Tag Archives: Lisa Bildy

Richard Bilkszto, principal bullied in DEI session, honoured at Toronto memorial

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Richard Bilkszto, principal bullied in DEI session, honoured at Toronto memorial

By Sue-Ann Levy – October 17, 2023 FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsAppLinkedin

Toronto District School Board teacher Natasha Mansouri said Sunday that well-respected educator Richard Bilkzsto’s untimely passing is a “significant loss” to everyone who knew him.

In a touching and eloquent tribute, Mansouri told a group gathered at Mel Lastman Square that Bilkszto had a “compassionate and unshakeable commitment to enhancing the quality of public education” – that he was a rare commodity.

Despite the chill and rainy skies, about 100 friends and former colleagues came out to pay tribute to the 60-year-old principal, who took his life in mid-July.

He was an educator who promoted “strength rather than victimhood,” who “dared to question” and who viewed “obstacles as opportunities,” said Mansouri, one of a half a dozen trustees, teachers and community members who gave touching tributes to him.

“I am troubled by the scarcity of people like Richard who confront bullies whether they’re in the schoolyard or the bullies who stand in front of the class,” she said. “I wish there were more individuals like him, brave and tireless who take a stance and speak up.

“If you’re out there, please speak up, you are not alone.”

It was clear she was speaking about the circumstances that led Bilkszto to take his own life in mid-July. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ujn6KTzpCbY?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1

His lawyer Lisa Bildy and his family have both said it was the bullying by a Black Lives Matter-supporting Diversity, Equity, Inclusive (DEI) trainer in the spring of 2021 and the ongoing harassment by TDSB anti-racism executives that led to his death.

I have requested financial information under FOI legislation on the cost to the TDSB of the DEI trainer – Kike Ojo-Thomson of the KOJO Institute – but have yet to receive it.

In late July, both Education Minister Steven Lecce and TDSB education director Colleen Russell-Rawlins announced reviews of the situation leading up to his unfortunate death. But, after almost three months. we’ve heard nothing from either.

In my view, the TDSB review – being conducted by the King Advisory Group – is the furthest thing from independent and merely an attempt to sweep the harassment by TDSB executives and their preferred contractors under the rug.

The two teachers who spoke announced an award and scholarship in Bilkszto’s name. 

The award will recognize an educator who exemplifies the qualities the principal embodied, said TDSB trustee Weidong Pei.

“(He embodied) a dedication to excellence in education and devotion to his students and their well-being,” he said. https://www.youtube.com/embed/4iyxjKCRVtQ?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1

The scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate accepted at a teachers college in Ontario who embraces the same qualities, the teachers said.

Teacher Jon Roberts, who was involved with Bilkszto in a chapter of the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR), said as a gay man who came of age in the 80s, Bilkszto knew about bigotry and hatred.

But he never insisted the intolerant get with the program or else, said Roberts.

“He was calm and caring…a beacon of positive change,” he said.

Pei said he was a teacher who insisted everyone have equality of opportunity no matter “what they look like.”

After Bilkszto helped Pei win the trustee election in 2022, he told him with a smile he better keep his promise to fight for children.

“Richard, I know you now look from the sky…I hope I made you proud fighting for the children you love,” the Willowdale trustee said, getting emotional. https://www.youtube.com/embed/4gmQHJY8qIc?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1

“We are all better for knowing you and we are poorer for your loss.”

Ragini Sharma of the Toronto Asian Parents Association said Bilkszto was an ally for Asian students – “sensitive and sympathetic” to such students “being sidelined” in the TDSB system.

She said he appreciated that Asian students were considered “privileged” and labelled “white adjacent” by the anti-black racism focus of the board.

“He understood that Asian students do well because their parents value education and work hard to help the children succeed in school,” she said. 

“We shared his concern about school boards becoming more divisive in how they handled diversity and equity.”

She added that she knows Bilkszto would have liked the board to do more to bring more belongingness and compassion among students and staff.

“May his soul rest in peace,” she said.

“May his legacy never be forgotten,” added Mansouri.

The tribute ended with a moment of silence in his honour.

Video: Lawyers Launch Campaign to Protect Civil Liberties in Canada http://cafe.nfshost.com/?p=7091

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Video: Lawyers Launch Campaign to Protect Civil Liberties in Canada

By Isaac Teo January 5, 2022 Updated: January 5, 2022 biggersmallerPrint

For Bruce Pardy, law professor and executive director of Rights Probe, it’s important to ensure that people who are suffering the effects of “COVID overreach” from pandemic policies know that they are not alone and that there are still lawyers out there who don’t accept the erosion of fundamental freedoms in Canada.

