MEDICAL MARIHUANA PRIVACY GAFFE CLASS ACTION - UPDATE

willieboy

willieboy

Well-Known Member
UPDATE: AUGUST 9, 2018

On March 14, 2018, the Federal Court issued its order on the remaining issues respecting certification allowing this lawsuit to move forward as a class action. The Government of Canada has appealed portions of that order. A date for the appeal hearing has not yet been set by the Federal Court of Appeal. Once a date has been set, an update will be posted to this website.


This is from the Branch MacMaster website.
 
TheRealDman

TheRealDman

Well-Known Member
The Hippy said:
Why it takes this long is beyond the imagination imo.
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The Government of Canada has appealed portions of that order.
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^^This^^

You’d think the current Gov would love to pay up and be able to blame it on cleaning up Harper’s mess. Makes no sense why they’re fighting this?!?! Branch lawyers have pushed for settlement from the get-go. The Fed’s already know this is a slam dunk for us the minute it hits a courtroom. Seems they’re just delaying the inevitable.
 
VIANARCHRIS

VIANARCHRIS

Well-Known Member
TheRealDman said:
^^This^^

You’d think the current Gov would love to pay up and be able to blame it on cleaning up Harper’s mess. Makes no sense why they’re fighting this?!?! Branch lawyers have pushed for settlement from the get-go. The Fed’s already know this is a slam dunk for us the minute it hits a courtroom. Seems they’re just delaying the inevitable.
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How do we embarrass them into explaining 'why' to the Canadian people?
 
VIANARCHRIS

VIANARCHRIS

Well-Known Member
It appears the Trudeau Liberals have more in common with the Conservatives than they care to admit. Despite promoting a atmosphere of government-inspired “sunny ways” and with recreational cannabis legalization slated to commence on October 17th, the Liberal government is continuing the fight against sick Canadians that Stephen Harper created.

In November 2013, Health Canada mailed out notices to roughly 40,000 medical marijuana patients advising us of the cancellation of the MMAR program and the implementation of the new MMPR. Not only was the information contained in the package ridiculous, the required actions silly and over-reaching and the request to provide Health Canada with proof that you have destroyed your legal property an intimidation ploy, they also felt the need to mail these notices in envelopes with the largest 'window' most have ever seen. Clearly visible to anyone who came into eye contact with that piece of mail, directly above the name and address of the patient, were the words “Medical Marihuana Access Program”. Unfortunately, even in 2013, the stigma surrounding cannabis users was such that many patients were forced to hide their use from family, friends, landlords and employers. Many patients grew their own medicine and were placed at risk of a home invasion if the location of the garden was discovered by someone with ill intent. Many would just have preferred their choice of medicine wasn't advertised to an untold number of strangers.

It is my opinion that this privacy breach was both deliberate and malicious. Around the same time as the mailout, Stephen Harper was announcing the creation of the new medical marijuana program, the MMPR and predicting a multi-billion dollar LP industry supplying medical patients who would no longer be able to grow their own. Their goal was to 'out' those currently growing to their community to ensure peer pressure would lead to higher compliance with the new rules. It instead led to some patients losing their jobs, others losing their homes and all losing their sense of medical privacy that is guaranteed for everyone else.

Patients fought back against the MMPR and the provision that removed grow rights in the Allard trial and were successful. The experts called by Health Canada were pathetic and the judge ridiculed them on their false testimony and lack of knowledge. It was an embarrassing defeat for the Harper government and yet another in a long list of his government's legislation to be found to be unconstitutional.

In the meantime, on February 26, 2014, patients joined a class-action lawsuit against the government and Health Canada for the breach of privacy. The government obstructionism and delays began almost immediately with the federal government filing a motion to compel a witness in the trial to provide answers to questions which were refused. While that federal motion was denied relatively quickly, the same delay tactics continued for the remainder of the Conservative government's term. With the Liberal election win on a promise to legalize the recreational use of cannabis in 2015, patients were encouraged, confident that the case would finally go forward and we would have our day in court.

Fast forward to August, 2018, nearing the 5 year anniversary of 'the infamous letter', and we learned in an update from the law firm today that despite the federal court issuing an order on March 14 of this year allowing the suit to go forward, the government is once again appealing parts of that decision, resulting in yet another delay of unknown duration.

What I, and about 40,000 other Canadians would like to know, is why the Liberal government continues to deny medical cannabis patients our day in court? The Trudeau government said after settling a $10 million lawsuit in a highly publicized and criticized case involving a convicted terrorist, that to continue fighting the case would not be beneficial to taxpayers. I don't understand how continuing to fight sick Canadians' right to justice is good for taxpayers or the governments' image. What are they trying to cover up that is so serious that it is just as important to keep it out of court for the pro-cannabis governing Liberals as it was for the ant-cannabis Harper Conservatives? This should have been a very simple case of breach of privacy and could have been settled relatively quickly, yet 5 years on and we are still fighting for the right to be heard.

