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