BC Public Service Archives - BCPS Employees for Freedom Society

BCPSEF and UHCWBC ask Parties their Election Platforms

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 03:30:47 +0000

Election day is October 19, 2024

A general provincial election is set for October 19, 2024. Our last provincial general election was unexpectedly held during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward almost four years and British Columbians are heading to the ballot box again. What will that mean for our members, and British Columbians more widely?

Health Policies?

To answer that question, BCPSEF, along with United HealthCare Workers of BC, sent letters to all party leaders to ask them about their party’s position on the health issues that matter to us:

medical privacy, and
bodily autonomy.

Here’s our letters:

Letter to Mr. David Eby (PDF), Leader, BC New Democratic Party
Letter to Ms. Sonia Furstenau (PDF), Leader, BC Green Party
Letter to Mr. John Rustad (PDF), Leader, Conservative Party of BC

We’ll let you know what they have to say.

How can I get involved?

If you’d like to join us and are not yet a member, please visit one of the following links:

About the 2024 Provincial Election

The 2024 general election was called September 21 – writ day – and finishes on election day October 19. Advance voting runs October 10-13 and 15-16. Visit Elections BC for more information.

About BCPSEF

BCPS Employees for Freedom (BCPSEF) is a registered not-for-profit society in the Province of British Columbia. We are a diverse group of public servants who stand together for medical privacy and bodily autonomy.

We are leading a legal campaign to bring about accountability and justice for the B.C. government’s proof of COVID-19 vaccination mandate for BC Public Service employees that resulted in hundreds of unnecessary wrongful terminations, thousands of early retirements, and the violation of 38,000 public servants’ medical privacy and bodily autonomy. We hold regular member meetings and advocate on behalf of current and former public servants of municipal, provincial and federal government organizations, and publicly funded non-governmental organizations, in British Columbia.

United Healthcare Workers of BC has a similar mission for healthcare workers.

The post BCPSEF and UHCWBC ask Parties their Election Platforms appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with MLA John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C.

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 22:41:51 +0000

On June 18, 2024, John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes and leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, was our special guest at an online member meeting. Mr. Rustad is the first party leader to accept our invitation to speak with our members, prior to the fall provincial election.

Mr. Rustad spoke about his party’s priorities should they form government. They include: a focus on everyday people; restoring our collapsing healthcare system; dropping vaccine mandates and rehiring fired healthcare workers; easing the FOI process by making as much information public as is possible.

We’re grateful to Mr. Rustad for joining us as our guest.

We look forward to speaking with the other party leaders we invited to join us.

Our legal campaigns are critical, precedent-setting fights to ensure the preservation of all workers’ employment and Charter rights in British Columbia and Canada for generations to come.

We appreciate your support!

About BCPSEF

BCPS Employees for Freedom is a registered not-for-profit society in the Province of British Columbia. We are a diverse group of public servants who stand together for medical privacy and bodily autonomy to protect our colleagues, families, the communities we serve and future generations. Read more About us.

We invite everyone who supports our cause to join with us to protect and advance the rights and freedoms of all British Columbians.

To become a member, please visit our membership page. To support our legal campaign, please visit our donation page.

The post WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with MLA John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C. appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Charles Borg, Retired Military Officer

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 15:00:01 +0000

On May 22, 2024, special guest Charles Borg joined BCPSEF members at their monthly meeting. Mr. Borg is a retired military officer who is part of a mass tort lawsuit with 330 other Canadian military veterans affected by the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The group is being represented by Catherine Christensen, owner and founder of Valour Law.

We’re very grateful to Mr. Borg for joining us as our guest.

Our legal campaigns are critical, precedent-setting fights to ensure the preservation of all workers’ employment and Charter rights in British Columbia and Canada for generations to come.

We appreciate your support!

About BCPSEF

We invite everyone who supports our cause to join with us to protect and advance the rights and freedoms of all British Columbians.

