Alberta
Alberta, Canadian federal gov’ts face lawsuits filed over ‘harm’ caused by COVID shots
From LifeSiteNews
A law firm representing Albertans alleges in its filing that the vaccines were ‘deceptively’ promoted.
A law firm filed a class action lawsuit against the Alberta provincial government and the federal government on behalf of Albertans who were “harmed by the Covid-19 vaccines.”
“This legal action is centered around allegations of unlawful, negligent, inadequate, improper, unfair, and deceptive practices by the Defendants in relation to the warning, marketing, promotion, and distribution of the Covid Vaccines,” Alberta-based Rath & Company stated in a February 29 press release regarding the lawsuit, which was filed in the Court of King’s Bench in Lethbridge, Alberta.
“This proposed class action lawsuit seeks justice for individuals who have suffered physical and psychological injuries or death due to the alleged negligence and misconduct by the Defendants in respect of the Covid Vaccines. It aims to hold the Defendants accountable and obtain compensation for those adversely affected.”
According to the law firm, the lawsuit was filed individually last year by COVID jab-harmed Alberta resident Carrie Sakamoto, who is listed as the “class representative for the proposed class action lawsuit.” She sustained “severe, permanent physical and emotional injuries” from the COVID shots.
“The lawsuit claims that the Defendants (Alberta and Federal governments) were negligent, provided information they knew to be false and incomplete, and that they censored and suppressed truthful and reliable information about vaccine injuries thereby vitiating informed consent and causing harm to Ms. Sakamoto and many others in Alberta,” the Rath & Company press release noted.
“The lawsuit goes on to allege misfeasance in public office and conspiracy to commit assault and battery on the public.”
The remedies sought by the plaintiff include “general damages in an amount to be proven at trial” as well as “special and punitive damages in an amount to be proven at trial.”
Lead counsel Jeffrey Rath predicted that Canadians will be “shocked to learn about the rushed changes to safety standard for the Covid Vaccines which removed the requirement for the Covid Vaccines to be either ‘safe or effective’ while, at the same time, the Defendants promoted, distributed, and marketed the Covid Vaccines as ‘safe and effective’ to the public.”
Rath added that the federal and Alberta governments “didn’t stop there” when it came to the COVID shots, as “they went further by coercion the public to take the Covid Vaccines by stripping rights from them or providing financial incentives for taking the Covid Vaccines.”
“What does that do for informed consent? Does this amount to a conspiracy to commit assault and battery on the public? These are questions that we are asking the court to determine. And, I think, the public deserves some answers,” Rath said.
The COVID shots were heavily promoted by the federal government as well as all provincial governments in Canada, with the Alberta government under former Premier Jason Kenney being no exception.
The mRNA shots themselves have been linked to a multitude of negative and often severe side effects in children.
According to co-counsel Eva Chipiuk, the Defendants “held themselves out as public health experts and gave medical advice to the public at large,” but they “intentionally set out to build a relationship of trust between themselves and the public during the pandemic at a time when they knew the public was vulnerable and afraid.”
“They knew or ought to have known that the public would be relying on their information for their health, safety and protection,” she mentioned.
Under Kenney, Albertans were heavily coerced into taking the COVID shots through a mass marketing campaign and later a COVID jab passport. Many in the public and private sectors who did not get the jabs lost their jobs.
Danielle Smith took over from Kenney as leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) on October 11, 2022, after winning the leadership. Kenney was ousted due to low approval ratings and for reneging on promises not to lock Alberta down as well as enacting a vaccine passport.
Under Kenney, those who did not comply with jab mandates such as thousands of nurses, doctors, and other healthcare and government workers lost their jobs for choosing to not get the jabs, leading Smith to say – only minutes after being sworn in – that over the past year the “unvaccinated” were the “most discriminated against” group of people in her lifetime.
Adverse effects from the first round of COVID shots have resulted in a growing number of Canadians filing for financial compensation over injuries from the jabs via the federal Vaccine Injury Program (VISP).
