COVID-19
British Columbia doctor fired for refusing COVID shot loses appeal to return to work
From LifeSiteNews
The board ruled that Dr. Theresa Szezepaniak had the right to deny the experimental vaccine but is not immune ‘from the consequences of her decision.’
A British Columbia doctor has lost an appeal to keep working after being suspended for not receiving the experimental COVID-19 vaccine.
On November 20, the British Columbia Hospital Appeal Board ruled that Dr. Theresa Szezepaniak’s hospital privileges must remain suspended as she refuses the COVID vaccine mandated by the province to work in health care settings.
“This Panel acknowledges that the Appellant has the right to make decisions impacting her bodily integrity and accepts that she strongly and sincerely believes in her views,” the decision said. “That does not mean, however, that she is immune from the consequences of her decision.”
“Hospital privileges” is a health care term referring to authority which a hospital gives to a doctor or nurse to treat patients at that hospital.
According to the ruling, Szezepaniak will remain suspended “until such time as the Appellant is eligible to fulfill her service obligations,” meaning until she receives the COVID vaccine, or the province lifts the mandate.
The ruling further states that Szezepaniak’s privileges should be canceled if she is not eligible to work by the time of her annual review.
In March 2020, Szezepaniak, a doctor in the province for over 20 years, took a position at the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) in Kelowna.
On October 25, 2021, the health orders mandated that staff members receive the COVID vaccine to work in healthcare settings “unless they had received a COVID-19 vaccine or had been granted an exemption from the PHO.”
As a result, Szezepaniak was unable to work at RIH as of October 26 and filed for an exemption from the shot based on the argument that it violated her rights and freedoms. She supported her appeal with “numerous requests for information related to disclosure of scientific evidence regarding the vaccines and how Charter requirements were being met.”
Despite her evidence, Szezepaniak’s exemption was denied, and she was terminated from her position by the Interior Health Authority on November 19, 2021.
On Aug. 23, 2022, the decision was made official by the health authority board of directors who canceled her “medical staff appointment and hospital privileges, effective Aug. 19.”
Szezepaniak also warned the hospital that mandatory vaccination policies “were illegal” and that anyone who participated in enforcing the mandates “would be personally liable for all of the harms caused by the policies.”
On October 18, 2022, Szezepaniak filed an appeal of the Board of Directors’ decision; however, her appeal has now been denied
Despite the ruling, Szezepaniak has not given up on her fight and is reviewing the decision with her lawyer, Lee Turner.
“I expect our client will be making a decision shortly on whether she will pursue a judicial review of the decision,” Turner told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Szezepaniak is hardly alone in her fight against the vaccine mandates. In November, hundreds of British Columbia health care workers joined together to sue Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry for ongoing COVID shot mandates preventing them from working.
British Columbia is one of few provinces to maintain COVID jab mandates, despite a shortage of health care workers.
From LifeSiteNews
A judge ruled that the Ontario Court of Justice is already ‘satisfied’ with Chris Barber’s sentence and taking away his very livelihood would be ‘disproportionate.’
A Canadian judge has dismissed a demand from Canadian government lawyers to seize Freedom Convoy leader Chris Barber’s “Big Red” semi-truck.
On Friday, Ontario Court of Justice Judge Heather Perkins-McVey denied the Crown’s application seeking to forfeit Barber’s truck.
She ruled that the court is already “satisfied” with Barber’s sentence and taking away his very livelihood would be “disproportionate.”
“This truck is my livelihood,” said Barber in a press release sent to LifeSiteNews.
“Trying to permanently seize it for peacefully protesting was wrong, and I’m relieved the court refused to allow that to happen,” he added.
Criminal defense lawyer Marwa Racha Younes was welcoming of the ruling as well, stating, “We find it was the right decision in the circumstances and are happy with the outcome.”
John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), said the decision is “good news for all Canadians who cherish their Charter freedom to assemble peacefully.”