To become a member, please visit our membership page. To support our legal campaign, please visit our donation page.

The post WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Charles Borg, Retired Military Officer appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Gail Davidson, Retired Human Rights Lawyer

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 01:39:01 +0000

On March 20, 2024, special guest Gail Davidson joined BCPSEF members at their monthly meeting. Gail is a retired human rights lawyer based in Metro Vancouver. She shared her knowledge about how the BC Government’s vaccine mandates violated employees’ human rights under Canadian and international laws. Gail has written articles about the COVID vaccines and given presentations about them.

We’re very grateful for Gail Davidson for joining us as our guest.

Gail’s slides from her BCPSEF Presentation (PDF)

Resource Articles

The Right to Say No to COVID-19 Vaccines: International Human Rights Law and the Unlawfulness of Vaccine Mandates (PDF) – Released for discussion 28 October 2021, by Gail Davidson

Gail Davidson’s Testimony at the National Citizens Inquiry – May 04, 2023

Gail Davidson’s Video Testimony at the National Citizens Inquiry – May 04, 2023 (Rumble)

Rights to Informed Consent violated by Mandates and the need for Accountability: Canada’s International Human Rights Law (IHRL) Obligations – UNEDITED VERSION (PDF) – 02.05.23, by Gail Davidson

Our legal campaigns are critical, precedent-setting fights to ensure the preservation of all workers’ employment and Charter rights in British Columbia and Canada for generations to come.

We appreciate your support!

About BCPSEF

We invite everyone who supports our cause to join with us to protect and advance the rights and freedoms of all British Columbians.

To become a member, please visit our membership page. To support our legal campaign, please visit our donation page.

The post WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Gail Davidson, Retired Human Rights Lawyer appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

BCPSEF & UHCWBC Present: A Conversation with John Rustad, MLA

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Thu, 23 May 2024 17:00:46 +0000

Save the Date

Date: Tuesday June 18, 2024 (Note: new date)
Time: 8:00PM – 9:00PM PDT (Note: new time)
Where: Online by Zoom
- Zoom link will be shared with members prior to the event

About the Meeting

As the province prepares for a fall election, BCPSEF and UHCWBC are jointly inviting all provincial party leaders to participate in online forums with our members. As such, the meeting is open only to members of BCPSEF or UHCWBC. Learn more about becoming a BCPSEF member.

About John Rustad

John was born and raised in Prince George, married his wife Kim in 1995, and has spent his entire life living in Northern British Columbia. However, in the early 2000’s, frustrated with the direction the province was headed, John had to decide between leaving for greener pastures or sticking around. Thankfully, he decided to stick around and in so doing, decided to fight for BC.

John was first elected as a school board trustee to SD-57 and then elected as MLA in 2005 for the riding of Prince George–Omineca. Later, after riding redistribution, John was re-elected in the riding of Nechako Lakes, and he has served there ever since.

Prior to being elected, John worked in the forestry industry for more than 20 years. He formed a technology company, Western Geographic Information Systems Inc, a consulting service for the resource sector, which helped to create opportunities, jobs and sustained growth for forestry, bringing prosperity to his community and the province.

After becoming an independent MLA, John joined the Conservative Party of BC because he realized that he must continue to fight and that he can’t do it alone. On March 24, 2023, John Rustad announced his intention to seek the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC, and on March 31, 2023, he was acclaimed leader.

John will join us for a discussion of the Conservative Party of BC’s take on a range of topics of interest to our members, including healthcare, personal freedoms, and what the future holds should the Conservatives form the next government.

Come prepared to listen, learn and ask questions.

About United Health Care Workers of BC (UHCWBC)

United Health Care Workers of BC (UHCWBC) is a registered not-for-profit society in the Province of British Columbia. UHCWBC is a large group of compassionate frontline Health Care Professionals who stand together for medical privacy and bodily autonomy. They advocate for the right of workers to make their own medical decisions, without being subjected to suspension or termination. UHCWBC stands in defence of patient care, against mandates and measures that have the potential to lead to the system’s collapse. Learn more about UHCWBC’s mission.

