(LifeSiteNews) — An Ontario doctor is challenging the COVID vaccine mandates which resulted in the suspension of his hospital privileges.  

From January 10 to 19, the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) will hear the case of Dr. Ian DePass against the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance hospital (CKHA). DePass was suspended after failing to comply with CKHA’s vaccination policy, according to a press release from the legal organization The Democracy Fund (TDF).  

“As a surgical assistant, DePass cannot earn a living from medicine unless he has hospital privileges,” the press release revealed. “A father of seven, with two young children at home, he has worked in construction since his suspension from the hospital.” 

DePass has not been able to work as a physician since November 1, 2021, when his hospital privileges were suspended. DePass had requested an exemption from the shot but was denied.  

“Hospital privileges” is a health care term referring to the authority a hospital gives to a doctor or nurse to treat patients at that hospital.    

In February 2022, the CKHA board determined to rule against DePass’s attempt to return to medical work. It upheld the vaccine mandate and suspension.  

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Shortly after, the case was taken up by TDF. The organization assigned Ontario lawyer Lisa Bildy to represent DePass in a new hearing before the HPARB. According to TDF, the new hearing is the natural process for “challenges to the suspension or termination of hospital privileges under the Public Hospitals Act.” 

In June 2023, the Appeal Board agreed to allow DePass to present “current evidence about the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing transmission of COVID-19.” According to the board, this information would be a “relevant consideration” in determining if CKHA’s vaccine policy and suspension should be upheld.   

According to his College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) profile, DePass, a surgeon since 1997, was demoted to “surgical assistant” in 2008 after he was judged by the CPSO Discipline Committee to have failed to meet the standard of care for three patients. In 2012, DePass admitted to professional misconduct against a total of five patients. 

Ontario is one of the few Canadian provinces to maintain their COVID vaccine policy despite the nationwide shortage of medical staff. Under CKHA’s current policy, medical staff are required to have two COVID injections; booster shots are not mandated.  

Furthermore, DePass is hardly alone in his fight for medical freedom. In December, British Columbia’s Dr. Theresa Szczepaniak lost an appeal to keep working after being suspended for not receiving the experimental COVID-19 vaccine.  

Additionally, hundreds of British Columbia health care workers joined together in November to sue Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry for ongoing COVID shot mandates preventing them from working.    

Similarly, Ontario pro-freedom Dr. Mark Trozzi is at risk of losing his license for critiquing the mainstream narrative around the COVID-19 so-called “pandemic” and the associated vaccines.  

READ: Health Canada claims cancer-linked DNA sequence found in Pfizer COVID jab is ‘inactive’