University educator in Alberta suspended due to safety concerns amidst the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's passing and its resulting repercussions.
In the wake of the tragic shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, several developments have unfolded across North America.
The University of Alberta has placed a law professor on non-disciplinary leave following online comments and threats connected with Kirk's murder. The University's spokesman, Michael Brown, stated that the school's immediate focus has been on safety, and additional security measures have been brought in.
James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, has commented on the ripple effects felt in Canada due to Kirk's views resonating with some Canadians. He also mentioned that debates about Kirk's views have unfolded across the world, online and at dinner tables, since his killing.
Meanwhile, a Manitoba cabinet minister faced calls to step down after reposting a message on social media that empathy should only be extended to Kirk's family, not the polarising figure.
In the realm of entertainment, Citytv announced that Jimmy Kimmel's talk show is being replaced by another show on its late-night schedule due to the indefinite suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" by American network ABC, in connection with comments made about Kirk's death. Repeat episodes of "Hudson & Rex" will air on Citytv's 11:35 p.m. time slot until "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" returns.
People have called for a boycott of ABC and its parent company's streaming service, Disney Plus, in Canada and the United States.
In a striking parallel, Turk compared Trump's reaction to what American leaders said after the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. He stated that turning to violence as a way of solving differences is fundamentally undemocratic.
Vigils for Charlie Kirk were held on Saskatwan's and Manitoba's legislature grounds this week. In a heartfelt tribute, country music singer Morgan Wallen paid homage to Kirk during his two concerts last weekend in Edmonton.
However, the University of Toronto previously put a religion and political science professor on leave following concerns about reactions to Charlie Kirk's killing.
Turk also stated that a strange and unprecedented thing happened after Kirk's murder in the United States. He did not elaborate further on this point.
In the midst of these events, the minister apologised but did not step down, and Turk said that U.S. President Donald Trump immediately tied the attack on Kirk to "the radical left" before a suspect was identified and recently celebrated the suspension of Kimmel's show.
James Turk's comments underscore the divisive debates that have spilled into Canada, leading to safety concerns at the University of Alberta and beyond.
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