A controversial professor at the University of New Brunswick is set to retire after he was accused of being a white nationalist and was condemned by more than 100 of his fellow faculty at the university.
Petra Hauf, vice-president of UNB-Saint John, announced the news of Ricardo Duchesne’s impending retirement in a blog post on Tuesday.
“Ricardo Duchesne, professor in the department of social science, has provided his notice of early retirement to focus on his own pursuits as an independent scholar,” Hauf wrote.
“We respectfully accept his decision and thank him for his 24 years of service.”
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Duchesne, who is known for his controversial views, often has his writing published on a blog that he co-founded called the Council of European Canadians.
The blog, which has published his writing 140 times, contains posts from Duchesne in which he describes the “Chinese silent invasion” of Canada, derides multiculturalism and makes claims such as: “White Europeans were the first, and still the only race, to become conscious of their consciousness.”
Duchesne has also appeared on a podcast hosted by far-right politician Faith Goldy.
Goldy, a former Toronto mayoral candidate, was recently kicked off Facebook and Instagram along with white nationalist Kevin Goudreau, far-right group Soldiers of Odin and one of its offshoots, Canadian Infidels, in an attempt to remove extremist groups and users that promote hate.
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Duchesne, an immigrant from Puerto Rico, has denied that he is a white nationalist, maintained that he is entitled to “academic freedom” and suggested his classes are widely attended and provide students with new insights.
Last week, more than 100 faculty members signed a letter denouncing him for arguments about multiculturalism and immigration that they labelled “racist and without academic merit.”
The academics wrote: “Racism in the university causes real harm and undermines the rights of students and colleagues to a working and learning environment free from discrimination.”
Duchesne has been a professor in the department of social science at the university’s Saint John campus since 1995.
In the face of criticism from colleagues and the Canadian Historical Association, Duchesne said last week he had no intention of resigning.
“I haven’t done anything wrong, really,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “I’m not racist or supremacist.”
On Tuesday, however, he said he is looking forward to early retirement. He said by email he plans to continue writing about “why European civilization was far more creative than all the other civilizations combined” and “why all European-created nations are being forced to diversify themselves through mass immigration.”
READ MORE: UNB reviewing complaints about white nationalist comments from professor
He criticized mainstream media for never allowing “critical thinking about the mandated ideology of diversity.”
UNB said it was reviewing his comments and appearances after they drew public condemnation in mid-May.
There is no word on the status of the review or whether it will continue with the announcement of Duchesne’s retirement.
With files from The Canadian Press