The Crown is asking the Federal Court to dismiss a class-action lawsuit by Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who say they were harmed by the COVID-19 vaccine mandates, arguing the claims are insufficient and there are adequate alternative remedies for the plaintiffs.
“We’re not talking about the individuals or what they’ve gone through,” said government lawyer Barry Benkendorf. “We’re talking about the legal impact of their action in terms of it being frivolous, which means that there’s not a legal basis for it, and if we proceeded to trial, it would not be successful.”
In June 2023, about 330 active or former CAF members filed a lawsuit seeking $500 million in damages, alleging that the military “rushed an untested product” onto members, made false statements about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, and gave no option to members except removal from service. The lawsuit was filed against military leaders including then-Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre, then-Minister of National Defence Anita Anand, and others….