In the face of widespread public and media criticism, Concordia University's board of governors and rector lifted their moratorium on the use of university space for events and activities related to the Middle East conflict.

"This is a good day for academic freedom and freedom of expression," said CAUT executive director James Turk. "But it took a long time and a lot of pressure from faculty, students and the community. The final straw was Concordia's use of an injunction to prevent MPs Svend Robinson, Libby Davies and Ryerson professor Judy Rebick from speaking on campus Nov. 15."

Newspapers from across the country denounced the injunction. Typical of comment was the Calgary Herald editorial, which said: "Any capitulation to interests which dampen free speech is indeed nothing less than surrender to the very forces of darkness that threaten the thinking world. A university may rationalize a decision to ban controversial speakers as 'prudent' or 'responsible,' but such excuses are embarrassingly shallow."

In a letter to Concordia rector Frederick Lowy on Nov. 14, CAUT president Victor Catano demanded the immediate lifting of the moratorium.

Catano said the moratorium was "contrary to the most basic notions of academic freedom that are the bedrock of the university's role and function in society," adding that it was "a dark day for Concordia and a dark day for academic freedom," when Concordia sought an injunction to prevent members of parliament from speaking on campus.

He noted that in the face of a far more difficult situation, the University of Haifa, one of Israel's major universities, has shown a commitment to academic freedom that should shame Concordia's officials. In a statement in the U.S. publication, The Nation, University of Haifa officials stated that "even during the most stressful times" (when, for example, some of their students were killed in terrorist attacks), they did not limit fliers, information booths or political assemblies.

"You could prevent discussion on anything other than motherhood and apple pie if you made prior controversy a ground for banning discussion," said noted constitutional lawyer and McGill law professor Julius Grey, in an interview with CTV National News criticizing Concordia's actions.