The WTBA's New Policy Guy

The Western Business and Taxpayers Association(WTBA), Canada's latest and greatest Western Separatist group, has had some trouble establishing its Executive Committee. Ernie Slump stepped down in December, and Sheldon Johnson's resignation from their Policy Chair Position was confirmed earlier this month.

The WTBA's new Policy Chair, Rob Allen, is an interesting fellow with an interesting CV. For example, he says that he has graduated from "Canterbury University". Where is that exactly? There are 3 possibilities.

There is the University of Canterbury, in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. There is the Canterbury Christ Church University, in Canterbury, Kent, England. And there is Canterbury University, incorporated in the Republic of Seychelles.

In an effort to determine which of these institutions Mr. Allen attended, I contacted the WTBA's always helpful executive director David Crutcher, who informed me that Rob Allen had gone to school in "Cheshire UK", which is where Canterbury University claims to have been established in 1974.

Here's what wiki says about Canterbury University:

Canterbury University has been discussed in the article "Fighting Credential Fraud" in World Education News & Reviews, published by the non-profit World Education Services, as being towards what the article writer calls the "no acceptability" end of a continuum of acceptability and the "illegal" end of the continuum of legitimacy, though it should be emphasized that the institution's operations themselves are not illegal per se within the jurisdiction in which Canterbury University is chartered.[3]

And here's a story in the U.K Guardian that mentions Canterbury University:

It might be thought that "Canterbury University" could be confused with that city's two recognised higher education institutions, the University of Kent at Canterbury and Canterbury Christ Church University College. That doesn't prevent it operating from a mail address in Cheshire.

A call by Guardian Education to the address was answered by a man who said he was "just a retired chap walking down the passage" and was unable to give any information. The establishment issues official-looking transcripts of marks to students who have then been turned down by an accredited university and told their credits would not be recognised.

And here's another one from The Guardian:

Talking of forwarding addresses, did you know that there is a "Canterbury University" with an office at 193 Market Street, Hyde, Cheshire, which also happens to be the address of Mail Accommodation Office Services? "Canterbury University" claims accreditation from "the United Congress of Colleges", whose headquarters are said to be in the Irish Republic.

[...]

But of course these outfits [like Canterbury University] are really nothing to laugh about. The fact that they are able to operate in the UK within the law is deeply worrying. The law needs tightening as a matter of urgency.

The term that comes up a lot in association with Canterbury University is "diploma mill", and even mentioning such unaccredited entities on your CV would be illegal in at least 10 U.S. states.

H/t PJL