During court proceedings challenging the Alberta government’s lockdown measures, lawyers Jeff Rath and Leighton Grey are looking deeper into suicides in Alberta and whether lockdowns were a contributing factor..Jeff Rath, a Calgary-area lawyer with Rath & Company, along with Leighton Grey who was contracted by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), have teamed up to represent claimants currently suing the Alberta government for its public health restrictions throughout the pandemic..The two have issued a letter addressed to Dr. Thambirajah Balachandra, Alberta’s chief medical examiner, pertaining to suicides that could be attributable to lockdown measures..“Please be advised that, in giving her evidence in the Ingram case, Dr. Hinshaw advised that she did not know how many suicides in the province of Alberta in 2021 were either directly or indirectly caused by the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) orders that she issued since the start of the COVID pandemic under Section 29 of the Public Health Act,” said the letter..The letter states the number of fatalities for persons under the age of 30 that can be attributed to COVID-19 “can be counted on one hand.”.“Accordingly, to the extent that more than five suicides can be attributed either directly or indirectly to Dr. Hinshaw’s orders, Dr. Hinshaw may in fact be responsible, either directly or indirectly, for more deaths of persons under the age of 30 than COVID-19,” said the letter..“Further, Dr. Hinshaw has indicated under oath that she is not aware of how many suicides in 2021 were either directly or indirectly attributable to business bankruptcies that may have been directly or indirectly caused by her Sec. 29 orders.”.Rath indicated in the letter that cases of eating disorders, self-harm and attempted suicides by minors have increased over the pandemic “since the advent of Dr. Hinshaw’s CMOH orders.”.He also said Hinshaw, while being cross-examined, indicated questions pertaining to suicides, whether directly or indirectly attributed to CMOH orders, would be better addressed to the Chief Medical Examiner..Rath said he would like to see every suicide in 2021 investigated to determine whether, directly or indirectly, any were a result of CMOH lockdown orders..“Mr. Grey and myself are both extremely concerned that Dr. Hinshaw is promulgating these orders in complete ignorance of the effects they are having on young people, or she doesn’t care to know or has failed to make the appropriate inquiries,” Rath told the Western Standard in an exclusive interview..“It’s well known the impacts of these orders on children and young adults have been devastating.”.“Before the government again looks to lock up our young people, we need to know whether these orders are driving suicides.”.Rath said he and Grey are requesting a medical examiner investigate all suicides in the province for 2021 to determine how many can be tied to lockdown measures in order to “evaluate the cost versus benefits” of Hinshaw’s CMOH orders..Rath also requested the investigation be undertaken to provide the Fatality Review Board with a report to determine whether it should call for a public inquiry into the matter..The letter requested the matters be addressed with the “utmost urgency” so as to prevent any further deaths by suicide due to any future planned lockdown measures..“Dr. Hinshaw refuses to accept any responsibility for harms caused by her orders whether it’s the destruction of businesses or human lives,” said Rath..The Western Standard contacted Alberta’s chief medical examiner but did not receive a comment on the matter in time for publishing..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
During court proceedings challenging the Alberta government’s lockdown measures, lawyers Jeff Rath and Leighton Grey are looking deeper into suicides in Alberta and whether lockdowns were a contributing factor..Jeff Rath, a Calgary-area lawyer with Rath & Company, along with Leighton Grey who was contracted by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), have teamed up to represent claimants currently suing the Alberta government for its public health restrictions throughout the pandemic..The two have issued a letter addressed to Dr. Thambirajah Balachandra, Alberta’s chief medical examiner, pertaining to suicides that could be attributable to lockdown measures..“Please be advised that, in giving her evidence in the Ingram case, Dr. Hinshaw advised that she did not know how many suicides in the province of Alberta in 2021 were either directly or indirectly caused by the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) orders that she issued since the start of the COVID pandemic under Section 29 of the Public Health Act,” said the letter..The letter states the number of fatalities for persons under the age of 30 that can be attributed to COVID-19 “can be counted on one hand.”.“Accordingly, to the extent that more than five suicides can be attributed either directly or indirectly to Dr. Hinshaw’s orders, Dr. Hinshaw may in fact be responsible, either directly or indirectly, for more deaths of persons under the age of 30 than COVID-19,” said the letter..“Further, Dr. Hinshaw has indicated under oath that she is not aware of how many suicides in 2021 were either directly or indirectly attributable to business bankruptcies that may have been directly or indirectly caused by her Sec. 29 orders.”.Rath indicated in the letter that cases of eating disorders, self-harm and attempted suicides by minors have increased over the pandemic “since the advent of Dr. Hinshaw’s CMOH orders.”.He also said Hinshaw, while being cross-examined, indicated questions pertaining to suicides, whether directly or indirectly attributed to CMOH orders, would be better addressed to the Chief Medical Examiner..Rath said he would like to see every suicide in 2021 investigated to determine whether, directly or indirectly, any were a result of CMOH lockdown orders..“Mr. Grey and myself are both extremely concerned that Dr. Hinshaw is promulgating these orders in complete ignorance of the effects they are having on young people, or she doesn’t care to know or has failed to make the appropriate inquiries,” Rath told the Western Standard in an exclusive interview..“It’s well known the impacts of these orders on children and young adults have been devastating.”.“Before the government again looks to lock up our young people, we need to know whether these orders are driving suicides.”.Rath said he and Grey are requesting a medical examiner investigate all suicides in the province for 2021 to determine how many can be tied to lockdown measures in order to “evaluate the cost versus benefits” of Hinshaw’s CMOH orders..Rath also requested the investigation be undertaken to provide the Fatality Review Board with a report to determine whether it should call for a public inquiry into the matter..The letter requested the matters be addressed with the “utmost urgency” so as to prevent any further deaths by suicide due to any future planned lockdown measures..“Dr. Hinshaw refuses to accept any responsibility for harms caused by her orders whether it’s the destruction of businesses or human lives,” said Rath..The Western Standard contacted Alberta’s chief medical examiner but did not receive a comment on the matter in time for publishing..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
