A Saskatchewan surgeon, Dr. Francis Christian, has filed a lawsuit against the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) for his termination over public statements about the use of COVID-19 vaccines on children..The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) is representing Dr. Christian, who was a professor at the USask and now a retired surgeon in Saskatoon..In June 2021, Dr. Christian was suspended by USask from all his teaching responsibilities and terminated as of September 2021..Later the same day, the SHA terminated Dr. Christian from his surgical position..Dr. Christian’s lawsuit is based on his rights of expression and conscience protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were violated by USask, College of Medicine (COM), and the SHA..The COM is also alleged to have violated his academic freedom rights..The SHA responded to the Western Standard about Dr. Christian’s lawsuit, “The SHA has received a Statement of Claim from Dr. Francis Christian. The SHA will be reviewing the claim and preparing a response. The SHA has no further comment at this time.”.Dr. Christian’s lawsuit says SHA’s former president and CEO Scott Livingstone and Dean of the COM, Dr. Preston Smith, publicly defamed him leading to his early retirement in 2022..“The Saskatchewan Health Authority and the College have violated Dr. Christian’s Charter-protected freedoms of expression and conscience. The College’s conduct is a gross violation of the principles of academic freedom and scientific inquiry,” said Andre Memauri, a JCCF lawyer..“The defamatory statements made by some of the defendants against Dr. Christian add insult to injury, and Dr. Christian will pursue justice accordingly.”.Dr. Christian released a statement to the news media and over 200 doctors with his concerns about giving children the COVID-19 vaccines on June 17, 2021..He clearly stated he did not represent the SHA or USask or any other groups and that he is pro-vaccine..“I speak to you directly as a physician, a surgeon, and a fellow human being,” said Dr. Christian..He released the statement because he said informed consent was not necessarily happening with the COVID-19 vaccines..People need to be “fully aware of the risks of the medical intervention, the benefits of the intervention, and if any alternatives exist to the intervention,” said Dr. Christian..“This should apply particularly to a new vaccine that has never before been tried in humans … before the vaccine is rolled out to children, both children and parents must know the risks of mRNA vaccines.” .Dr. Christian said he had yet to come across “a single vaccinated child or parent who had, in his view, been adequately informed” about children’s COVID-19 vaccines..In the statement, Dr. Christian talked about the large and growing “network of ethical, moral physicians, and scientists” who do not believe children should receive the COVID-19 vaccines without informed consent..“We now have [had] the benefit of scientific literature for approximately a year since Dr. Christian made his statements, and the examination of such literature by eminent scientists and physicians around the world indicate that Dr. Christian was accurate and his statements have held the test of time,” Memauri told the Western Standard..COM had an investigator look at Dr. Christian’s public statements and COM refused to turn over the report but said that his statements were in “a civil manner, in good faith" and that "he did not engage in unprofessional conduct or act contrary to the safety of individuals and the public.”.“The censorship of esteemed medical professionals in Canada during the COVID pandemic is profoundly disturbing. Canadians ought to be able to benefit from scientific discourse, inquiry, and debate, and hear divergent opinions from well respected doctors and scientists,” said Allison Pejovic, a JCCF lawyer and co-counsel for Dr. Christian..“Legitimate concerns stemming from scientific research ought to be discussed and debated. Instead they have often been suppressed and muted, which is both unscientific and undemocratic.”.USask and COM did not respond to requests for comment.
