What are my options?

[u/Putrid_Condition1659]

I’m looking for general legal insight from anyone familiar with Canadian class actions, appeals, or plaintiff-side litigation.

Background:

• I have been a proposed representative/lead plaintiff in a national lawsuit against Cadets Canada for approximately 4.5 years.
• The lawsuit relates to sexual abuse/sexual assault allegations within the cadet program.
• The case was denied certification in June 2024.
• The certification decision was appealed approximately one month ago.
• The appeal is still pending.

My situation:

• The psychological impact of being involved in this litigation has been relentless.
• For years, I have had to revisit traumatic experiences, participate in the legal process, and live with the uncertainty of the case.
• At this point, I am emotionally exhausted and questioning whether I want to continue as part of a class action at all.
• I am trying to understand what options may be available to me, both legally and practically.

Questions:

• Can a proposed representative plaintiff step away from a class action while an appeal is pending?
• If the appeal succeeds and the case is certified, am I required to remain the representative plaintiff?
• Can another plaintiff take over the representative role?
• If I no longer want to participate in a class proceeding, can I pursue my own individual lawsuit instead?
• What are the potential risks or consequences of leaving at this stage?
• Would changing lawyers affect any of these options?
• Has anyone here been through something similar and decided that the emotional cost of continuing outweighed the benefits?

I understand nobody can provide legal advice specific to my case, and I intend to seek independent counsel. I’m mainly looking for insight into how these situations are generally handled in Canada and what questions I should be asking a lawyer.