BC appellate court dismisses insurance appeal

As reported in the last issue of the Newsletter, in September 1997 a British Columbia trial court had dismissed a "wrongful dismissal" claim by the estate of a gay man who died of AIDS against his former employer for damages arising out of his termination, including the loss of his life insurance coverage. The man's estate appealed that decision to the BC Court of Appeal. The Canadian AIDS Society and the BC Persons with AIDS Society were denied leave to intervene before the appellate court to make submissions. The case was heard in October 1999 by the British Columbia Court of Appeal. In December 1999, the Court released its judgment dismissing the appeal.