Fundraiser for Talia Battista, a Pro-life Student Discriminated Against by a Toronto University

Background

While a student in 2017, Talia Battista filed an Ontario Human Rights complaint against Toronto Metropolitan University (“TMU” or the “University”) and Toronto Metropolitan University Student Union. Talia expects to provide an update shortly regarding her complaint against that students’ union. The fundraiser below relates to her discrimination case against the University.

January 2025 Hearing re the University

Talia Battista, a resilient pro-life woman of faith and visible minority living with a disability, faced significant adversity and discrimination perpetrated by TMU (formerly Ryerson University), because of her beliefs.

Despite enduring persistent discrimination and barriers to accessing essential services on campus, Talia has bravely taken a stand for her rights by filing a discrimination complaint against the University. On March 23, 2022, after TMU attempted to have the case dismissed, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruled in Talia’s favor, allowing her case to proceed to a full hearing just a few weeks from now, in January 2025.

Among other things, Talia encountered a series of troubling discriminatory incidents during her tenure as a Bachelor of Commerce student at TMU because of her pro-life beliefs as founded on her faith. Her reports of such treatment were met with institutional resistance. She was victim-blamed and once barred by TMU from pursuing formal complaints to seek redress from the theft and harassment she experienced.

New evidence in the form of internal emails Talia recently obtained through a freedom of information request, show just how far the University was prepared to go to exclude her from campus life and services, even services as critical as healing from rape. It turns out that when Talia, a survivor of sexual assault, planned to attend a healing event on campus which was open to all survivors of sexual violence, and even promised not to speak about her pro-life beliefs at the event, the University covertly suggested that the entire healing event could be cancelled for everyone as a way of stopping Talia from attending.

Talia booked a separate, unrelated event at the University which focused on healing and featured a speaker sharing her personal experience with abortion and sexual assault. During the event, pro-abortion activists caused a disturbance, harassing attendees and stealing printed material while demanding the event be “shut down”. Talia and her fellow pro-life students were unjustly ordered by University personnel to end the event early and leave the premises whereas the pro-abortion activists were permitted to stay.

When Talia filed complaints with the University relating to additional theft and harassment incidents, the University's response, through the Vice Provost (“VP”) of Students of the University at the time, was marked by a dismissive and victim-blaming attitude against Talia and her pro-life creed. The VP stated the following to Talia: “I don’t think anyone in your [pro-life] organization should be surprised about the kind of response that you might get, when you put that kind of stuff out there.”

Internal emails, obtained by Talia through freedom of information requests, indicated that the VP of Students of the University acknowledged that there was "video evidence" of the theft but decided to dismiss Talia's complaint even though another University department said the complaint was “reasonable” and should be investigated. Because of her pro-life beliefs, Talia was mistreated and discriminated against by the University, instead of being appropriately protected and supported.

Talia is not just fighting for herself; she is fighting for the rights of all students to hold and express their views without fear of retribution. Her courage is inspiring, and she has chosen to stand firm in her convictions, creed, and faith, seeking justice through the legal system. Freedoms Advocate, a registered charitable organization, has been funding her ongoing legal representation.

Now, Talia requires additional support from individuals who value freedom of speech and non-discriminatory and equitable treatment on university campuses. By donating to her cause, you are sending a clear message to the University that Talia's fight is not hers alone. Your contribution to Freedoms Advocate will support the ongoing legal expenses associated with advancing Talia’s human rights complaint, and send a message to TMU that injustice and discrimination on campus based on creed should not be tolerated. All donations are tax deductible.

Together, we can help Talia challenge the institutional biases that threaten academic freedom and inclusivity. Join us in backing Talia's quest for a fair and open educational environment where all creeds are respected, not just the trendy or popular ones.

Your donation today is an investment in a future where universities actually celebrate viewpoint diversity and freedom of thought and speech rather than suppressing them.

This campaign is unpublished.