SOUND OFF: Shawn Buckley, hometown hero

Feb 2, 2024 | 8:00 PM

WHEN YOU THINK OF FAMOUS Kamloops citizens, who comes to mind first? For me, hockey names like Don Hay, Mark Recchi, Scott Niedermayer tend to dominate, but I also remember Brett Tippie and Matt Hunter of mountain biking fame along with the notable pro pot libertarian activist Jodie Emery. Kamloops has also been home to Hollywood actors like Jason Ayres and impactful BC politicians like ‘Flyin Phil’ Gaglardi, whose name adorns Royal Inland Hospital. There are quite a few important names to come from our small town, more than I can write about here, and we should be proud of them all. That’s why I want to tell you about another impactful Canadian from Kamloops named Shawn Buckley.

If you type his name into Google, you’ll find Shawn Buckley is a criminal and constitutional lawyer with his own practice here in Kamloops. Prior to starting private law, he worked for the Ministry of Advanced Education Training and Technology, the BC Human Rights Council, the Intergovernmental Affairs Branch of the Premier’s Office and Transport Canada. He lived here in Kamloops for 22 years before recently moving on to Alberta, but if you ask Shawn, he’ll tell you he still considers Kamloops home.

In 2008, Shawn started the Natural Health Products Protection Association to protect Canadians’ access to non-pharmaceutical natural health products. Today, he continues the fight against federal government policy to redefine natural products into the same categories as chemical drugs including a push to create Canada’s own Natural Health Products and Traditional Medicines Act.

Shawn also gained notoriety recently for his work with the National Citizens Inquiry. He, along with several others, are the original founders of the inquiry, and Shawn continues to work as a key member and council to the commission. With the lack of transparency and accountability during the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shawn and other volunteers created the first national inquiry of its kind in Canada.

Three out of four Canadians reported experiencing negative effects or harm due to government policy during the pandemic. The purpose was to listen to Canadians, learn what went right and what went wrong and recommend ways and means to ensure future national crises are better managed while upholding trust in our public institutions. The inquiry was held in multiple cities across Canada with more than 300 witnesses ranging from CBC reporters, constitutional law experts, physicians and immunologists, who all testified willingly under oath and the penalty of perjury. The final report is a comprehensive work detailing many government missteps, mistakes and outright failures to keep Canadians safe during the pandemic that every Canadian should read.

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If you ask Shawn about it, he’ll tell you the most inspiring thing to come out of the NCI was the sense of community and people coming together over the inquiry. Even for those at opposite sides of the issue, there’s something cathartic and healing about listening to the real experiences of other Canadians.

One of the criticisms the NCI has received is the lack of current government and civil service witnesses. Shawn will tell you that’s to be expected. Even though the NCI sent non-binding subpoenas to all key officials and cabinet members, as counsel himself he notes he would never allow a government employee to take on the liability of testifying under oath, and there would be nothing to gain from the government’s perspective. And maybe that’s the problem – the government, so focused on accomplishing its policy goals, has lost sight of the forest for the trees and is often more concerned with its own wellbeing than its own citizens.

Shawn Buckley and others who have been so tirelessly working towards the truth for all Canadians are truly deserving of our recognition and support. The recent ruling in federal court against the Trudeau government’s use the Emergencies Act might just be the spark this country needs to reignite our interest in these matters. And for the people who call Kamloops home, now you know one more famous local to brag about to your relatives the next time they visit town.

If you want to learn more about Shawn and his work check out these links:
https://nationalcitizensinquiry.ca/
https://buckleyandco.ca/our-team/
https://nhppa.org/
https://rumble.com/v3hj1no-tomorrows-canada-a-country-without-natural-health.html

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by Geoff Snicer

SOUND OFF: Shawn Buckley, hometown hero

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