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Interior of UBCO campus Kelowna/ UBCO website
reversal

UBCO student union approves Conservative Club, condemns bullying

Mar 14, 2025 | 11:24 AM

In a reversal of an earlier decision, the student union (SUO) at University of BC Okanagan (UBCO) has approved a Conservative Club for the campus.

It follows a previous decision to reject the application by the Okanagan Conservative Club after concerns were raised by some SUO directors about certain views of the party and how those could make students feel excluded and unwelcome.

The earlier denial had caused a political backlash with Conservative politicians condemning ‘woke’ BC academia and accusing the SUO of censorship.

Following deliberations among the student union board of directors Thursday evening the Okanagan Conservative Club was ratified.

In an online statement the SUO said, in part, after careful consideration it ratified the club “ensuring that the decision was made in alignment with our values of equity, inclusion and respect for all students.”

However, the SUO added it was deeply concerned about the public discourse that had surrounded their initial decision not to not approve the Conservative Club.

It criticized the targeting of student leaders and said no SUO student leader should be the subjected to bullying, harassment, online or in person.

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