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Appeal Court tosses case brought by B.C. health executive fired for vaccine refusal
Donald Sturgeon was denied employment insurance benefits after being fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds, with courts citing procedural issues in his Charter claims.
- In Vancouver, the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed a former Interior Health executive’s bid for Employment Insurance in 2025, nearly five years after his job loss for vaccine refusal.
- Sturgeon served as Interior Health’s executive director of medical affairs and said he wanted to give a `voice` to colleagues who lost jobs, a motive he stated.
- The claim moved through the Social Security Tribunal, the Federal Court , and the Federal Court of Appeal, which dismissed the case as outside the tribunal’s mandate.
- Turner, Sturgeon’s lawyer, says they may seek leave to appeal and highlight access-to-justice concerns due to self-representation errors.
- This report was published March 5, 2026, and the Federal Court’s 2024 finding may clarify procedural limits on employment insurance claims.
19 Articles
19 Articles
BC health executive fired for refusing COVID vaccine just lost his appeal for EI benefits
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by a fired B.C. health executive to seek employment insurance benefits, nearly five years after he lost his job for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. Donald Sturgeon was the Interior Health authority's executive director of medical affairs, but was fired in November 2021 due to his refusal to be vaccinated. Sturgeon's bid for benefits has gone through several layers of appeals, in…
The Toronto Star
Appeal Court tosses case brought by B.C. health executive fired for vaccine refusal
VANCOUVER - The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by a fired B.C. health executive to seek employment insurance benefits, nearly five years after he lost his job for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds.
Appeal Court tosses case brought by B.C. health executive fired for vaccine refusal – Energeticcity.ca
VANCOUVER — The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a bid by a fired B.C. health executive to seek employment insurance benefits, nearly five years after he lost his job for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. Donald Sturgeon was the Interior Health authority’s executive director of medical affairs, but was fired in November 2021 due to his refusal to be vaccinated. Sturgeon’s bid for benefits has gone through several layers of…
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