academic freedom and free expression, which found she had not violated college policies, Dr. Knight was reinstated in January, 2024. But she soon made more remarks related to the war in Gaza at another public rally and shortly after was dismissed for cause.
Her reinstatement was the result of a grievance brought under the Labour Relations Code by the Langara Faculty Association.
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Dr. Knight thanked the faculty association, the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE) and the Canadian Association of University Teachers for their support.
“My case is an important testimony to the collective power of unions to protect workers against the arbitrary actions of employers,” Dr. Knight said in a statement.
“I share this victory with everyone who has faced intimidation or threats to their livelihood for speaking out about the ongoing war in Gaza.”
Adam Brayford, director of strategic communications and marketing at Langara, said Dr. Knight has resigned from Langara College.
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Back in 2024, the provincial minister responsible for postsecondary education at the time, Selina Robinson, posted on social media that she spoke to Langara’s leadership about the case, and re-tweeted a press release in which a Jewish community leader said Dr. Knight should have been fired.
Ms. Robinson left cabinet a few weeks later after saying that Israel was founded on a “crappy piece of land with nothing on it,” according to local media reports.
Mr. Noonan wrote that he accepts Langara’s assertion that the decision to terminate Dr. Knight’s employment was not a result of the minister’s intervention but added that it is “regrettable” that the college didn’t say publicly that the minister had not asked for Dr. Knight to be fired.
Michael Conlon, executive director of the FPSE, said he was happy and relieved with the result. He called Dr. Knight’s firing “unjust” and said it was “tainted by ministerial interference.”
“It’s been a difficult battle for us and for Natalie,” Mr. Conlon said.
He said these are difficult issues but academic institutions can’t fire someone for comments that they don’t agree with. He added that Langara had an opportunity to uphold the principles of free expression and failed to do so.
Langara Faculty Association president Pauline Greaves said in a statement that she is grateful the troubling episode has come to a close.
“I understand many in our community were hurt and offended by what Dr. Knight said. But collegial dialogue and tolerance for views we don’t like are the bedrock of a robust, engaged academic environment.”