While we’ve had a number of discussions about academic freedom over the years, some faculty members are new to the discussion. As an introduction, here is a brief overview and definition by Cary Nelson:
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2010/12/21/nelson_on_academic_freedom
For a more detailed discussion, see his book No University Is An Island. While Nelson is writing in an American context, many of the trends and issues he identifies are relevant to the Canadian post-secondary community.