“When you have been suspended or dismissed from your job, when the government has closed your business, when your kids have been prevented from going to school, or your family has experienced deterioration of physical and mental health, it is natural to believe that your own society has turned against you,” Pardy told The Epoch Times.

Citing how COVID rules “erode civil liberties strategically” by restricting people’s ability to work, shop, travel, and socialize and are mandated by unelected health officials “without public scrutiny or open debate,” Pardy and a team of fellow Canadian lawyers launched the “Free North Declaration” campaign in November, calling for the immediate end of vaccine passports and mandates enforced across Canada.

The lawyers are also calling for a public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic and for Canadians to be given back “control of their own lives.”

“We wanted Canadians to know that there are still some lawyers who believe in civil liberties, and do not accept what is happening in this country,” Pardy said. “So far, legal challenges to COVID restrictions have been largely unsuccessful, but it is not for lack of trying.”

As of Jan. 5, almost 500 lawyers and over 60,000 concerned citizens have endorsed the declaration.

On New Year’s Day, Pardy and his team released a video, outlining the current threat and potential solutions, saying that the declaration is an important first step to claim back civil liberties.

Just posted: the Free North Declaration video.https://t.co/Ic52qfoIa2

— Bruce Pardy (@PardyBruce) January 1, 2022

In the video, Pardy tells the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” in which nobody dares to say they can’t see the king’s outfit except for the child who fearlessly blurts out “the king is naked!”

“We’re hoping to be the child in the parade, saying there are no clothes here and we’ve all been subjected to these extreme measures that are really unjustified. And the result of those measures has been to infringe our civil liberties,” he said.

Pardy added that COVID rules have been carefully implemented not to run afoul of the law or trigger protections in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms such as liberty and security of the person, the freedoms of association, assembly, expression, conscience, religion, and mobility rights.

“Where COVID rules appear to have violated the Charter, courts have deferred to the state to take whatever measures it deems necessary, whether demonstrably justifiable or not,” he said.

Christopher Nunn, a lawyer in Simcoe, Ont., who also signed the declaration, said although COVID rules don’t appear to violate civil liberties when viewed individually, they become “very dangerous” when put together collectively.

“They don’t on their own, each one of them, don’t infringe on our liberties, but collectively when you have so many things, and it’s such a gradual, for lack of better terminology, a slippery slope, where we slowly [become] like a frog in water, in the hot water,” Nunn said in the video.

“People are becoming desensitized to all these overreaching measures by the government.”

Legal Community Failing Canadians: Signatories

Signatory Lisa Bildy, a private litigation lawyer in London, Ont, said she noticed how some lawyers have changed their attitude towards the unvaccinated over the past year.

“A year ago, in the legal publications for other lawyers, the discussion was ‘Can employers mandate the vaccines?’ and the consensus seemed to be ‘No, they can’t,’” she said in the video.

“Then suddenly, a year later, the consensus is ‘Yes, they can and they must. And by the way, they should be terminating you for cause.’”

Bildy said those lawyers have done a disservice to people, making their lives “as miserable as humanly possible.”

Signatory Stephen Penney, a corporate lawyer in Cambridge, Ont., said he is frustrated to see people having no one to turn to for legal advice when it comes to COVID restrictions.

“I’ve had many people approach me who are desperate,” Penney said in the video. “They need advice, they need information, they need representation and advocacy, and there seems to be a real lack of that being offered by the legal community generally.”

The lawyers also pointed out in the declaration that the ways COVID rules are applied are “inconsistent and irrational.”

“Authorities enforce them selectively and preferentially, coming down hard on common people while turning a blind eye to the privileged,” the declaration reads.

“Covid vaccines do not prevent people from becoming infected or from transmitting the virus to others, but only unvaccinated persons are banned or required to undergo testing. People who have recovered from Covid and therefore have natural immunity are still subject to vaccination mandates even though the purpose of vaccination is to mimic natural immunity.”

Pardy told the Epoch Times that the public’s response to the campaign so far has been “fantastic and gratifying.”

“Many have said that it has given them hope that we can get our country back. But the message needs to continue to spread, one person at a time,” he said.

The law professor added that citizens must take the task into their own hands to reverse course.

“We hope that people will take inspiration from the declaration, and bravely share their convictions with others. This crisis may not end until a critical mass of people comes together to reject the prevailing narrative and demands a return to individual autonomy and government restraint,” he said.

“Public health authorities have broken our trust, and it is time for them to leave us alone.”

