House arrest, probation for old-growth protester who blocked Metro Vancouver traffic
A man who took part in four traffic-stopping protests in Metro Vancouver in an effort to save old-growth forests has been given a conditional sentence and six months' probation by a provincial court judge.
Benjamin Holt pleaded guilty to taking part in four protests, including one that snarled traffic on Grandview Highway and Boundary Road in Vancouver for 12 hours.
In a letter to the court, Holt said he felt, morally, that he had to take part in the protests, although he was sorry for the inconvenience the demonstrations caused other people.
However, his letter said it should not be necessary for ordinary citizens to put themselves out there to force the government to do the right thing.
Judge Gregory Rideout says in a decision released Thursday that public safety was of “paramount concern” after the blockades were set up in critical traffic arteries, stopping first responders from doing their work.
Rideout handed Holt a 60-day conditional sentence, some of it to be served under house arrest, in addition to a $500 fine, six months' probation and a condition that he not take part in protests that block traffic.
The Crown had asked for a 14-day jail sentence, while his lawyer wanted a conditional discharge, meaning that if Holt followed the conditions of his sentence he would not have a criminal record.
Rideout said it wouldn't be in the public interest to give Holt a conditional discharge because of his criminal conduct.
“I agree with the Crown that a jail sentence is warranted, but disagree with the Crown that a conventional jail sentence should be imposed rather than the imposition of (a conditional sentence order),” Rideout said in the decision.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.