Federal Court Dismisses Sturgeon's Vaccine Mandate Appeal

The Canada===Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by Donald Sturgeon, a former executive director at Canada===Interior Health, to seek employment insurance benefits. Sturgeon was fired in November 2021 for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. His case has progressed through the Social Security Tribunal, the Federal Court, and now the Canada===Federal Court of Appeal. Sturgeon argued that the tribunal failed to properly interpret how misconduct is weighed against religious freedom guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Appeal Court found he did not properly raise his Charter arguments. His lawyer, Leah Turner, is considering an appeal to the Canada===Supreme Court of Canada, citing concerns about access to justice for self-represented individuals.