TODAY I FILED A DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST BETTY VALENZUELA AND THE HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES' UNION

On November 12, 2026, I filed the attached Notice of Civil Claim and Affidavit in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against HEU Financial Secretary Betty Valenzuela and the Hospital Employees' Union for defamation — for telling members and the public that "All of these allegations were unfounded."

DO I EXPECT TO WIN THIS LAWSUIT?

As I have said before, I don't file complaints, grievances or lawsuits expecting to win, especially when going up against powerful institutions with virtually unlimited financial resources — your dues, by the way.

I file them to put on the official public record how I believe I have been wronged. That, in itself, is a victory for me.

THE GOAL OF THIS CLAIM

The goal is simple: to put Betty Valenzuela and HEU's behaviour on the public court record.

From day one, I said no trustees' reports were filed from 2022 to 2024. Instead of using their own auditors to provide a report, Betty and HEU leadership hired their own investigator — paid with member funds — who looked at eleven transactions, was never provided with the trustees' reports, and admitted in his own report: "I did not ask to review the VGH Local's Quarterly Reports."

Eleven transactions. No trustees' reports reviewed. And on that basis, Betty declared: "All of these allegations were unfounded."

That same report confirmed the VGH Local was delinquent in its quarterly filings, that it "failed for an extended period" to meet its transparency and accountability obligations, and that members were reasonable to ask questions about its finances.

Read that again. The investigator confirmed I was right to ask questions — and Betty told the membership I was a liar.

A STARTING POINT FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT

This claim may go nowhere. But it may provide the new provincial government a starting point to look at the close HEU leadership ties and how member funds are being used to support the party of Barb Nederpel and Lynn Bueckert — with the person in charge of watching the money being none other than Betty Valenzuela.

And mark my words: when the pressure comes, Betty will be thrown under the bus by Barb, because that is what she has done to everyone else. Just ask the poor .2 care-aide who had no clue what was happening at the VGH local.

ALL BETTY HAD TO SAY WAS:

"The VGH Local's quarterly financial and trustees' reports from 2022 to 2024 are available for review by any member who wishes to examine them."

That's it. How difficult would that have been?

Instead, we got a hired investigator, eleven transactions, no trustees' reports — and an HEU leadership more interested in discrediting those asking questions than answering the questions themselves.

Members should not have to fight their own union, hire lawyers or go to court simply to learn how their membership dues are being managed.

Win or lose, the questions surrounding the VGH Local's finances are not going away.

The lawsuit is now part of the public record.

And for me, that is already a win.