BY PAMELA FAYERMAN

A hearing into whether a pandemic-related lawsuit will proceed as a class action has been scheduled for the week of June 20, 2022.

The lawsuit spearheaded by Kip Warner and a group calling itself the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Science and Public Policy alleges that pandemic emergency public health orders are unjustified and draconian.

The B.C. government is also named as a defendant in the suit.

The plaintiffs allege that Henry and the government have misrepresented the severity of COVID-19 and that individuals’ constitutional rights were infringed by public health orders which caused many harms and restricted their freedoms.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice David A. Crerar presided over a teleconference between the parties earlier this month. Spokespeople for the Attorney General said a potential trial date has been set for April 2023.

“(But) The feasibility of proceeding on the April 2023 trial dates will be revisited after the certification hearing.

“That hearing will determine which aspects of the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Science in Public Policy’s challenge to the various emergency and public health orders made over the course of the pandemic are certified to proceed to a common issues trial, if any.”

A web-based fundraising campaign has attracted over 470 donors and raised over $92,000, just short of the $100,000 goal.

Meanwhile, the government’s announcement this week that proof of vaccination will soon be required for those wanting to go to events like concerts, sports competitions, movie theatres, restaurants, nightclubs and casinos has caused a flood of messages to my inbox from those who think their rights are being trampled upon.

Said one writer:

“Considering the new actions taken to paralyze the unvaccinated, I wonder what Mr. Warner might do with this nonsense and what we as the general public can do to assist.
Anything you can share on the most recent guidelines and restrictions or actions being created to fund another class-action suit vs Bonnie Henry and the BC government is of value.”

Another wrote:

“Just wondering if you know of any Class Actions against the BC government for the travel passes.  I am sick of the bulling (sic) and taking my body and rights away.  I would like to join a Class Action.”

To wit, I will indeed respond to these and all other like-minded individuals: unless you have legitimate medical reasons for not getting vaccinated, do it now or we will never get to the other side of this pandemic.

pamela@medicinematters.ca

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