About BCPSEF

Become a BCPSEF Member

Any British Columbia resident may become a non-voting member of BCPS Employees for Freedom Society. Voting membership is open to any B.C. public servant, current or former, who has worked for a municipal, provincial, or federal government organization, or a publicly funded non-governmental organization in the province. Visit the BCPSEF Membership page to learn more about membership categories and sign up to Become a member.

We invite everyone who supports our cause to join with us to protect and advance the rights and freedoms of all British Columbians.

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BCPSEF and UHCWBC Extend Invitations to all BC Party Leaders

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Sat, 18 May 2024 17:00:51 +0000

There's an election coming

As most of us know, B.C. has a provincial general election scheduled for October 19, 2024 – a little over four months away. Our last provincial general election was held—a bit unexpectedly—during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward almost four years and British Columbians are heading to the ballot box again.

A lot has happened in that time, particularly for BCPSEF members and our supporters. We’ve lived through events many of us never imagined we would, as Canadians, in our own country. For some people, nothing has changed. For others, the COVID years shifted the way we think about our world, our communities, our work, our health, and our rights.

Invitation Letters

To help us decide who we want to lead our province in the next four years, BCPSEF, along with the United HealthCare Workers of BC, have invited all party leaders to join us for individual member meetings to discuss their party’s policies and vision for B.C.’s future. This includes invitations sent March 18 to:

Invitation Letter to Mr. David Eby (PDF), Leader, BC New Democratic Party
Invitation Letter to Mr. Kevin Falcon (PDF), Leader, BC United
Invitation Letter to Ms. Sonia Furstenau (PDF), Leader, BC Green Party
Invitation Letter to Mr. John Rustad (PDF), Leader, Conservative Party of BC

BCPSEF looks forward to keeping you updated on who we hear from, and who has accepted our invitations.

Who has responded to and/or accepted our invitations?

Mr. John Rustad, Leader, Conservative Party of BC: Accepted: John will join us online June 18, 2024 at 8 p.m.
No Response Yet: Mr. David Eby, Leader, BC New Democratic Party: Mr. Kevin Falcon, Leader, BC United: Ms. Sonia Furstenau, Leader, BC Green Party;

How can I participate?

Meetings with party leaders are for members only; If you’d like to join us and are not yet a member, please visit one of the follwing links:

About the 2024 Provincial Election

According to the Elections BC website, Writ Day – the day the election is called and the campaign period begins, is September 21, 2024. Advance voting runs October 10-13 and 15-16. Election day is October 19.

Elections BC has a list of candidates who have filed a standing nomination with Elections BC (see See https://elections.bc.ca/2024-provincial-election/candidate-list/). Standing nominations are candidate nominations submitted before a general election is called. Standing nominations can be filed with Elections BC at any time before September 21, 2024. More information about the 2024 provincial election is available at https://elections.bc.ca/2024-provincial-election/.

About BCPSEF

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BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Charles Borg

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Fri, 03 May 2024 18:00:48 +0000

Charles Borg is a retired military officer who is part of a mass tort lawsuit with 330 other Canadian military veterans affected by the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The group is being represented by Catherine Christensen, owner and founder of Valour Law.

Hear the stunning testimony Ms. Christensen provided about this legal case at the 2023 National Citizens Inquiry.

Charles also ran as a municipal candidate in North Cowichan in 2022, and is now running to be the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the Cowichan Malahat Langford (CML) riding in the next federal election.

Charles will tell us about the law suit he and other military veterans are involved in, and his observations – as a potential CPC candidate in a local riding – of needed changes to protect medical privacy and bodily autonomy.

