Fired for an opinion; how a librarian’s dismissal landed a tourist town in the middle of a culture war 

On February 21st, Cathy Simpson, the head librarian in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, wrote a column for the local paper in support of Freedom to Read Week. 

Simpson, who had been in her role for more than a decade, wrote that this national week has become critically important over recent years as librarians face increasing obstacles around respectful debate on key issues facing the profession and society in general. She feared that “anyone” who defends the right to publish all sides of various issues, even the ones that make many progressives uncomfortable, “is labeled a bigot”.

She advocated for libraries to include books and materials that espouse ideas from every viewpoint, including those that “don’t conform to progressive agendas”, which, according to her, have become commonplace among library leaders and decision makers. 

“We ask our colleagues to ensure ‘Freedom to Read Week’ does not become ‘Freedom to Read What We Decide You Should Read Week’,” she wrote. 

Twenty days later she was fired. 

The decision by the local library board, which includes residents appointed by the local council and one council member, has sparked outrage across the small community. Petitions are circulating in support of Simpson’s push for “library neutrality”, and flyers dropped in mailboxes have criticized the decision by the library board to fire her without cause. 

Others have denounced Simpson’s opinion, believing certain viewpoints and subjects have no place in public libraries, especially in sections frequented by children. 

The firing of the chief librarian, who by all accounts was an exemplary leader, has landed Niagara-on-the-Lake in the middle of a complex national culture war being fought over free speech. Public universities have been ground zero, with backlash from students and faculty over the presence of guest speakers who promote controversial views on a range of topics that have burst onto the campus scene. University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson thrust himself into the public eye by criticizing policy changes on the use of gender neutral pronouns. Organizations are increasingly wrestling with controversial views expressed publicly by employees, and social media has triggered flash campaigns against individuals, groups and organizations not accustomed to dealing with the weight of overwhelming attention. Cancel culture now pushes in from many sides, against targets across the political and social spectrum.  

Simpson has said her views were misconstrued by critics but has not waded into the public debate over her firing. She has retained a lawyer and has not made any further comments.

The NOTL Library Board has not released any official statement about Simpson’s firing. However, Board Chair Daryl Novak has made several public comments in response to media inquiries, describing the outcome as “unfortunate”, while asserting Simpson’s column was taken by many as a representation of the NOTL Library, and her opinions led to the loss of support among her staff, Novak claimed. 

“We knew the relationship had deteriorated so badly that at least two or three other senior people indicated they would quit as soon as they could, ” Novak told The Lake Report, which has covered the matter extensively since publishing the column.

Following its publication there was no sign for about a week of the looming controversy. Simpson had been writing columns for the library website for years, and in those first few days it appeared her latest missive would join others quietly resting in the archive. 

Then came a letter from resident Matthew French. “Opinion piece espoused right wing talking points” was the headline of the correspondence published in the Lake Report on February 28, 2024, exactly one week after Simpson’s column. 

French claimed Simpson’s opinion was part of right wing propaganda that was dangerous for the library to be associated with. In French’s opinion, opening the library up to all viewpoints could lead to racist, anti-trans, or anti-LGBQ+ opinions finding their way onto library shelves at the public’s expense. 

“We should not pay for books that promote Holocaust denial. The well of ‘controversial’ takes is bottomless,” French wrote. 

The main contention of French’s letter was Simpson’s reference to a group called Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR). French writes that the organization is nothing but a “slickly marketed” group that “cloaks itself in the language of fighting oppression while actually working to promote it.”

In her column, Simpson wrote that she was introduced to FAIR a year earlier by other librarians interested in library neutrality and pluralism. She said FAIR stands for civil rights and liberties for all; defense of individuals threatened or persecuted for speech, or those “held to a different set of rules”, based on the colour of their skin, ancestry or “other immutable characteristics”. The organization also stands for “respectful disagreement because bad ideas are best confronted with good ideas and never with dehumanization, deplatforming, or blacklisting.”

But according to French’s letter, citing the Southern Poverty Law Centre, FAIR is “a key voice amplifying anti-LGBTQ+ pseudoscience” that campaigns against diversity and inclusion programs and fights anti-racism initiatives. 

Nowhere in French’s letter does he ask for Simpson to be fired. He advocated that librarians not be pressured into expanding collections with books that go against established science or espouse hate. 

“It is not censorship to not buy books,” he wrote. “Librarians are highly trained experts in their field, who work hard to serve their community and do not deserve to be publicly pressured by the CEO of the library to compromise their professional judgements.”

The Pointer attempted to contact French. He did not respond. 

According to Novak, French’s letter caused “all hell to break loose”.

Simpson was suspended from her job on March 8, and in a closed door meeting of the library board on March 13, she was asked to come up with a solution. Simpson presented it to the board, confidentially, but it was rejected. In a special in camera meeting on March 19th the board fired her without cause.

