In reference to a University of Ottawa professor being suspended for using the n-word in one of their courses, a reporter asked Premier François Legault during a press conference on October 20 if he thought any words should be banned from being used in Quebec.

Legault responded: "No, I don't think there should be words that are prohibited. Obviously, we need to look at the context in which words are used."

"If we look at what happened at the University of Ottawa, I really don't understand the decision of the Director [...] to blame the professor."

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It's like we have a type of censor police, we need to stop this.

Quebec Premier François Legault

The premier went on to say, "Universities need to be places where we can have debates, where freedom of expression is important."

In a statement made by President and Vice-Chancellor Jacques Frémont at uOttawa, he acknowledged the complicated balance of the right to academic freedom and the right to dignity.

"Contrary to so much of what has been written in recent days, the right to freedom of expression and the right to dignity are not contradictory principles, but complementary. They must co-exist with one another."

Frémont expressed his ongoing efforts to eliminate "racist and racially motivated incidents."

The uOttawa professor was permitted to "continue her teaching (which she returned to last Friday) while enjoying her full academic freedom."