Despite months of controversy in the lead-up to his keynote speech at a University of British Columbia (UBC) fundraising event on Tuesday, former Vancouver Olympics CEO John Furlong was greeted with a standing ovation by the attendees and only a handful of protesters outside.
In his speech Furlong admitted to student athletes and alumni that he’s had “a few challenges the past few years” and in times of hopelessness and despair, the only thing you can rely on is the truth.
UBC removed the Own the Podium board chairman from the fundraiser’s event for student athletes in December, after graduate Glynnis Kirchmeier circulated an open letter criticizing Furlong’s record with First Nations.
Furlong has vehemently denied allegations in a 2012 newspaper article that he beat First Nations children while teaching in northern B.C. decades ago and Laura Robinson, the journalist who wrote the article, later lost her defamation lawsuit against Furlong.
The decision to pull Furlong — and replace him with Ono as speaker — was met with a public backlash. Some social media users who identified themselves as long-time supporters of the university threatened to stop donating to UBC.
Get daily National news
In January, UBC president Santa Ono said he apologized to Furlong and wanted to correct the fundamental wrong at the heart of the issue — the cancellation of the speaking engagement. At the time, Ono said Furlong had an extraordinary record of public service, holds an honorary UBC doctorate degree, continues to be a champion for amateur sport and is especially qualified to speak at a benefit for aspiring student athletes.
Furlong said the university’s decision to pull him as the keynote speaker caused him and his family “deep hurt and embarrassment.”
At the sold out benefit, Ono thanked Furlong for “graciously bearing with us over the last few months.”
Outside the event were about half a dozen peaceful protesters holding signs that said “In solidarity with Babine survivors” and “Babine Lake we are listening”, which referred to the First Nations community in Burns Lake, B.C.
A month before the event, Daniel Heath Justice, an indigenous professor, resigned from a sexual assault policy committee at the UBC after the school brought Furlong back to speak.
Justice said in a letter to Ono that the decision “silenced and erased” allegations that Furlong physically abused First Nations children while teaching at a Catholic school in northern B.C., decades ago.
Furlong dropped his defamation lawsuit against Robinson, so the allegations have not been tested in court.
The RCMP has said an investigation into abuse allegations concluded without charges.
~ with files from Canadian Press
- Machinery fire put out at Delta, B.C., coal port terminal: Port authority
- Narcan raccoons, dirty diapers and stuffed animals: 12 of B.C.’s weirdest stories this year
- B.C. family faces 3-year respite funding wait to care for son with rare brain cancer
- Holborn Properties denies it let Dunsmuir House fall apart to force demolition
Comments