It is extremely disheartening to have been harmed by your own government and respond by electing one promising change, only to continue to be harmed and treated as a nuisance by those who we pay to serve us.

We demand the federal government immediately cease all obstruction and delay motions and allow Canadians to hear how such an egregious, malicious and harmful breach of privacy could have occurred so we can assure it doesn't happen again.

Real people suffered real losses, some substantial, and someone needs to answer for that. If it doesn't get answered in court, we'll make sure the questions dog you at every campaign stop in the 2019 election.

Medical cannabis users are Canadians with voices and votes and we will not accept treatment that doesn't recognize us as equals.
 
TheRealDman

TheRealDman

Well-Known Member
VIANARCHRIS said:
It appears the Trudeau Liberals have more in common with the Conservatives than they care to admit. Despite promoting a atmosphere of government-inspired “sunny ways” and with recreational cannabis legalization slated to commence on October 17th, the Liberal government is continuing the fight against sick Canadians that Stephen Harper created.

In November 2013, Health Canada mailed out notices to roughly 40,000 medical marijuana patients advising us of the cancellation of the MMAR program and the implementation of the new MMPR. Not only was the information contained in the package ridiculous, the required actions silly and over-reaching and the request to provide Health Canada with proof that you have destroyed your legal property an intimidation ploy, they also felt the need to mail these notices in envelopes with the largest 'window' most have ever seen. Clearly visible to anyone who came into eye contact with that piece of mail, directly above the name and address of the patient, were the words “Medical Marihuana Access Program”. Unfortunately, even in 2013, the stigma surrounding cannabis users was such that many patients were forced to hide their use from family, friends, landlords and employers. Many patients grew their own medicine and were placed at risk of a home invasion if the location of the garden was discovered by someone with ill intent. Many would just have preferred their choice of medicine wasn't advertised to an untold number of strangers.

It is my opinion that this privacy breach was both deliberate and malicious. Around the same time as the mailout, Stephen Harper was announcing the creation of the new medical marijuana program, the MMPR and predicting a multi-billion dollar LP industry supplying medical patients who would no longer be able to grow their own. Their goal was to 'out' those currently growing to their community to ensure peer pressure would lead to higher compliance with the new rules. It instead led to some patients losing their jobs, others losing their homes and all losing their sense of medical privacy that is guaranteed for everyone else.

Patients fought back against the MMPR and the provision that removed grow rights in the Allard trial and were successful. The experts called by Health Canada were pathetic and the judge ridiculed them on their false testimony and lack of knowledge. It was an embarrassing defeat for the Harper government and yet another in a long list of his government's legislation to be found to be unconstitutional.

In the meantime, on February 26, 2014, patients joined a class-action lawsuit against the government and Health Canada for the breach of privacy. The government obstructionism and delays began almost immediately with the federal government filing a motion to compel a witness in the trial to provide answers to questions which were refused. While that federal motion was denied relatively quickly, the same delay tactics continued for the remainder of the Conservative government's term. With the Liberal election win on a promise to legalize the recreational use of cannabis in 2015, patients were encouraged, confident that the case would finally go forward and we would have our day in court.

Fast forward to August, 2018, nearing the 5 year anniversary of 'the infamous letter', and we learned in an update from the law firm today that despite the federal court issuing an order on March 14 of this year allowing the suit to go forward, the government is once again appealing parts of that decision, resulting in yet another delay of unknown duration.

What I, and about 40,000 other Canadians would like to know, is why the Liberal government continues to deny medical cannabis patients our day in court? The Trudeau government said after settling a $10 million lawsuit in a highly publicized and criticized case involving a convicted terrorist, that to continue fighting the case would not be beneficial to taxpayers. I don't understand how continuing to fight sick Canadians' right to justice is good for taxpayers or the governments' image. What are they trying to cover up that is so serious that it is just as important to keep it out of court for the pro-cannabis governing Liberals as it was for the ant-cannabis Harper Conservatives? This should have been a very simple case of breach of privacy and could have been settled relatively quickly, yet 5 years on and we are still fighting for the right to be heard.

It is extremely disheartening to have been harmed by your own government and respond by electing one promising change, only to continue to be harmed and treated as a nuisance by those who we pay to serve us.

We demand the federal government immediately cease all obstruction and delay motions and allow Canadians to hear how such an egregious, malicious and harmful breach of privacy could have occurred so we can assure it doesn't happen again.

Real people suffered real losses, some substantial, and someone needs to answer for that. If it doesn't get answered in court, we'll make sure the questions dog you at every campaign stop in the 2019 election.

Medical cannabis users are Canadians with voices and votes and we will not accept treatment that doesn't recognize us as equals.
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Send that to every media outlet possible!

