In a first in Canada, a judge has granted an interlocutory injunction to ban two Quebec men from donating their sperm.
The two serial donors — Philippe Normand and his son, Dominik Seelos — have fathered hundreds of children, which came to light in a documentary by Noovo Info.
On Wednesday, Justice Simon Chamberland granted the injunction, which remains in effect until a judgment is rendered in the trial related to the case,
Noovo Info reported. Laurie, a mother whose four children were conceived through sperm donated from the two men, has accused them of “fertility fraud” and of violating their dignity “both on contractual grounds and on fundamental rights.”
Laurie is a pseudonym because the plaintiff’s name is protected by a publication ban.
The decision marks a key moment in the legal saga since the release of the documentary
Père 100 enfants (Father of 100 Children), which aired on Crave in 2023.
The injunction prohibits Normand and Seelos from donating their sperm in Quebec and from contacting anyone to offer sperm donations.
‘Autonomy over your body’
Jessica Lelièvre, the plaintiff’s lawyer, argued that the two men lied about the quality of their sperm, the number of donations, and their family relationship.
“Fertility and reproduction are definitely places where you need to have a lot of autonomy over your body, over your choices for yourself and for your family. So, yeah, it’s an emotionally-loaded case,” Lelièvre told CTV News after the ruling was rendered.
Normand has previously defended his actions and said that if the injunction were to be granted, he would continue to donate his sperm in Ontario since Chamberland’s decision does not have effect in that province.
Normand acknowledged being the biological father of 109 children. As for Seelos, he estimates he fathered 240 children through sperm donations. However, the plaintiff alleges that both numbers are, in fact, much higher.
Faced with these numbers, Chamberland said, “The number of children conceived” by the defendants in this case “significantly exceeds the limits generally recommended by experts to prevent potentially serious consequences for their children and their parents.”
And since the risks of inbreeding and incest are “directly correlated with the number of sperm donations” by Normand and Seelos, the judge “has no hesitation” in granting the injunction requested by the mother," the judgement reads.
“Each additional sperm donation by the defendants increases the alleged harm to the plaintiff and her children,” he wrote in his decision.
Man says he is solution to Quebec’s fertility problem
Seelos argued in court that there was no evidence that he is a “prolific donor.” He said that he is part of “the solution to fertility problems in Quebec” and that while there are prolific donors in Quebec, he doesn’t “stand out from the crowd.”
“It’s just because there are media stories,” he added.
Laurie was pleased with the judge’s decision to grant the injunction, according to her lawyer.
“My client welcomes this decision with a lot of relief. It’s an uncommon situation, and it’s the first time in Canada that the court has to weigh whether they can grant an injunction in such a case,” Lelièvre said.
There is currently no law limiting the number of sperm donations in Quebec, but it’s something the government has said it would consider looking into.
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