FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2026
Banman Lays Out Post-Secondary Renewal Plan Rooted in Free Speech, Fairness, & Accountability
ABBOTSFORD, BC: Bruce Banman, Conservative Party of BC MLA for Abbotsford South and Conservative Party of BC leadership candidate, today outlined a comprehensive Post-Secondary Renewal plan that restores free expression on campus, protects students, and forces long-overdue reform across British Columbia’s universities and colleges.
“As Premier, I will protect freedom of speech and opinion on university and college campuses, including in university and college classrooms,” said Banman. “Intimidation and threats, up to and including physical violence, should not be permitted to silence students or instructors expressing their opinions.”
Banman said his plan is rooted in a simple principle: campuses must once again be places of open inquiry, debate, and learning, not ideological enforcement.
“I will put an end to compelled speech inside or outside university and college campuses and classrooms, in workplaces across our province and in BC places of worship,” said Banman. “That also means upholding the rights of British Columbians to contest the views and opinions of others. As a wise man once said, ‘I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’”
Banman said restoring trust in post-secondary education also requires protecting students from the consequences of government mismanagement.
As part of his Post-Secondary Renewal plan, Banman committed that as Premier, he will freeze domestic post-secondary tuition for two years while the system stabilizes and undergoes reform.
“Students should not pay the price for government failure,” said Banman. “The NDP let the system drift, ignored clear warning signs, and now institutions are under stress. Raising tuition is not a reform plan.”
Banman’s commitment comes as the BC NDP delays its wide-ranging post-secondary sector review, even as institutions face deficits, program uncertainty, and growing pressure to pass costs onto students.
Under Banman’s plan, the tuition freeze would be paired with clear accountability and student protections. Any temporary provincial support would be time-limited and strictly conditional on institutions reducing administrative overhead, participating in shared services, and prioritizing classroom learning over bureaucracy.
“No blank cheques,” said Banman. “If institutions want support, they must show real reform.”
The plan would also include robust student protections, such as teach-out guarantees to ensure students can complete programs if changes occur, and strengthened credit transfer pathways to prevent students from repeating courses or losing time and money.
Banman challenged the BC NDP to act immediately.
“If the NDP is serious about protecting students and restoring confidence in post-secondary education, they should adopt these measures now while their review is underway,” said Banman. “Freeze tuition. Protect free expression. Fix the system.”
“Post-secondary education should build independent thinkers, skilled workers, and engaged citizens,” Banman added. “As Premier, I will restore common sense, freedom, and accountability to our campuses.”
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