Queen's University responds to $600K lawsuit from controversial doctor Matthew Strauss
Queen's University and the head of its medicine department are firing back at Dr. Matthew Strauss — a controversial, former acting medical officer of health in southern Ontario.
The Kingston, Ont. university and Strauss's former direct supervisor, Dr. Stephen Archer, filed a statement of defence in July, obtained by CBC Hamilton.
It's in response toStrauss's $600,000 lawsuit in which he says he had no choice but to resign from his position at Queen's University because of "malicious, aggressive, condescending and defamatory statements" made about him.
Strauss was also the acting medical officer of health for Haldimand and Norfolk counties from September 2021 to April 2023.
In their statement of defence, the school and Archer say no one defamed Strauss. It says his resignation was timed to make as much money and sow as much chaos as possible.
It also says his disagreement with public health measures wasn't just seen online, but at work where he tried to bypass COVID-19 screening at the Kingston Health Sciences Centre.
In addition to obtaining the statement of defence, CBC Hamilton also obtained the plaintiff's reply — Strauss's reply — to the defence.
None of the claims have been proven in court.
COVID-19 comments and concerns at work
Queen's says Strauss started a three-year full-time appointment in July 2019, according to the statement of defence.
When the pandemic started in 2020, Archer and Strauss disagreed about scientific literature on COVID-19 and public health measures, but Archer remained professional.
The defence points to Strauss's social media posts about COVID-19 that include him saying:
"I would sooner give my children Covid-19 than a McDonald's happy meal."
"Just listening to science is naïve – what to do about Covid depends on values more than facts."
"If you drive your kids to school and worry about them getting COVID there then you are bad at math."
The defence states Strauss' peers said his comments were undermining the work done to save people's lives while medical learners called his comments "offensive and discriminatory."
He also tried to bypass screening at the hospital, the statement of defence says.
"These behaviours occurred at a time when COVID-19 was incurable and vaccines were not yet available," reads the court document.
Despite several meetings with Strauss that weren't punitive but had people discuss their concerns, his "harmful commentary" continued and he didn't make clear that his posts were his opinion and not that of his employer.
Queen's University is in Kingston, Ont. (Frédéric Pepin/CBC)
The defence says due to funding issues, the school couldn't renew Strauss's position after the three-year term ended and would create a new position.
It also says Strauss was told about this in June 2021 and was encouraged to apply for the new position or other positions, which he did not do.
In September 2021, the university learned Strauss became Haldimand-Norfolk's acting medical officer of health and was "concerned" it may impact his ability to care for patients and teach.
Strauss told the hospital he wouldn't reapply on Oct. 19, 2023 and said his last working day would be Nov. 19, according to the defence.
But the school says he didn't show up that day.
Steve Archer is head of Queen's University's department of medicine. (Steve Archer/Twitter)
The school also says he only worked some five weeks between July 1, 2021 and October 21, 2021 despite expecting him to work a full 14 weeks.
The defence says Strauss was "intentionally silent" and "deliberately timed" his resignation to "receive as much income in advance and cause as much disruption as possible."
The defendants also say no one harassed or defamed Strauss, but instead, made comments in emails and a letter to him under the "honest belief" his comments about COVID-19 were "detrimental" to patients, his workplace and the community.
Strauss says university tried to 'cancel' him
In the plaintiff's reply, Strauss denies trying to bypass screening.
He also said he had to cancel clinics at the request of Archer, who said it was necessary to deal with a rapidly rising wave of COVD-19.
During the cancelled clinics, Strauss said he worked in the critical care unit.
In the plaintiff's reply, Strauss also said his comments on social media are taken out of context and didn't cause harm.
He denies that his lawsuit is a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP), which is a legal move used to bankrupt, intimidate or silence opposition.
He says the opposite is true and accuses Queen's University and Archer of trying to "cancel" him.
