Opening arguments in the defamation trial between Carin Bondar and Barry Neufeld were heard in Chilliwack Law Courts Tuesday (Nov. 14).

The civil lawsuit alleges former school trustee Neufeld defamed Bondar, a school trustee, when he called her a 91裸聊视频渟triptease artist91裸聊视频� during an internet talk show in September 2022 broadcast by Action4Canada called the Empower Hour.

91裸聊视频淭his statement was false, injurious and not defensible as fair comment,91裸聊视频� said Bondar91裸聊视频檚 lawyer, Susanna Quail, in her opening statements.

It was day one of a six-day trial in B.C. Supreme Court in Chilliwack presided over by Justice Michael Stephens.

91裸聊视频淒r. Bondar is not a striptease artist,91裸聊视频� Quail said. 91裸聊视频淪he is an accomplished science communicator and educator and a school trustee.

91裸聊视频淭he defendant asserts that Dr. Bondar had explicit and highly sexualized public performances widely famed by her on a YouTube channel over a number of years.

91裸聊视频淎nd we say the evidence will show that that91裸聊视频檚 not true,91裸聊视频� the lawyer said.

The science education video in which Bondar appears to be swinging on a wrecking ball while scantily clad was not 91裸聊视频渟exually charged entertainment,91裸聊视频� Quail argued.

The video about evolution and natural selection was created by Bondar in 2014. It was a parody of the pop hit Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus, and Bondar91裸聊视频檚 video was called 91裸聊视频淥rganisms do Evolve.91裸聊视频�

In the video, Bondar is wearing what the pop superstar wore 91裸聊视频� a white tank top, underwear and boots. The video was filmed almost shot for shot in similar fashion, and for a brief moment on-screen, the plaintiff appeared nude in several frames.

Bondar91裸聊视频檚 PhD dissertation focused on animal reproduction and led to her ongoing interest in popular science education.

91裸聊视频淲hile her work often draws on human sexual behaviour, it91裸聊视频檚 not actually about human sexuality,91裸聊视频� Quail told the court.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about animal biology.91裸聊视频� And it often uses pop culture to 91裸聊视频渆ngage viewers,91裸聊视频� she said.

The online content that Bondar has produced 91裸聊视频渋s mildly titillating in a silly way,91裸聊视频� Quail said.

Bondar91裸聊视频檚 work has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the Science Channel, National Geographic, Scientific American and Animal One.

Quail said the court would determine if the striptease comment could be considered 91裸聊视频渇air comment91裸聊视频� and that would likely form the 91裸聊视频渞eal test of where this case lies.91裸聊视频�

Bondar is alleging that 91裸聊视频淢r. Neufeld defamed her by this comment and seeks damages,91裸聊视频� the lawyer said, adding that evidence would show general and aggravated damages were appropriate.

Quail said Neufeld 91裸聊视频渉as not only refused to retract or apologize for the remark, but repeated it and included it in his fundraising materials,91裸聊视频� which she said was 91裸聊视频渙utrageous and malicious91裸聊视频� in that it increased the plaintiff91裸聊视频檚 mental distress.

In terms of the legal framework, three elements have to be established in a claim of defamation under the law, Quail said.

One of them focuses on injury to someone91裸聊视频檚 reputation, in that they 91裸聊视频渢end to lower the plaintiff91裸聊视频檚 reputation in the eyes of a reasonable person.91裸聊视频�

Bondar91裸聊视频檚 lawyer said that all three would be 91裸聊视频渨ell-established.91裸聊视频�

Neufeld has pleaded 91裸聊视频渏ustification,91裸聊视频� among three defences, but Quail said the evidence will show 91裸聊视频渉e knew full well91裸聊视频� that Bondar is not a striptease artist.

91裸聊视频淭his is simply not who Dr. Bondar is or what she has achieved,91裸聊视频� the lawyer said.

The three defences Neufeld filed in connection with the suit were: justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.

91裸聊视频淣one of these defences can succeed,91裸聊视频� Quail said.

She told the court Bondar would testify about 91裸聊视频渉ow hurtful and frustrating91裸聊视频� it was to have her reputation as an accomplished science educator 91裸聊视频渞eplaced with an entirely fictional narrative that she is an underdog striptease artist, scrabbling her way to public office,91裸聊视频� Quail said.

In conclusion, Quail said the libel case is 91裸聊视频渘ot about balancing the public interest91裸聊视频� and it isn91裸聊视频檛 about 91裸聊视频渁 political contest91裸聊视频� over SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) 123.

91裸聊视频淭his case is only about defamation,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淭his case isn91裸聊视频檛 about Mr. Neufeld91裸聊视频檚 personal political agenda. This trial is not a social movement showdown, it91裸聊视频檚 not about culture wars.

91裸聊视频淭his is actually a very straightforward application of the law of defamation which exists to protect reputations from exactly the kind of harm Mr. Neufeld has inflicted and continues to do so.91裸聊视频�

Neufeld91裸聊视频檚 lawyer, Paul Jaffe, began his cross examination Tuesday, and it continued Wednesday. The trial is expected to run until at least Tuesday.

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