VISP has already paid well over $11 million to those injured by COVID injections.
Earlier this year, LifeSiteNews reported on how officials from Health Canada have admitted that there is “residual plasmid DNA” in the COVID shots after a Conservative MP asked the agency through an official information request if the DNA fragments were in the shots.
The jabs also have connections to cell lines derived from aborted babies. As a result of this, many Catholics and other Christians refused to take them.
Lawsuit open to All COVID jab ‘impacted individuals in Alberta’
The Rath & Company class action lawsuit is open to all impacted “individuals in Alberta” who have been “injured or otherwise adversely affected by the Covid Vaccines.”
Those wanting to join the class action can click here.
Rath & Company noted that should the court grant permission for this action to proceed as a “Class Action” (also known as “Certification”), those involved “may qualify as a class member whether or not you have registered.”
“Millions of Canadians relied on the representations of the Defendants at a time when they were particularly vulnerable. We now know that many Canadians suffered physical and psychological injuries due to the misinformation and negligence of the Defendants,” Rath & Company stated.
This is the second large class action prepared by Rath & Company in recent weeks concerning COVID jabs and mandates in Alberta.
Last month, LifeSiteNews reported that a law firm is in the process of putting together a class-action lawsuit against the Alberta government on behalf of many business owners in the province who faced massive losses or permanent closures from what it says were “illegal” COVID public health orders enacted by provincial officials.
COVID vaccine mandates, which came from provincial governments with the support of Trudeau’s federal government, split Canadian society.
Despite the health risks associated with the COVID shots, governments across Canada all enacted strict rules, including workplace jab mandates.
Under Kenney, thousands of businesses, notably restaurants and small shops, were negatively impacted by severe COVID restrictions, mostly in 2020-21, that forced them to close for a time. Many never reopened. At the same time, as in the rest of Canada, big box stores were allowed to operate unimpeded.
The Rath & Company class action is just one of many that have been filed by Canadians who chose not to get the shots, then lost their job, and want to fight back.
Late last year, LifeSiteNews reported that over 700 vaccine-free Canadians negatively affected by federal COVID jab dictates banded together to file a multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuit against the federal government of Trudeau.
Alberta
Alberta’s fiscal update projects budget surplus, but fiscal fortunes could quickly turn
From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
According to the recent mid-year update tabled Thursday, the Smith government projects a $4.6 billion surplus in 2024/25, up from the $2.9 billion surplus projected just a few months ago. Despite the good news, Premier Smith must reduce spending to avoid budget deficits.
The fiscal update projects resource revenue of $20.3 billion in 2024/25. Today’s relatively high—but very volatile—resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is helping finance today’s spending and maintain a balanced budget. But it will not last forever.
For perspective, in just the last decade the Alberta government’s annual resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion (2015/16) and as high as $25.2 billion (2022/23).
And while the resource revenue rollercoaster is currently in Alberta’s favor, Finance Minister Nate Horner acknowledges that “risks are on the rise” as oil prices have dropped considerably and forecasters are projecting downward pressure on prices—all of which impacts resource revenue.
In fact, the government’s own estimates show a $1 change in oil prices results in an estimated $630 million revenue swing. So while the Smith government plans to maintain a surplus in 2024/25, a small change in oil prices could quickly plunge Alberta back into deficit. Premier Smith has warned that her government may fall into a budget deficit this fiscal year.
This should come as no surprise. Alberta’s been on the resource revenue rollercoaster for decades. Successive governments have increased spending during the good times of high resource revenue, but failed to rein in spending when resource revenues fell.
Previous research has shown that, in Alberta, a $1 increase in resource revenue is associated with an estimated 56-cent increase in program spending the following fiscal year (on a per-person, inflation-adjusted basis). However, a decline in resource revenue is not similarly associated with a reduction in program spending. This pattern has led to historically high levels of government spending—and budget deficits—even in more recent years.