READ: Freedom Convoy protester appeals after judge dismissed challenge to frozen bank accounts
“Asset forfeiture is an extraordinary power, and it must not be used to punish Canadians for participating in peaceful protest,” he added in the press release.
As reported recently by LifeSiteNews, the Canadian government claimed that Barber’s truck is an “offence-related property” relating to his involvement in the 2022 protests against Canada’s COVID mandates.
At this time, the court ruling ends any forfeiture proceedings for the time being, however Barber will continue to try and appeal his criminal conviction and house arrest sentence.
Barber’s truck, a 2004 Kenworth long-haul he uses for business, was a focal point in the 2022 protests. He drove it to Ottawa, where it was parked for an extended period of time, but he complied when officials asked him to move it.
On October 7, 2025, after a long trial, Ontario Court Justice Perkins-McVey sentenced Barber and Tamara Lich, the other Freedom Convoy leader, to 18 months’ house arrest. They had been declared guilty of mischief for their roles as leaders of the 2022 protest against COVID mandates, and as social media influencers.
Lich and Barber have filed appeals of their own against their house arrest sentences, arguing that the trial judge did not correctly apply the law on their mischief charges.
Government lawyers for the Crown have filed an appeal of the acquittals of Lich and Barber on intimidation charges.
The pair’s convictions came after a nearly two-year trial despite the nonviolent nature of the popular movement.
From LifeSiteNews
Protestor Evan Blackman’s legal team argues Trudeau’s Emergencies Act-based bank account freezes were punitive state action tied directly to protest participation.
A Freedom Convoy protester whose bank accounts were frozen by the Canadian government says a judge erred after his ruling did not consider the fact that the funds were frozen under the Emergencies Act, as grounds for a stay of proceedings.
In a press release sent out earlier this week, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) said that Freedom Convoy protestor Evan Blackman will challenge a court ruling in his criminal case via an appeal with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
“This case raises serious questions about how peaceful protest is treated in Canada and about the lasting consequences of the federal government’s unlawful use of the Emergencies Act,” noted constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury. “The freezing of protestors’ bank accounts was part of a coordinated effort to suppress dissent, and courts ought to be willing to scrutinize that conduct.”
Blackman was arrested on February 18, 2022, during the police crackdown on Freedom Convoy protests against COVID restrictions, which was authorized by the Emergencies Act (EA). The EA was put in place by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, which claimed the protests were violent, despite no evidence that this was the case.
Blackman’s three bank accounts with TD Bank were frozen due to his participation in the Freedom Convoy, following a directive ordered by Trudeau.
As reported by LifeSiteNews, in November of this year, Blackman was convicted at his retrial even though he had been acquitted at his original trial. In 2023, Blackman’s “mischief” and “obstructing police” charges were dismissed by a judge due to lack of evidence and the “poor memory of a cop regarding key details of the alleged criminal offences.”
His retrial resulted in Blackman getting a conditional discharge along with 12 months’ probation and 122 hours of community service, along with a $200 victim fine surcharge.
After this, Blackman’s application for a stay of proceedings was dismissed by the court. He had hoped to have his stay of proceedings, under section 24(1) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, allowed. However, the judge ruled that the freezing of his bank accounts was legally not related to his arrest, and because of this, the stay of proceedings lacked standing.
The JCCF disagreed with this ruling, noting, it “stands in contrast to a Federal Court decision finding that the government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act was unreasonable and violated Canadians’ Charter rights, including those targeted by the financial measures used against Freedom Convoy protestors.”
As of press time, a hearing date has not been scheduled.
In 2024, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley ruled that Trudeau was “not justified” in invoking the Emergencies Act.
In early 2022, the Freedom Convoy saw thousands of Canadians from coast to coast come to Ottawa to demand an end to COVID mandates in all forms. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, Trudeau’s federal government enacted the EA in mid-February.
After the protesters were cleared out, which was achieved through the freezing of bank accounts of those involved without a court order as well as the physical removal and arrest of demonstrators, Trudeau revoked the EA on February 23, 2022.
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