Canadian MP says unvaxxed woman who died after being denied organ transplant deserved her fate

 A Canadian member of parliament (MP) insensitively remarked that an unvaccinated woman, who was denied a vital organ transplant and later died, deserved what happened to her.

The woman in question was Sheila Annette Lewis, who died on Aug. 25. Her refusal to get injected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine caused her to be removed from the waiting list of organ transplant candidates. Supporters had been raising money on Lewis' behalf so that she could go to the U.S. for the operation, but they fell short of the target amount.

The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) issued a statement shortly after Lewis' passing. It said: "Our thoughts are with her family, and all other Canadians who have been denied transplants because of unscientific vaccine policies. We will continue her courageous fight for rights and freedoms."

But Canadian MP Charlie Angus of Canada's New Democratic Party didn't offer words of sympathy, instead saying Lewis deserved to die. The MP for the Timmins-James Bay electoral district wrote in a now-deleted-tweet: "A woman died because she preferred to fight for disinformation, anti-vaccine b******t and conspiracy. Pierre Poilievre says she is a hero and supports a candidate so bogus that Doug Ford kicked him out."

Angus referenced two fellow lawmakers in the deleted tweet. The "bogus" candidate pertained to politician Roman Baber, who was kicked out of the Progressive Conservative Party by incumbent Ontario Premier Doug Ford over opposition to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Meanwhile, Poilievre – the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada – has openly opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates pushed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Lewis hailed from Canada's Alberta province, which is currently under the leadership of Premier Danielle Smith. The province's chief executive once remarked that the unvaccinated were "the most discriminated-against group" in her lifetime, but she did nothing to save Lewis until her death.

"There is no rational reason for denying the unvaccinated an organ transplant; it's just more bureaucratic inertia from the public health Gestapo," wrote Human Events columnist David Krayden. "There is growing evidence that the vaccinated are in greater danger of sudden death than those who resisted the monumental pressure to roll the dice and get the [vaccine]."

Judge who ruled against Lewis in 2022 equally liable

While Angus' remarks against Lewis deserve much criticism, a magistrate in Canada is also equally liable for contributing to her death. In July 2022, Justice Roger Paul Belzil of the Alberta Court of King's Bench ruled against Lewis – represented by the JCCF in a lawsuit against Alberta Health Services (AHS).

In his decision, Belzil ruled that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (CCRF) does not apply to the decision of the AHS-funded organ transplant team. This essentially meant that constitutional rights guaranteed by the CCRF do not apply to persons seeking organ transplants. "The proposed AHS policy, which has not been completed, mirrors the recommendations of the treating physicians [who] are exercising clinical judgment," the justice wrote.

Lewis noted in her legal affidavit that getting the COVID-19 vaccine "offends her conscience." She continued: "I ought to have the choice about what goes into my body, and a lifesaving treatment cannot be denied to me because I chose not to take an experimental treatment for a condition."

JCCF lawyer Allison Pejovic, who represented Lewis in court, lamented the "deeply disappointing" decision. The group later said it will "review the decision and determine whether to file an appeal" – which it lodged with the Court of Appeal of Alberta.  

Unfortunately, the appellate court dismissed Lewis' case against AHS in November 2022. In its ruling, it sided with Belzil and argued that the COVID-19 vaccine requirement did not violate Lewis' rights under the CCRF. "Being vaccinated against COVID-19 is a necessary component of proper medical care for individuals," it ruled.