Novak has publicly defended the board's decision and the topic has been avoided when raised at subsequent meetings. 

Novak did not respond to The Pointer.
 

Niagara-on-the-Lake Library Board Chair Daryl Novak (left) says the firing of Cathy Simpson (right) was “unfortunate” but the result of a difference of opinion between her and board members.

(Evan Loree/The Lake Report File Photo)

Niagara-on-the-Lake town council has also avoided discussing the matter, shutting down residents who have attempted to bring it up during recent meetings. 

On May 14th, local resident Anthony Powell requested that council conduct an integrity commissioner investigation into Simpson’s firing. Council did not entertain the suggestion.

Powell and more than a dozen other local residents who attended the meeting voiced disappointment that Chair Gary Burroughs refused to allow discussion on the matter.

“The council was determined to shut down anything that would embarrass the board. They are all friends,” Powell told The Pointer after the meeting. 

Former Niagara-on-the-Lake Library Board Chair, Andrew Porteus, has spoken out in support of Simpson.

Porteus holds two Master’s degrees, including in library science and worked 30 years at the Niagara Falls Public Library. He has also sat on the board of directors for the Fort Erie Public Library for seven years and eight years as a member of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Board. He helped create the policies referenced in a letter and presentation he made to the board.

His letter states:

“When I read Ms. Simpson’s article and the principles the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism espoused in general and their Freedom to Read Week statement in particular, it seemed to me that they align well with the Intellectual Freedom Policy and the Collection Development Policy of the NOTL Public Library, approved by the Library Board, in June 2018 and November 2021 respectively, and available for view on the library’s website.”

The letter went on to highlight:

Section 1 (4) of the Collection Development Policy states that, “The Library upholds the right of the individual to access information, even though the content may be controversial, unorthodox, or unacceptable to others. 

“The presence of an item in the library does not indicate an endorsement of its content.” 

The Collection Development Policy, which states in its introduction that it is “one of the Library’s fundamental policy documents” also notes it is “responsive to the needs and interests of a diverse community” and, in Section 3(5a), that “People have the right to reject for themselves material of which they do not approve but they do not have the right to restrict the intellectual freedom of others.” 

These positions are reaffirmed in the Library’s Intellectual Freedom Policy, section 2 which states it is the responsibility of the board and staff to “ensure that all library users have the fundamental right to access all expressions of knowledge, creativity, and intellectual activity and to express their thoughts publicly… guarantee and facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity including those that some may consider unconventional, unpopular and unacceptable…make available all library public facilities and services to all individuals and groups who need them, and (d) resist all efforts to limit the exercise of these responsibilities while encouraging the right of criticism by individuals and groups.” 

This policy directs the Chief Executive Officer “to ensure the principles of intellectual freedom are integrated into all organization policies, procedures and practices.” 

“There is no existing policy of the library that would have prohibited Cathy Simpson from writing the exact opinion letter she wrote,” Porteus told The Pointer. “Nor is there a policy prohibiting her from referencing or aligning with an outside organization, and the example Simpson used from the U.S-based organization FAIR is actually in regard to library neutrality which is aligned with the policies that exist at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library now.” 

When asked what he would have done as a member of the board in this situation, Mr. Porteus said, “ I would have suggested she come to the board next time and clear it first before she wrote an opinion piece.” 

According to Chair Novak, the dismissal came down to a fundamental difference of opinion. 

“I think the what it really came down to is the way Cathy was interpreting our policies and what she wanted to do to balance the collection was at odds with what the board feels and what the staff feel in relation to our policies, and our statements on our mission, vision and values, about equity, diversity, and so forth,” Novak stated in an interview with the Lake Report on March 21. “It’s unfortunate, but it seems there was a fairly significant difference of opinion on what’s appropriate social, political involvement and how that affects collections development.”

It is unclear whether Novak has violated any confidential provisions of the Library Act or existing board policies by speaking publicly about the reasoning behind Simpson’s firing. 

“Mr. Novak’s public comments have the real possibility of affecting future employment opportunities Ms. Simpson may have, and that may end up as a factor in potential settlement negotiations,” Guelph-based lawyer Peter McSweeny said.

Prior to the controversy triggered by her column, Cathy Simpson was reportedly an exemplary employee who had been with the Niagara-on-the-Lake Library for more than a decade.

(The Lake Report File Photo)

During the board meeting on April 17th, when co-chair Wayne Scott was asked questions about Simpson's firing, he responded, “It would be inappropriate for any of us to talk about and speculate about what’s going on with respect to the completion of that termination process.” 

What was it about Ms. Simpson's opinion piece that created such controversy? Why did the board say nothing publicly about it until almost two weeks later when a single resident wrote a dissenting opinion?