Perhaps a quick edit to include that the Fed’s own privacy commissioner immediately confirmed that this was a massive breach.
 
GrowRock

GrowRock

Well-Known Member
VIANARCHRIS said:
It appears the Trudeau Liberals have more in common with the Conservatives than they care to admit. Despite promoting a atmosphere of government-inspired “sunny ways” and with recreational cannabis legalization slated to commence on October 17th, the Liberal government is continuing the fight against sick Canadians that Stephen Harper created.

In November 2013, Health Canada mailed out notices to roughly 40,000 medical marijuana patients advising us of the cancellation of the MMAR program and the implementation of the new MMPR. Not only was the information contained in the package ridiculous, the required actions silly and over-reaching and the request to provide Health Canada with proof that you have destroyed your legal property an intimidation ploy, they also felt the need to mail these notices in envelopes with the largest 'window' most have ever seen. Clearly visible to anyone who came into eye contact with that piece of mail, directly above the name and address of the patient, were the words “Medical Marihuana Access Program”. Unfortunately, even in 2013, the stigma surrounding cannabis users was such that many patients were forced to hide their use from family, friends, landlords and employers. Many patients grew their own medicine and were placed at risk of a home invasion if the location of the garden was discovered by someone with ill intent. Many would just have preferred their choice of medicine wasn't advertised to an untold number of strangers.

It is my opinion that this privacy breach was both deliberate and malicious. Around the same time as the mailout, Stephen Harper was announcing the creation of the new medical marijuana program, the MMPR and predicting a multi-billion dollar LP industry supplying medical patients who would no longer be able to grow their own. Their goal was to 'out' those currently growing to their community to ensure peer pressure would lead to higher compliance with the new rules. It instead led to some patients losing their jobs, others losing their homes and all losing their sense of medical privacy that is guaranteed for everyone else.

Patients fought back against the MMPR and the provision that removed grow rights in the Allard trial and were successful. The experts called by Health Canada were pathetic and the judge ridiculed them on their false testimony and lack of knowledge. It was an embarrassing defeat for the Harper government and yet another in a long list of his government's legislation to be found to be unconstitutional.

In the meantime, on February 26, 2014, patients joined a class-action lawsuit against the government and Health Canada for the breach of privacy. The government obstructionism and delays began almost immediately with the federal government filing a motion to compel a witness in the trial to provide answers to questions which were refused. While that federal motion was denied relatively quickly, the same delay tactics continued for the remainder of the Conservative government's term. With the Liberal election win on a promise to legalize the recreational use of cannabis in 2015, patients were encouraged, confident that the case would finally go forward and we would have our day in court.

Fast forward to August, 2018, nearing the 5 year anniversary of 'the infamous letter', and we learned in an update from the law firm today that despite the federal court issuing an order on March 14 of this year allowing the suit to go forward, the government is once again appealing parts of that decision, resulting in yet another delay of unknown duration.

What I, and about 40,000 other Canadians would like to know, is why the Liberal government continues to deny medical cannabis patients our day in court? The Trudeau government said after settling a $10 million lawsuit in a highly publicized and criticized case involving a convicted terrorist, that to continue fighting the case would not be beneficial to taxpayers. I don't understand how continuing to fight sick Canadians' right to justice is good for taxpayers or the governments' image. What are they trying to cover up that is so serious that it is just as important to keep it out of court for the pro-cannabis governing Liberals as it was for the ant-cannabis Harper Conservatives? This should have been a very simple case of breach of privacy and could have been settled relatively quickly, yet 5 years on and we are still fighting for the right to be heard.

It is extremely disheartening to have been harmed by your own government and respond by electing one promising change, only to continue to be harmed and treated as a nuisance by those who we pay to serve us.

We demand the federal government immediately cease all obstruction and delay motions and allow Canadians to hear how such an egregious, malicious and harmful breach of privacy could have occurred so we can assure it doesn't happen again.

Real people suffered real losses, some substantial, and someone needs to answer for that. If it doesn't get answered in court, we'll make sure the questions dog you at every campaign stop in the 2019 election.

Medical cannabis users are Canadians with voices and votes and we will not accept treatment that doesn't recognize us as equals.
Click to expand...
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: Well said Chris
 
VIANARCHRIS

VIANARCHRIS

Well-Known Member
Another earlier version. Please feel free to send or post it wherever it might do some good.

I am writing this in hopes of bringing pressure upon the federal government and judicial system to end the stalling and delays and answer to the more than 41,000 sick Canadians who had their privacy breached nearly five years ago.

I am one of the 41,514 medical cannabis patients who received a white envelope with my name and address displayed along with the words “Medical Marijuana Access Program” in the largest window I have ever seen in an envelope. Although Health Canada denies it, the consensus among patients is that this was intentional and malicious.

