Environment Canada may appeal a sentence relating to 56 counts of wildlife legislation violations handed down to a waterfowl outfitter and three hunting guides on Oct. 25.
Gary Carriere, owner of Mistik Lodge near Cumberland House, and guides Delvin Laliberte, Cory McKenzie and Claude Dussion, were fined $30,000 for breaking 51 laws under the federal Migratory Bird Convention Act and five under the Saskatchewan Wildlife Act.
“We’re reviewing the written judgment but as a department, we’re thinking that perhaps the penalty is even actually a little bit on the low side considering the number of offences he pled guilty to,” said Brian Petrar, a special investigations co-ordinator for Environment Canada.
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The charges included aiding, abetting and counselling others to hunt over legal limits of waterfowl, failing to retrieve dead and wounded birds, using a powerboat to disturb wildlife and failure to report contraventions.
The violations occurred in 2002 and 2003 when the men were guiding American waterfowl hunters. A two-year investigation by the federal and provincial environment departments led to the arrests.
Four hunters from North Carolina were recently fined $27,000 after pleading guilty to nine counts of violating the same laws. They also donated $4,000 to the Environmental Damages Fund in exchange for the return of seized equipment. Other equipment, such as clothing and firearms, with an estimated value of $10,500, was forfeited.
Petrar said Carriere does not have licence restrictions and can continue to run his outfitting business. The American hunters were assigned departure notices.
“It basically means we’re removing you from Canada and you can’t come back unless you get a minister’s permit,” said Petrar. “So likely, no they won’t be coming back.”
Evidence presented indicated the illegal activity had been occurring for a number of years.
The Saskatchewan Wildlife Act allows fines of up to $100,000 per offence.
