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 乌鸦传媒渟triptease artist.乌鸦传媒�
The 乌鸦传媒渟triptease artist乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒渇alse, injurious and not defensible as fair comment.乌鸦传媒�
It was hurtful and stressful for Bondar to have her reputation as an accomplished science educator wholly replaced with 乌鸦传媒渁n entirely fictional narrative that she is an underdog striptease artist,乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒渄espite her past.乌鸦传媒�
Quail clarified that Bondar乌鸦传媒檚 PhD dissertation focused on animal reproduction and led to an interest in popular science education.
But 乌鸦传媒渋t乌鸦传媒檚 not actually about human sexuality,乌鸦传媒� Quail underlined. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 about animal biology.乌鸦传媒� And it often uses pop culture to 乌鸦传媒渆ngage viewers,乌鸦传媒� she said.
The online content the science educator has produced 乌鸦传媒渋s mildly titillating in a silly way,乌鸦传媒� Quail said.
Bondar乌鸦传媒檚 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: 乌鸦传媒淎nd it was your honest belief that the most accurate way to describe her was as a striptease artist?乌鸦传媒� referring to the Sept. 21, 2022 appearance on the Empower Hour.
Neufeld responded: 乌鸦传媒淎mong other things, she乌鸦传媒檚 an eminent scientist who also happens to be a striptease artist.乌鸦传媒�
Quail pointed out that he didn乌鸦传媒檛 mention any of those other qualities.
He called the video 乌鸦传媒渧ulgar乌鸦传媒� and clarified that on the broadcast all he said was: 乌鸦传媒淩ichard Procee had lost the byelection to that striptease artist.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚 didn乌鸦传媒檛 mention her by name,乌鸦传媒� Neufeld testified.
Asked if it was his view that the Organisms Do Evolve video was 乌鸦传媒渁 striptease video,乌鸦传媒� he replied: 乌鸦传媒淣ot primarily. It was a parody of Miley Cyrus song.乌鸦传媒� The main purpose 乌鸦传媒渨as to swing back and forth naked on a wrecking ball singing 乌鸦传媒業 came in like a wrecking ball.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
Then was it something else 乌鸦传媒減rimarily?乌鸦传媒� Quail asked.
乌鸦传媒淵es. It was a mocking insult of people who believe in creation,乌鸦传媒� Neufeld said.
乌鸦传媒淪o you don乌鸦传媒檛 think she乌鸦传媒檚 a striptease artist?乌鸦传媒� Quail later asked.
乌鸦传媒淪he was on that particular occasion,乌鸦传媒� Neufeld stated.
Quail said Bondar was subjected to a 乌鸦传媒渉ostile, argumentative, demeaning and unnecessarily lengthy cross examination乌鸦传媒� by the opposing counsel.
乌鸦传媒淒efendant乌鸦传媒檚 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.乌鸦传媒�
Jaffe cross-examined Bondar for almost three days before putting Neufeld on the witness stand.
He contended Neufeld乌鸦传媒檚 use of the descriptor 乌鸦传媒渟triptease artist乌鸦传媒� was an 乌鸦传媒渉onestly held belief乌鸦传媒� mentioned in passing during the Zoom meeting of his followers.
Jaffe suggested the 乌鸦传媒渃ontroversy乌鸦传媒� about Bondar乌鸦传媒檚 work pre-dated Neufeld乌鸦传媒檚 comment, but she insisted it started after the comment.
Jaffe said during his cross that Bondar resisted conceding 乌鸦传媒渙bvious facts乌鸦传媒� like the ongoing rift in the Chilliwack School District over SOGI 123.
Jaffe described Bondar under cross as 乌鸦传媒渆vasive, argumentative, dismissive, contradictory and confrontational.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淎nd so my friend is absolutely right. It was a long, difficult cross examination.乌鸦传媒�
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乌鸦传媒檚 video, Organisms do Evolve, on his social media.
乌鸦传媒淲ell, I thought it was a matter of public interest. I didn乌鸦传媒檛 think the public should know that this was an appropriate behaviour for anyone involved in the governance or supervision of children,乌鸦传媒� Neufeld testified.
It was because trustees have to maintain the 乌鸦传媒渉ighest morality,乌鸦传媒� he noted.
The few frames of her appearing nude 乌鸦传媒渨as probably not as disturbing as, as some of the other lewd acts that were being performed in that video,乌鸦传媒� Jaffe said.
Neufeld added: 乌鸦传媒淚 found all those images very disturbing.乌鸦传媒�
He later said regarding Bondar乌鸦传媒檚 work: 乌鸦传媒淚 have three adult daughters, an adult stepdaughter and a granddaughter.
乌鸦传媒淚 do not think Carin Bondar乌鸦传媒檚 behaviour online is a positive example for women. I honour and respect women, and I believe her portrayals of femininity degrades women.乌鸦传媒�
Quail said: 乌鸦传媒淚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.乌鸦传媒�
Bondar feels that her 乌鸦传媒測ears of hard work and accomplishments乌鸦传媒� as a scientist and science educator have been erased, her lawyer noted.
Bondar said she felt subjected to a 乌鸦传媒渢irade of misogyny that would not stop乌鸦传媒� and said it why women don乌鸦传媒檛 often dive into politics.
乌鸦传媒淒r. Bondar testified that she now has to contend with a new identity in the public realm,乌鸦传媒� 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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