“In Ontario an employee can be fired for expressing their political opinion and with social media and phone cameras it is not difficult for an employer to find out about an employee's political opinion,” McSweeny explained. “Even if an opinion is expressed outside of work and the employer finds it offensive, the employee can be disciplined or fired.”

He pointed out Ontario is one of only three provinces where employees' political beliefs are not protected at work and can be the cause for termination. 

“You do have the right to express your opinion, but you have to understand that there could be employment implications, especially if your opinion expresses political views in writing. If your employer tells you to stop voicing your opinions, that is not contrary to the right to free speech,” he says. 

The board had not previously told Simpson to stop writing opinion pieces prior to the Feb 21 letter to the Lake Report.

A petition started by four Niagara-on-the-Lake residents including Powell and Porteus circulated on social media and an attempt was made to present it to council on May 14. The Town clerk refused to add it to the agenda.

The petition requests the board follow policies already in place in regard to purchasing books that express a neutral point of view. It has garnered almost a thousand signatures.

Powell, a former practicing lawyer, was also a speaker at the March 13 meeting on behalf of Simpson. In an interview with The Pointer, he said he felt compelled to speak out after he read Matthew French’s opinion letter. He felt it crossed the line and believes a library should operate on a principle of neutrality.

Four other residents also gave deputations to the board at the March 13th meeting, voicing positions in support of Simpson and against her.

According to the minutes of the meeting, local resident Nicole Wiens, described as a concerned parent, spoke against Simpson because she had an issue with a book titled “Trans Sex” that had been displayed at the library entrance where her child could see it. 

Wiens believed that was inappropriate for young children. She recounted her negative interaction with a member of the library staff and her subsequent email to the CEO expressing her concerns. She said she did not receive a response and felt her issues were not adequately addressed.

Wiens highlighted the need for age-appropriate materials in the children's section, even though that was not where the book had been displayed.

The next speaker was Matthew French.

He addressed the board as a follow up to his letter to the Lake Report and expressed love for the community and the library, emphasizing its role in bringing people together and fostering common values. 

French made recommendations for the library to reaffirm its values, address the implications of aligning with potentially controversial organizations and focus on implementing its core values and mission.

It remains unclear why the board took such a harsh stance against Simpson when the library’s policies support the fundamental view she had expressed. 

The controversy has circled back to Simpson’s mention of FAIR. She expressed agreement with the Ontario library branch of FAIR and its stance on library neutrality. There was no mention in her letter of the U.S. branch of the organization which French referenced in his letter and has been connected to individuals with anti-LGBTQ+ views and alt right opinions. 

Simpson has not publicly addressed the association French made with the U.S. branch of the organization.

FAIR’s executive director Monica Harris has come out in support of Simpson. 

In an op-ed published in the National Post and a series of posts on X she said the library board members should be held accountable for their “gross lack of judgment” and pushed back against the idea that FAIR is anti-LGBTQ+ or opposed to initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. 

“While it is true that FAIR has challenged diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at public institutions, it is important to understand the context and basis for these challenges. FAIR’s mission and founding principle are embodied in the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., the man proudly quoted on the homepage of its website: ‘We should all be judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin,’” she wrote. 

“Vilifying FAIR for its efforts to end discrimination of any kind is subversive of the universal equality that King and other civil rights leaders tirelessly fought to secure.

“Careers should not be wantonly destroyed based on fear and misinformation.

“The inconvenient truth is that issues of discrimination, diversity, inclusion and equity are far more complicated and textured than we are often led to believe. Ironically, the failure to appreciate these nuances has prompted well-meaning people to resort to the dangerous and inflammatory mischaracterizations employed by the propagandists they condemn, ultimately fomenting the polarizing culture war we all lament.”

A joint letter by academics and journalists published in Harper's Magazine in 2020 addressed the issues involved in the controversy over Simpson’s public position.

“The free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted. While we have come to expect this on the radical right, censoriousness is also spreading more widely in our culture: an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty. We uphold the value of robust and even caustic counter-speech from all quarters. But it is now all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought.” 

In Niagara-on-the-Lake, residents in this picturesque town continue to grapple with the same complicated issue of the limits to free speech dividing communities around the world.

Cathy Simpson took a stand on the central role libraries play in this complex struggle to protect free speech rights. It is unclear if she will take another one — to defend her own right to publicly speak on the matter.

Email: [email protected] 

At a time when vital public information is needed by everyone, The Pointer has taken down our paywall on all stories to ensure every resident of Brampton, Mississauga and Niagara has access to the facts. For those who are able, we encourage you to consider a subscription. This will help us report on important public interest issues the community needs to know about now more than ever. You can register for a 30-day free trial HERE. Thereafter, The Pointer will charge $10 a month and you can cancel any time right on the website. Thank you