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