Consider this: If this fiscal year the Smith government received an average level of resource revenue (based on levels over the last 10 years), it would receive approximately $13,000 per Albertan. Yet the government plans to spend nearly $15,000 per Albertan this fiscal year (after adjusting for inflation). That’s a huge gap of roughly $2,000—and it means the government is continuing to take big risks with the provincial budget.
Of course, if the government falls back into deficit there are implications for everyday Albertans.
When the government runs a deficit, it accumulates debt, which Albertans must pay to service. In 2024/25, the government’s debt interest payments will cost each Albertan nearly $650. That’s largely because, despite running surpluses over the last few years, Albertans are still paying for debt accumulated during the most recent string of deficits from 2008/09 to 2020/21 (excluding 2014/15), which only ended when the government enjoyed an unexpected windfall in resource revenue in 2021/22.
According to Thursday’s mid-year fiscal update, Alberta’s finances continue to be at risk. To avoid deficits, the Smith government should meaningfully reduce spending so that it’s aligned with more reliable, stable levels of revenue.
Author:
Alberta
Premier Smith says Auto Insurance reforms may still result in a publicly owned system
Better, faster, more affordable auto insurance
Alberta’s government is introducing a new auto insurance system that will provide better and faster services to Albertans while reducing auto insurance premiums.
After hearing from more than 16,000 Albertans through an online survey about their priorities for auto insurance policies, Alberta’s government is introducing a new privately delivered, care-focused auto insurance system.
Right now, insurance in the province is not affordable or care focused. Despite high premiums, Albertans injured in collisions do not get the timely medical care and income support they need in a system that is complex to navigate. When fully implemented, Alberta’s new auto insurance system will deliver better and faster care for those involved in collisions, and Albertans will see cost savings up to $400 per year.
“Albertans have been clear they need an auto insurance system that provides better, faster care and is more affordable. When it’s implemented, our new privately delivered, care-centred insurance system will put the focus on Albertans’ recovery, providing more effective support and will deliver lower rates.”
“High auto insurance rates put strain on Albertans. By shifting to a system that offers improved benefits and support, we are providing better and faster care to Albertans, with lower costs.”
Albertans who suffer injuries due to a collision currently wait months for a simple claim to be resolved and can wait years for claims related to more serious and life-changing injuries to addressed. Additionally, the medical and financial benefits they receive often expire before they’re fully recovered.
Under the new system, Albertans who suffer catastrophic injuries will receive treatment and care for the rest of their lives. Those who sustain serious injuries will receive treatment until they are fully recovered. These changes mirror and build upon the Saskatchewan insurance model, where at-fault drivers can be sued for pain and suffering damages if they are convicted of a criminal offence, such as impaired driving or dangerous driving, or conviction of certain offenses under the Traffic Safety Act.
Work on this new auto insurance system will require legislation in the spring of 2025. In order to reconfigure auto insurance policies for 3.4 million Albertans, auto insurance companies need time to create and implement the new system. Alberta’s government expects the new system to be fully implemented by January 2027.
In the interim, starting in January 2025, the good driver rate cap will be adjusted to a 7.5% increase due to high legal costs, increasing vehicle damage repair costs and natural disaster costs. This protects good drivers from significant rate increases while ensuring that auto insurance providers remain financially viable in Alberta.
Albertans have been clear that they still want premiums to be based on risk. Bad drivers will continue to pay higher premiums than good drivers.
By providing significantly enhanced medical, rehabilitation and income support benefits, this system supports Albertans injured in collisions while reducing the impact of litigation costs on the amount that Albertans pay for their insurance.
“Keeping more money in Albertans’ pockets is one of the best ways to address the rising cost of living. This shift to a care-first automobile insurance system will do just that by helping lower premiums for people across the province.”
Quick facts
- Alberta’s government commissioned two auto insurance reports, which showed that legal fees and litigation costs tied to the province’s current system significantly increase premiums.
- A 2023 report by MNP shows
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