Save the Date

Date: Wednesday May 22, 2024
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pacific
Where: Online by Zoom
- Zoom link will be shared with members prior to the event

Who can participate? All BCPSEF society members in good standing.

Memberships expire at the end of March each year, so be sure to Renew your Membership or Become a member today.

The post BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Charles Borg appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

WATCH: BCPSEF Presents: Discussion with Suzanne Anton, KC, and Special Guests from UHCWBC & BCPU

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 18:51:38 +0000

Purolator Canada Arbitration Decision Discussion

On January 23, 2024, special guest Suzanne Anton, KC joined BCPS Employees for Freedom members, together with members of United Healthcare Workers of BC and BC Paramedics United, for a discussion on the Purolator Canada arbitration decision refuting Dr. Bonnie Henry’s rationale for ongoing COVID-19 workplace vaccine mandates, the Federal Court of Canada decision (PDF) that found the federal government had illegally invoked the Emergencies Act to crush the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa in 2022, and the corruption and politicization of B.C. labour unions by the BC NDP government.

Watch the video here:

We’re very grateful for Ms. Anton and members of UHCWBC and BCPU for joining us as our guests. You can follow Suzanne on X at: @SuzanneAnton

Our legal campaigns are critical, precedent-setting fights to ensure the preservation of all workers’ employment and Charter rights in British Columbia and Canada for generations to come.

We appreciate your support!

About BCPSEF

To become a member, please visit our membership page. To support our legal campaign, please visit our donation page.

The post WATCH: BCPSEF Presents: Discussion with Suzanne Anton, KC, and Special Guests from UHCWBC & BCPU appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

The Canadian Independent: B.C. Purolator employees and owner-operators win victory in Covid-19 vaccine mandate arbitration ruling

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:00:56 +0000

Members of Teamsters Local Union No. 31 in Prince George, B.C filed several grievances against Purolator over its Covid-19 vaccination policy on January 10, 2022.

As outlined in the summary of the ruling’s background, the union was not contesting the initial effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing infection during the summer and fall of 2021. Instead, they put forth the argument that the efficacy had markedly diminished by the emergence of the Omicron variant in early 2022.

Arbitrator Nicholas Glass says in his ruling that after reviewing expert evidence the “argument that unvaccinated workers once infected were more infectious than vaccinated workers once infected” was found “to be inconclusive” and that “It did not amount to a valid reason for the mandate.”

The ruling orders Purolator to compensate hourly paid employees for their losses, including any lost wages and benefits, between July 1, 2022, and their first day of work following May 1, 2023.

Additionally, the ruling instructs Purolator to compensate owner-operators for their losses starting from the first date they incurred revenue loss due to being denied the use of a vaccinated relief driver.

The post The Canadian Independent: B.C. Purolator employees and owner-operators win victory in Covid-19 vaccine mandate arbitration ruling appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

MEDIA RELEASE: Plaintiff Launches Class Action Lawsuit

BCPS for Freedom Action Team — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 15:00:46 +0000

For Immediate Release: November 29, 2023

VICTORIA – The BCPS Employees for Freedom Society (BCPSEF) is pleased to announce a class action lawsuit has been launched by representative plaintiff and BCPSEF member, Jason Baldwin, on behalf of all unionized employees of the B.C. Public Service over the Province of B.C.’s proof of COVID-19 vaccination mandate imposed on provincial government employees in November 2021. The plaintiff’s claim is against the Province of B.C. and British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.

The plaintiff has filed this action because the Province’s COVID-19 employee vaccine mandate, enacted by executive order of the provincial Cabinet, was contrary to public service employees’ Charter rights and violated their medical privacy and bodily autonomy.

Although the action has been launched by one plaintiff, it is being brought on behalf of all unionized employees of the BC Public Service harmed by the Province’s vaccine mandate. As such, it has the potential to assert the rights of tens of thousands of unionized public servants in British Columbia.

