Haldimand-Norfolk top doc alleges \u2018relentless harassment\u2019 in lawsuit against former employer<\/h1>\n\n\n\nDr. Matt Strauss claims his public criticism of COVID-19 health measures led to a hostile work environment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"J.P.](\"https:\/\/images.thestar.com\/1kC7QARUf8vq1UkbrvQwlVbZHTo=\/100x100\/smart\/https:\/\/www.thespec.com\/content\/dam\/thestar\/columnist_logos\/JP_Antonacci_Spectator.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBy J.P. Antonacci<\/a>Local Journalism Initiative ReporterSat., Nov. 12, 2022timer<\/em>3 min. read<\/p>\n\n\n\n- <\/a><\/li>
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Haldimand-Norfolk\u2019s top doctor is suing his former employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As first reported by CBC News,<\/a> acting medical officer of health Dr. Matt Strauss<\/a> is seeking more than $600,000 in damages and lost wages from Queen\u2019s University and Dr. Stephen Archer, head of the school\u2019s department of medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\nArcher was Strauss\u2019s direct supervisor when he was an assistant professor of medicine at Queen\u2019s from July 2019 to November 2021, at which time Strauss also practiced internal medicine and worked in the ICU at Kingston General Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a statement of claim filed on Oct. 20, Strauss alleges that his time at Queen\u2019s was marked by \u201cconsistent and relentless harassment \u2026 humiliation and belittlement\u201d by Archer and other Queen\u2019s employees \u2014 motivated, Strauss claims, by his public criticism of lockdowns and other health measures implemented in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strauss claims the \u201cmalicious, aggressive, condescending and defamatory statements\u201d levelled by Archer in emails and letters to Strauss and his colleagues damaged his reputation and forced him to resign due to the hostile work environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Archer\u2019s criticisms of Strauss\u2019s COVID-related newspaper columns and tweets<\/a> caused Strauss to \u201cbecome upset and anxious,\u201d according to the claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNone of the allegations in the claim have been tested in court. A statement of defence has not yet been filed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am not sure how the CBC became aware of a recent court filing issued by my lawyer,\u201d Strauss posted to Twitter Thursday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is my strong preference that this matter remain between the parties involved. Therefore, I will not be providing any comment about this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat said, I am a firm believer in academic freedom, particularly on matters of significant public interest. I will continue to advocate for this principle in my public commentary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to a request for comment sent to the university and Archer, the university said it was \u201caware of the statement of claim filed with the court.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe university has not been served with the claim and therefore has not filed, nor been required to file a statement of defence. As such, the claim represents only the plaintiff\u2019s perspective,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs this is a Human Resources matter, the university will not be commenting further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Archer did not respond directly to the request for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the publicly available court filing, Archer accused Dr. Strauss of \u201cgrabbing headlines for the wrong reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou were hired to be a physician not a publicist,\u201d Archer allegedly told him in a December 2020 email included in the statement of claim, adding he was \u201cvery concerned about your maturity and professionalism and believe your professed love of freedom of expression is more self centered than in service of our patients or trainees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strauss said his superior defamed him by suggesting he was \u201cpromulgating false information and not caring about the health of the public\u201d while \u201cseeding mistrust for public health institutions\u201d through \u201cdangerous and misleading\u201d public comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Archer\u2019s public censure of Strauss\u2019s activities came despite what Strauss claims was an \u201centirely positive\u201d annual performance review in March 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strauss said Archer targeted him in part because he had signed the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter published in October 2020 calling for people at least risk of adverse affects from COVID-19 to be allowed to live with few public health restrictions in order to encourage the development of herd immunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Archer published a five-point refutation of the Great Barrington Declaration on the university\u2019s website in the following month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strauss contends the \u201ceight months of harassment\u201d he allegedly experienced at Queen\u2019s was a calculated campaign by Archer to get him to quit his job. After raising objections regarding how he was being treated, Strauss claims Archer informed him in June 2021 his contract would not be renewed after it came to an end the following year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strauss argues that left him with no choice but to leave the university in November 2021, with more than seven months left on his contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That September Strauss was hired<\/a> as acting medical officer of health in Haldimand-Norfolk.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe lawsuit seeks at least $600,000 in damages \u2014 including half a million for defamation \u2014 along with wages and benefits lost due to what Strauss\u2019 filing describes as his \u201cconstructive dismissal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strauss also wants the university to delete what he considers defamatory statements made about him by Queen\u2019s staff from any university platform and prevent their further dissemination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/dr-matt-strauss.webp\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Persecuted Professor & COVID Dissident Sues Queen’s University & Dr. Stephen Archer for $600,000 For “Malicious, Aggressive, Condescending & Defamatory” Statements Haldimand-Norfolk top doc alleges \u2018relentless harassment\u2019 in lawsuit against former employer Dr. Matt Strauss claims his public criticism of … Continue reading
