Anti-abortion group calls off UVic lawsuit

An anti-abortion student group at the University of Victoria announced Monday it had called off its lawsuit against the university's Students' Society.

Members of Youth Protecting Youth, an undergraduate student group advocating against abortion, say they called off the lawsuit when the Students' Society agreed to reinstate the club.

"This is a great victory for [Youth Protecting Youth]," club president Anastasia Pearse said in a written release.

"We interpret the [University of Victoria Students' Society's] concessions as an admission of wrongdoing, and we’re happy with the new direction it’s taking."

The organization had alleged discrimination and censorship after it was denied funding and status as a student group on campus by the Students' Society.

It filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court in May, saying systemic discrimination by the society led to its funding being pulled and its status as a student group being declined.

As part of the settlement, the Students' Society also agreed to reinstate all funding denied to the club and revised its harassment policy to ensure Youth Protecting Youth can continue to operate.

Settlement of the dispute includes a provision that allows the group to immediately reactivate its lawsuit if members believe their freedom of expression is censored in the future.