The action claims the Public Health Officer committed the tort of misfeasance by:

having no basis in fact to justify the information, data, and advice she provided and upon which the Province relied to develop its employee vaccination policy, and
wilfully or recklessly ignored known potential risks of adverse events associated with the COVID-19 vaccination in providing advice to the Province.

The action further claims the Province violated employees’ rights under s.2d — freedom of association — of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and that forced disclosure of private medical information violated common law and statutory privacy rights.

The plaintiff seeks compensation through an award for aggravated and punitive damages. The plaintiff has retained counsel Umar Sheikh of Sheikh Law to represent him in this matter.

Read the plaintiff’s Notice of Civil Claim filed October 30, 2023 (PDF)

The most important step in this legal battle is to ensure the class is certified. For that, the plaintiff must show the court he has the financial ability to fund the case. This is why BCPSEF is supporting this action and asking people to help raise funds for the plaintiff. If the plaintiff can’t demonstrate the ability to cover these costs, the class action will not be certified, leaving thousands of affected employees affected by the mandates with no legal options for recourse.

MEDIA RELEASE: B.C. Public Servant & Health Care Worker Class Action Lawsuits to Seek Certification Together

For Immediate Release: January 16, 2025

VICTORIA – The certification hearing for two class action lawsuits, launched on behalf of civil servants and health care workers who were affected by the provincial COVID-19 vaccine mandates, will be held April 28 to May 2, 2025 in B.C. Supreme Court.

The representative plaintiffs for the lawsuits are members of the BCPS Employees for Freedom Society (BCPSEF) and United Health Care Workers of BC Society (UHCWBC), respectively.

United We Stand

BCPS Employees for Freedom is a non-partisan public-service employee group and registered not-for-profit society seeking an amicable solution on behalf of its members with their employer. The group is a growing association of public servants from a wide range of professional backgrounds and disciplines, and includes both management and regular employees. Collectively, we have thousands of years of faithful public service behind us, and we look forward to performing many more. We are trying to resolve our current employment situation by writing and communicating with our employer, public officials and the public, and undertaking legal action only as a last resort.

Media inquiries concerning the BCPSEF’s support of this plaintiff can be directed to media@bcpsforfreedom.com

The post MEDIA RELEASE: Plaintiff Launches Class Action Lawsuit appeared first on BCPS Employees for Freedom Society.

BC Public Service Archives - BCPS Employees for Freedom Society

BCPSEF and UHCWBC ask Parties their Election Platforms

Election day is October 19, 2024

Health Policies?

How can I get involved?

About the 2024 Provincial Election

About BCPSEF

WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with MLA John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C.

About BCPSEF

WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Charles Borg, Retired Military Officer

About BCPSEF

WATCH – BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Gail Davidson, Retired Human Rights Lawyer

Resource Articles

About BCPSEF

BCPSEF & UHCWBC Present: A Conversation with John Rustad, MLA

MLA: John Rustad

Save the Date

About the Meeting

About John Rustad

About United Health Care Workers of BC (UHCWBC)

About BCPSEF

Become a BCPSEF Member

BCPSEF and UHCWBC Extend Invitations to all BC Party Leaders

There's an election coming

Invitation Letters

Who has responded to and/or accepted our invitations?

How can I participate?

About the 2024 Provincial Election

About BCPSEF

BCPSEF Presents: A Conversation with Charles Borg

Charles Borg

Save the Date

WATCH: BCPSEF Presents: Discussion with Suzanne Anton, KC, and Special Guests from UHCWBC & BCPU

Purolator Canada Arbitration Decision Discussion

About BCPSEF

The Canadian Independent: B.C. Purolator employees and owner-operators win victory in Covid-19 vaccine mandate arbitration ruling

MEDIA RELEASE: Plaintiff Launches Class Action Lawsuit

MEDIA RELEASE: B.C. Public Servant & Health Care Worker Class Action Lawsuits to Seek Certification Together

United We Stand