Nearly half of all Canadian university students are actively concealing their real opinions for fear of sanction or mistreatment, according to a comprehensive new survey published Wednesday by the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy.

Of 760 university students surveyed, 48.1 per cent expressed reluctance to reveal their opinions on a “controversial political issue.” The survey found that 27.5 per cent of students were somewhat reluctant and 20.6 per cent were very reluctant.

And this wasn’t because the students were particularly reserved or shy in class discussions. When respondents were asked about giving their views on a “non-controversial” issue, 93.4 per cent said it was no problem.

“Inescapable from our study is the recognition that classroom discussions on controversial topics

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