A British Columbia-based non-profit known for its various legal challenges directed at the province's COVID-19 mandates wants to live broadcast a BC Supreme Court hearing — which has never been done..The Canadian Society for the Advancement of Science in Public Policy (CSASPP) filed its class action suit against provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry on January 26, 2021..The class action — not to be mistaken with CSASPP’s forward-moving vaccine passport petition and petition for healthcare workers — aims to hold Henry accountable for the province’s COVID-related measures implemented in March of 2020, when Henry declared a state of emergency..Contingent upon a December 2022 certification hearing, trial dates have been locked in for April 2023..Regarding public access to its hearings, CSASPP has noted instances where people wanting to attend previous hearings have been unable to get a seat in the gallery..“Others have mobility issues because they are disabled, making it impractical to get to the courthouse,” said CSASPP’s executive director, Kip Warner..“And yet others are able bodied, but simply cannot afford to travel from Hope to Vancouver with the rising cost of fuel.”.The organization has what it calls a "simple solution," and that is to broadcast its hearings live to the public over the internet..“The problem is this has never been done in the Supreme Court of British Columbia before and there is no jurisprudence instructing the court on what to do,” said Warner, adding that the judge is “sympathetic” to having the proceedings made more widely accessible..The judge, according to Warner, recommended bringing a formal application to expand the “constitutionally protected” open court principle, which provides the public the right to observe the court process — albeit in an often archaic fashion..After reviewing the literature, Warner says he believes the court is more likely than not to be willing to “redefine what open court means in the 21st century," and will therefore bring the application which will be heard before Justice Crerar..“If we prevail, again, this will establish a precedent that will have ramifications across the province, if not nationally, for other proceedings," said Warner..CSASPP aims to quickly raise $25,000 in order to begin drafting the application, which anyone can donate to here..“If we obtain a favourable judgment we can reassure everyone that they will be able to attend our certification, Dr. Bonnie Henry’s trial, and any other hearings, no matter their location or means,” said Warner..When asked about circulating concerns regarding another BC-based organization’s use of donor funds, and why donors should trust CSASPP, Warner told the Western Standard his team will continue to offer financial transparency for donors wanting to look at its books — further reiterating the organization’s stringent oversight of its retained counsel and adherence to non-partisanship.."The client must be diligent in the supervision of a lawyer’s work, and part of that responsibility includes the obligation to remain cognizant that a lawyer is as capable of a conflict of interest as any other person, even with the lawyer's mechanical recitation of the Code of Professional Conduct," writes CSASPP on its website.
