OTTAWA -- University of Winnipeg President Lloyd Axworthy is hoping Ottawa will step up to the plate to help improve safety on Canada's university and college campuses.
Last fall, in the wake of a security threat at the U of W, Axworthy met with Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day to talk about what happened and discuss what role, if any, Ottawa could have to help all Canadian schools improve security.
A briefing note prepared for the minister indicates Ottawa does not believe campus security is a federal government issue unless it pertains to national security.
"Law enforcement and the administration of justice are provincial responsibilities, and therefore these matters fall under Manitoba jurisdiction," reads the briefing note dated Oct. 24, 2007 and obtained by researcher Ken Rubin.
But Axworthy said the university and Day's office are talking about a role Ottawa can play to keep Canada's 800,000-plus post-secondary students safe.
"The issue of security, especially preventative security, should be part of the security agenda of the federal government," said Axworthy.
In September 2007, the U of W went through several chaotic days after a student discovered a threat written on a wall in a men's washroom threatening to shoot up the school on Sept. 26. The university hired additional security, flooded the campus with cops, and closed most of the school's entrance points. Students faced long lineups to get into classes, forced to have their bags searched. More than 100 classes were cancelled on Sept. 26 as students and teachers stayed home.
Axworthy said it's likely the university's actions may have prevented anything from happening.
The incident occurred a year after one student was killed and 19 others were wounded in a school shooting at Dawson College in Montreal.
It was five months after the worst school shooting in the United States, when 32 people were killed April 16, 2007 on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
Axworthy said both incidents proved how lacking most universities and colleges are in being able to quickly communicate with students. A text-messaging system is in the works at U of W, he said.
Axworthy would like Ottawa's help to research and develop training programs to help university and college staff and faculty identify potential problems with students before they turn violent.
The provincial government in May announced a $2.5-million investment in campus security upgrades, including $630,000 for the University of Winnipeg. The school used $250,000 of that money to help pay the bills from security related to the September 2007 incident. Adding additional security officers and putting in more surveillance cameras are also among the U of W's plans for the money.
Day's office was unable to respond Friday.
mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
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