The envelopes were mailed out in November of 2013 and a class-action lawsuit was launched in early 2014. I am not a legal expert, but from what I understand the previous government contested something but the case was still going forward.

A report from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner initiated in December 2013 concluded that Health Canada had indeed breached the privacy of over 40,000 medical marijuana patients and that our complaints were 'well founded'. Despite this we continue to wait for our day in court year after year after year. The Trudeau Liberals have managed to negotiate a controversial $10 million settlement with a convicted terrorist , yet they are unwilling to settle with sick Canadians. What are they trying to hide or who do they want to protect. Given the surprisingly large number of former politicians, Health Canada employees and high ranking police officers now profiting from medical cannabis ventures, is it possible the two are connected?

This breach caused a variety of problems for the recipients, ranging from eviction and termination of employment to embarrassment and everything in between. Patients were forced to reveal personal information to Health Canada for the 'privilege' of using a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals and we trusted them to keep our privacy safe. Now that they have breached that trust, patients are being denied answers and compensation for damages incurred. As time goes on it becomes apparent that cannabis patients do not receive the same level of attention or justice as other Canadians.

I am unable to get any answers so I am wondering if you can find someone in the federal government or Health Canada to explain how they justify denying justice for 41,000, mostly vulnerable, Canadians for nearly five years, with no end in sight. This despite the privacy commissioner finding, over four years ago, that they were guilty of the privacy breach.

Justice and fairness only works when it's accessible to all sides in a timely matter.



Here is a link to the privacy commissioner's report that spells out the case:

https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-actions-and-decisions/investigations/investigations-into-federal-institutions/2014-15/pa_20150303/
 
Northernone666

Northernone666

Well-Known Member
VIANARCHRIS said:
Another earlier version. Please feel free to send or post it wherever it might do some good.

I am writing this in hopes of bringing pressure upon the federal government and judicial system to end the stalling and delays and answer to the more than 41,000 sick Canadians who had their privacy breached nearly five years ago.

I am one of the 41,514 medical cannabis patients who received a white envelope with my name and address displayed along with the words “Medical Marijuana Access Program” in the largest window I have ever seen in an envelope. Although Health Canada denies it, the consensus among patients is that this was intentional and malicious.

The envelopes were mailed out in November of 2013 and a class-action lawsuit was launched in early 2014. I am not a legal expert, but from what I understand the previous government contested something but the case was still going forward.

A report from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner initiated in December 2013 concluded that Health Canada had indeed breached the privacy of over 40,000 medical marijuana patients and that our complaints were 'well founded'. Despite this we continue to wait for our day in court year after year after year. The Trudeau Liberals have managed to negotiate a controversial $10 million settlement with a convicted terrorist , yet they are unwilling to settle with sick Canadians. What are they trying to hide or who do they want to protect. Given the surprisingly large number of former politicians, Health Canada employees and high ranking police officers now profiting from medical cannabis ventures, is it possible the two are connected?

This breach caused a variety of problems for the recipients, ranging from eviction and termination of employment to embarrassment and everything in between. Patients were forced to reveal personal information to Health Canada for the 'privilege' of using a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals and we trusted them to keep our privacy safe. Now that they have breached that trust, patients are being denied answers and compensation for damages incurred. As time goes on it becomes apparent that cannabis patients do not receive the same level of attention or justice as other Canadians.

I am unable to get any answers so I am wondering if you can find someone in the federal government or Health Canada to explain how they justify denying justice for 41,000, mostly vulnerable, Canadians for nearly five years, with no end in sight. This despite the privacy commissioner finding, over four years ago, that they were guilty of the privacy breach.

Justice and fairness only works when it's accessible to all sides in a timely matter.



Here is a link to the privacy commissioner's report that spells out the case:

https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-actions-and-decisions/investigations/investigations-into-federal-institutions/2014-15/pa_20150303/
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Right on :clap::peace:
 
GrowRock

GrowRock

Well-Known Member
Well even the student loan class action that was from two years ago is settled lol they awarded my wife and everyone else $17500000 which works out to $60 each but at least it was settled in a somewhat timely fashion compared to this 5 going on 6 year fiasco
 
TheRealDman

TheRealDman

Well-Known Member
GrowRock said:
Well even the student loan class action that was from two years ago is settled lol they awarded my wife and everyone else $17500000 which works out to $60 each but at least it was settled in a somewhat timely fashion compared to this 5 going on 6 year fiasco
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Quick for that amount. Just a drop in the bucket compared to the $250M MMAR class action!
 
GrowRock

GrowRock

Well-Known Member
The Hippy said:
I just double checked on the site that I'm fully registered. BINGO...all set still. Been a while since I checked. I hope i live long enough to see some cash. At this rate we'll all be dead.
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How do you check I have filled out that form back in 2014 with no reply and again In 2016 with no reply.
 
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