An 85-year-old among pipeline protesters sentenced Thursday
Posted November 22, 2018 10:28 pm.
Last Updated November 22, 2018 11:24 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The Trans Mountain pipeline protests may be a distant memory for some of us, but demonstrators are still dealing with the legal ramifications.
A handful of people were handed their sentences in a Vancouver court on Thursday.
One of them was 85-year-old Joanne Manley, who was given 14 days house arrest.
Sarah Beuhler with protest group Protect the Inlet says they feared Manley was going to be given jail time.
“An 85-year-old going into the jail system would be very dangerous. Their medical facilities aren’t geared to the elderly. We are very thankful she’ll be serving her time at home, but it will be a significant disruption to her life.”
Manley will also have to pay a $2,000 fine.
Others were given jail time.
According to Beuhler, Ronald Berezan, Jo Ann Murray, and Judith Rees-Thomas have been sentenced to seven days in jail. Danika Dinsmore was also given a conditional sentence of seven days home detention due to her health.
On Friday, Beuhler says two more defendants will be in front of a judge, not just to deal with civil contempt charges. She says Trans Mountain Corporation is going after New Westminster Anglican pastor Laurel Dykstra and one of her parishioners, Lini Hutchings, for legal costs – something she says hasn’t happened before.
“This Anglican reverend and her parishioner face seven days in jail for civil contempt charges as well as Trans Mountain’s legal costs. That strikes us as quite shocking, as Trans Mountain is the Government of Canada now.”
She points out the charges against the two were originally dropped by the Crown, but re-instated after the federal government took ownership of the pipeline project. She doesn’t know how much Trans Mountain is seeking.
“It’s coming across as punitive and petty, frankly. I would expect a large cost amount, that a judge could trim. But whatever happens we will support these folks.”
She says about five other protesters have yet to have their day in court, and she believes most of them will plead guilty to civil disobedience.
Protesters who have pleaded not guilty have trials scheduled for December.
