The defamation trial of Barry Neufeld wrapped up Tuesday (Nov. 21) in Chilliwack Law Courts.
The six-day trial was the upshot of the civil lawsuit between trustee Carin Bondar and former trustee Neufeld.
Counsel for the plaintiff Susanna Quail and defence counsel Paul Jaffe presented arguments and cross examination of the two witnesses in turn.
The lawsuit alleged that former school trustee Neufeld defamed Bondar when he called her a 香蕉视频直播渟triptease artist.香蕉视频直播�
The 香蕉视频直播渟triptease artist香蕉视频直播� comment about Bondar by Neufeld came 24 minutes into an hour-long internet talk show aired on Sept. 21, 2022 from Action4Canada called the Empower Hour, which was replayed in court.
Quail framed the striptease remark for the court as 香蕉视频直播渇alse, injurious and not defensible as fair comment.香蕉视频直播�
It was hurtful and stressful for Bondar to have her reputation as an accomplished science educator wholly replaced with 香蕉视频直播渁n entirely fictional narrative that she is an underdog striptease artist,香蕉视频直播� Quail said in court, and general and aggravated damages are being sought.
Some people actually believed the remark, and told Bondar that they had voted for her even 香蕉视频直播渄espite her past.香蕉视频直播�
Quail clarified that Bondar香蕉视频直播檚 PhD dissertation focused on animal reproduction and led to an interest in popular science education.
But 香蕉视频直播渋t香蕉视频直播檚 not actually about human sexuality,香蕉视频直播� Quail underlined. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 about animal biology.香蕉视频直播� And it often uses pop culture to 香蕉视频直播渆ngage viewers,香蕉视频直播� she said.
The online content the science educator has produced 香蕉视频直播渋s mildly titillating in a silly way,香蕉视频直播� Quail said.
Bondar香蕉视频直播檚 work has been featured worldwide on the Discovery Channel, the Science Channel, National Geographic, Scientific American and Animal One, and racked up millions of views.
Quail took the question to Neufeld: 香蕉视频直播淎nd it was your honest belief that the most accurate way to describe her was as a striptease artist?香蕉视频直播� referring to the Sept. 21, 2022 appearance on the Empower Hour.
Neufeld responded: 香蕉视频直播淎mong other things, she香蕉视频直播檚 an eminent scientist who also happens to be a striptease artist.香蕉视频直播�
Quail pointed out that he didn香蕉视频直播檛 mention any of those other qualities.
He called the video 香蕉视频直播渧ulgar香蕉视频直播� and clarified that on the broadcast all he said was: 香蕉视频直播淩ichard Procee had lost the byelection to that striptease artist.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 mention her by name,香蕉视频直播� Neufeld testified.
Asked if it was his view that the Organisms Do Evolve video was 香蕉视频直播渁 striptease video,香蕉视频直播� he replied: 香蕉视频直播淣ot primarily. It was a parody of Miley Cyrus song.香蕉视频直播� The main purpose 香蕉视频直播渨as to swing back and forth naked on a wrecking ball singing 香蕉视频直播業 came in like a wrecking ball.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
Then was it something else 香蕉视频直播減rimarily?香蕉视频直播� Quail asked.
香蕉视频直播淵es. It was a mocking insult of people who believe in creation,香蕉视频直播� Neufeld said.
香蕉视频直播淪o you don香蕉视频直播檛 think she香蕉视频直播檚 a striptease artist?香蕉视频直播� Quail later asked.
香蕉视频直播淪he was on that particular occasion,香蕉视频直播� Neufeld stated.
Quail said Bondar was subjected to a 香蕉视频直播渉ostile, argumentative, demeaning and unnecessarily lengthy cross examination香蕉视频直播� by the opposing counsel.
香蕉视频直播淒efendant香蕉视频直播檚 counsel asked Dr. Bondar questions that gratuitously falsely described her performance in the Organisms Do Evolve video as involving writhing on the floor, simulating orgasms and more.香蕉视频直播�
Jaffe cross-examined Bondar for almost three days before putting Neufeld on the witness stand.
He contended Neufeld香蕉视频直播檚 use of the descriptor 香蕉视频直播渟triptease artist香蕉视频直播� was an 香蕉视频直播渉onestly held belief香蕉视频直播� mentioned in passing during the Zoom meeting of his followers.
Jaffe suggested the 香蕉视频直播渃ontroversy香蕉视频直播� about Bondar香蕉视频直播檚 work pre-dated Neufeld香蕉视频直播檚 comment, but she insisted it started after the comment.
Jaffe said during his cross that Bondar resisted conceding 香蕉视频直播渙bvious facts香蕉视频直播� like the ongoing rift in the Chilliwack School District over SOGI 123.
Jaffe described Bondar under cross as 香蕉视频直播渆vasive, argumentative, dismissive, contradictory and confrontational.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎nd so my friend is absolutely right. It was a long, difficult cross examination.香蕉视频直播�
The three defences that counsel for Neufeld filed in connection with the suit were: justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.
Neufeld was asked why he posted Bondar香蕉视频直播檚 video, Organisms do Evolve, on his social media.
香蕉视频直播淲ell, I thought it was a matter of public interest. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 think the public should know that this was an appropriate behaviour for anyone involved in the governance or supervision of children,香蕉视频直播� Neufeld testified.
It was because trustees have to maintain the 香蕉视频直播渉ighest morality,香蕉视频直播� he noted.
The few frames of her appearing nude 香蕉视频直播渨as probably not as disturbing as, as some of the other lewd acts that were being performed in that video,香蕉视频直播� Jaffe said.
Neufeld added: 香蕉视频直播淚 found all those images very disturbing.香蕉视频直播�
He later said regarding Bondar香蕉视频直播檚 work: 香蕉视频直播淚 have three adult daughters, an adult stepdaughter and a granddaughter.
香蕉视频直播淚 do not think Carin Bondar香蕉视频直播檚 behaviour online is a positive example for women. I honour and respect women, and I believe her portrayals of femininity degrades women.香蕉视频直播�
Quail said: 香蕉视频直播淚n this case, Mr. Neufeld pled justification and relies on the defence of justification knowing that his remark about Dr. Bondar was false and misleading.香蕉视频直播�
Bondar feels that her 香蕉视频直播測ears of hard work and accomplishments香蕉视频直播� as a scientist and science educator have been erased, her lawyer noted.
Bondar said she felt subjected to a 香蕉视频直播渢irade of misogyny that would not stop香蕉视频直播� and said it why women don香蕉视频直播檛 often dive into politics.
香蕉视频直播淒r. Bondar testified that she now has to contend with a new identity in the public realm,香蕉视频直播� Quail added.
Closing arguments were heard Tuesday before Justice Michael Stephens, the presiding judge, and his decision on the matter will be forthcoming.
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