Nurse Leah McInnes has been cleared of charges of spreading misinformation due to her opposition to vaccine mandates by the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS). The CRNS Discipline Committee’s decision, which was published on Jan. 12, dismissed all charges against McInnes and stated that the case should not have proceeded to a hearing, according to a Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) release on Jan. 19.
McInnes, a registered nurse since 2013 and mother of two, was charged by the CRNS’s Investigation Committee for her social media advocacy against vaccine mandates. The committee accused her of using the term “vaccine mandate” in a way that constituted misinformation, but her use of the term aligns with its general understanding in public discourse.
Starting Oct. 1, 2021, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) implemented a policy mandating all existing SHA staff members to submit evidence of complete COVID-19 vaccination. McInnes’s opposition to vaccine mandates centered on medical ethics and the right to informed consent, citing emerging scientific evidence that COVID vaccines do not prevent virus transmission.
The case against McInnes drew criticism for its potential impact on professional freedom of speech. Her legal team argued that the charges undermined a health professional’s right to participate in democratic discourse and ethical dissent. They emphasized the importance of professionals expressing their sincere beliefs for the integrity of science, ethics, and democracy.
Expert testimony, including that of former Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario Dr. Richard Schabas, further bolstered McInnes’s defense. In a statement following the verdict, McInnes expressed gratitude for the CRNS Discipline Committee’s recognition of her rights and emphasized the importance of her colleagues’ right to express different opinions.