A prominent Alberta lawyer and separatist figure is facing a professional misconduct hearing over letters he sent during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which he threatened government and health officials with criminal charges, including murder and war crimes, for their role in approving vaccines.
Charges and Admissions in the Hearing
Jeffrey Rath, a 61-year-old lawyer known for his work in Indigenous rights and as a leading voice with the Alberta Prosperity Project, pleaded not guilty to two of three charges brought by the Law Society of Alberta. The hearing began on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
However, Rath did admit that the language used in his pandemic-era correspondence was "discourteous, offensive or otherwise inconsistent with the proper tone of professional communication from a lawyer." He characterized his own words as "overly aggressive."
The Specific Allegations
The law society's first count alleges that Rath threatened then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam, and other officials with criminal charges, including for murder. The society claims this was done in an attempt to gain a benefit for a client.
The second professional misconduct charge focuses on Rath's contact with Dr. Verna Yiu, the former CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS). The law society claims Rath repeatedly contacted Yiu directly, despite knowing she was represented by legal counsel in a lawsuit where Rath was acting for physicians facing discipline for refusing COVID vaccines.
The law society's rules explicitly prohibit lawyers from communicating with a represented person about the subject of the representation and from threatening criminal or regulatory proceedings to gain an advantage.
Rath's Defense and Context
During testimony, Rath explained that his office was "inundated" with hundreds of messages from people concerned about vaccine mandates. He stated he took on several related cases, arguing he is a lawyer who "(sues) governments for a living."
Regarding the contact with Dr. Yiu, Rath testified he knew Calgary lawyer Patrick Heinsen represented her in the physicians' lawsuit. However, he claimed he did not believe Heinsen was her general counsel and felt he could contact her on other matters, such as the use of the antidepressant Fluvoxamine for COVID treatment.
This justification was swiftly countered. Heinsen sent Rath a formal letter stating, "I have been provided the attached letter from you to my client. This is not the first time you have written to Dr. Yiu while you are aware we are counsel of record … I formally request you cease corresponding with my client."
The third charge against Rath, to which he pleaded not guilty, involves allegations of inappropriate contact with the AHS CEO. The hearing will determine the consequences for his actions, which could impact his standing to practice law in Alberta.