Finally, Some Lawyers Sounding the Alarm About Loss of Freedoms Because of the Medico-Stalinists’ Power Grab During COVID

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Civil Litigation

Lawyers across Canada, LSO benchers sign declaration calling for end of vaccine passports, mandates

Wednesday, November 24, 2021 @ 4:01 PM | By Amanda Jerome Share Print Tweet Email
A declaration calling for “the immediate end of vaccine passports and mandates” and a “public inquiry into the handling of all aspects of the declared pandemic” has been launched online, garnering signatures from over 31,000 citizens, including 250 lawyers, across the country.

“We are Canadian lawyers. In our country, civil liberties are under unprecedented attack. Governments, public health authorities, universities, public and private employers, municipalities, and businesses are trampling Canadians’ rights and freedoms. Our free society is at risk,” the Free North Declaration begins.

The declaration launched Nov. 12 by Bruce Pardy, professor of law at Queen’s University, along with Lisa Bildy, Stephen Penney, and Christopher Nunn, has also been signed by 10 Law Society of Ontario (LSO) benchers: Jorge Pineda, Ryan Alford, Murray Klippenstein, Alexander Wilkes, Joseph Chiummiento, Cecil Lyon, Scott Marshall, Cheryl Lean, Gary Graham and Jared Brown. It’s also been signed by Derek Sloan, former member of Parliament and leader of the True North Party of Canada.

Pardy told The Lawyer’s Daily that to date, the declaration has approximately 250 lawyer signatories and a little over 31,000 citizen endorsements.

According to the declaration, COVID-19 rules “restrict citizens’ abilities to work, shop, travel and socialize” and “erode civil liberties strategically, attempting to not run afoul of the law or to trigger protections in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms such as liberty and security of the person, the freedoms of association, assembly, expression, conscience, religion, and mobility rights.”

“Where Covid [sic] rules appear to have violated the Charter, courts have deferred to the state to take whatever measures it deems necessary, whether demonstrably justifiable or not,” the declaration added.

The declaration also claimed that “[I]n our system of law, no principle is more important than the right to control your own body and to make your own medical and health decisions.”

“An anxious populace, swept up in a deliberate campaign of fear, now believes that individual liberties upon which our liberal democracy is founded are dangerous and selfish. A growing collectivism that demands safety at the expense of autonomy shapes public policy,” the statement added.

The declaration noted that “[C]ourts have embraced the pandemic narrative, some taking judicial notice of the nature of risks of the virus and safety of vaccines to adults and children.”

“But the facts are anything but settled. Courts are supposed to be neutral. On Covid, as on any other contentious subject, their mandate is to find facts exclusively upon the evidence adduced by the parties in the courtroom. Instead, courts appear to have taken a side on Covid,” the declaration added, stressing that “[A]ccess to justice and the rule of law are now at risk.”

The statement goes on to explain that unvaccinated persons are “banned from juries, throwing into question the ability of all to obtain a fair trial heard by a jury of their peers.”

“Irrational policies born of panic affect no one more than disadvantaged communities who already suffer from lack of access to justice,” it continued.

The declaration further offered that COVID-19 vaccines “do not prevent people from becoming infected or from transmitting the virus to others, but only unvaccinated persons are banned or required to undergo testing.”

“People who have recovered from Covid and therefore have natural immunity are still subject to vaccination mandates even though the purpose of vaccination is to mimic natural immunity. Governments, public health authorities and employers advise that Covid vaccinations are safe, but pharmaceutical companies have been granted immunity from liability and no employers will accept legal responsibility for side-effects or adverse events, whether minor or serious, suffered by their employees who take a vaccine that they do not want,” the declaration added, noting that the “risks posed by Covid vaccines may be in dispute, but they are not zero. Particularly for children and healthy young adults, they may be riskier than the virus.”

“We fear the erosion of our free society,” the statement expressed.

“We question the single-minded fixation on a virus that poses little risk to most people. We protest the uncalculated harms that Covid policies are causing to people’s health, livelihoods, relationships, and mental states. We oppose the mass hysteria and anxiety that governments and the media are fuelling. Most of all, we object to the deterioration of our civil liberties and the failure of our legal institutions — legislatures, governments, administrative bodies, and courts — to protect them,” it added.

The declaration concluded by calling for “the immediate end of vaccine passports and mandates.”

“We propose a public inquiry into the handling of all aspects of the declared pandemic,” the statement added, noting that “Canadians should have control of their own lives and have the right to make their own decisions about their health, medical treatments, personal information, travels, and associations.”