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBy J.P. Antonacci<\/a>Local Journalism Initiative ReporterSat., Nov. 12, 2022timer<\/em>3 min. read<\/p>\n\n\n\n Haldimand-Norfolk\u2019s top doctor is suing his former employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As first reported by CBC News,<\/a> acting medical officer of health Dr. Matt Strauss<\/a> is seeking more than $600,000 in damages and lost wages from Queen\u2019s University and Dr. Stephen Archer, head of the school\u2019s department of medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archer was Strauss\u2019s direct supervisor when he was an assistant professor of medicine at Queen\u2019s from July 2019 to November 2021, at which time Strauss also practiced internal medicine and worked in the ICU at Kingston General Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a statement of claim filed on Oct. 20, Strauss alleges that his time at Queen\u2019s was marked by \u201cconsistent and relentless harassment \u2026 humiliation and belittlement\u201d by Archer and other Queen\u2019s employees \u2014 motivated, Strauss claims, by his public criticism of lockdowns and other health measures implemented in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strauss claims the \u201cmalicious, aggressive, condescending and defamatory statements\u201d levelled by Archer in emails and letters to Strauss and his colleagues damaged his reputation and forced him to resign due to the hostile work environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archer\u2019s criticisms of Strauss\u2019s COVID-related newspaper columns and tweets<\/a> caused Strauss to \u201cbecome upset and anxious,\u201d according to the claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n None of the allegations in the claim have been tested in court. A statement of defence has not yet been filed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am not sure how the CBC became aware of a recent court filing issued by my lawyer,\u201d Strauss posted to Twitter Thursday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is my strong preference that this matter remain between the parties involved. Therefore, I will not be providing any comment about this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat said, I am a firm believer in academic freedom, particularly on matters of significant public interest. I will continue to advocate for this principle in my public commentary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to a request for comment sent to the university and Archer, the university said it was \u201caware of the statement of claim filed with the court.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe university has not been served with the claim and therefore has not filed, nor been required to file a statement of defence. As such, the claim represents only the plaintiff\u2019s perspective,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs this is a Human Resources matter, the university will not be commenting further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archer did not respond directly to the request for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the publicly available court filing, Archer accused Dr. Strauss of \u201cgrabbing headlines for the wrong reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou were hired to be a physician not a publicist,\u201d Archer allegedly told him in a December 2020 email included in the statement of claim, adding he was \u201cvery concerned about your maturity and professionalism and believe your professed love of freedom of expression is more self centered than in service of our patients or trainees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strauss said his superior defamed him by suggesting he was \u201cpromulgating false information and not caring about the health of the public\u201d while \u201cseeding mistrust for public health institutions\u201d through \u201cdangerous and misleading\u201d public comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archer\u2019s public censure of Strauss\u2019s activities came despite what Strauss claims was an \u201centirely positive\u201d annual performance review in March 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strauss said Archer targeted him in part because he had signed the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter published in October 2020 calling for people at least risk of adverse affects from COVID-19 to be allowed to live with few public health restrictions in order to encourage the development of herd immunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Archer published a five-point refutation of the Great Barrington Declaration on the university\u2019s website in the following month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strauss contends the \u201ceight months of harassment\u201d he allegedly experienced at Queen\u2019s was a calculated campaign by Archer to get him to quit his job. After raising objections regarding how he was being treated, Strauss claims Archer informed him in June 2021 his contract would not be renewed after it came to an end the following year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strauss argues that left him with no choice but to leave the university in November 2021, with more than seven months left on his contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That September Strauss was hired<\/a> as acting medical officer of health in Haldimand-Norfolk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lawsuit seeks at least $600,000 in damages \u2014 including half a million for defamation \u2014 along with wages and benefits lost due to what Strauss\u2019 filing describes as his \u201cconstructive dismissal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strauss also wants the university to delete what he considers defamatory statements made about him by Queen\u2019s staff from any university platform and prevent their further dissemination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Persecuted Professor & COVID Dissident Sues Queen’s University & Dr. Stephen Archer for $600,000 For “Malicious, Aggressive, Condescending & Defamatory” Statements Haldimand-Norfolk top doc alleges \u2018relentless harassment\u2019 in lawsuit against former employer Dr. Matt Strauss claims his public criticism of … Continue reading <\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"