Feds may appeal outfitter’s sentence
The federal government may appeal the sentence of Gary Carriere, a Cumberland House outfitter, after Carriere and his three guides were fined $30, 000 for permitting illegal duck hunting at their camp.

By Robert Arnason
Journal Staff
Wednesday November 02, 2005

Nipawin Journal — Feds may appeal outfitter’s sentence
By Robert Arnason
Journal Staff
The federal government may appeal the sentence of Gary Carriere, a
Cumberland House outfitter, after Carriere and his three guides were fined $30, 000 for permitting illegal duck hunting at their camp.
"As a department, we think the penalty may be a little on the low side," said Brian Petrar, special investigations coordinator with Environment Canada in Saskatoon. "We have 30 days in which to appeal. "
In March of 2005 Carriere, owner of Mistik Lodge in Cumberland House, and three guides, Delvin Laliberte, Cory McKenzie and Claude Dussion, pleaded guilty to 56 counts of violating federal and provincial wildlife acts. Carriere and his guides encouraged and allowed clients of Mistik Lodge to take double and triple the daily limit for ducks.
Judge Sid Robinson issued a 30-page written sentence in Cumberland House court on October 25, however, a copy of the decision was not available as of press time.
Petrar stated the prosecution had asked for a $148, 000 fine just for
Carriere - the $30, 000 sentence applied to all four defendants in the case.
Environment Canada wanted a more severe fine for Carriere because he was the man in charge.
"Mr. Carriere was encouraging and directing the illegal activity. They (the guides) were only following the
direction of their employer," said Petrar, who did not know the fine amount requested for the guides.
Petrar said on top of fines, the prosecution also requested a two-year ban on outfitting for Carriere.
"That he not be allowed to outfit for waterfowl. That would be done via a probation order," Petrar explained.
Robinson, however, denied the probation request.
Environment Canada, Saskatchewan Environment and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent several years building a case against Carriere and charges were laid in October of 2003.
The investigation included two years where U.S. wildlife agents posed as American hunters, staying at Mistik Lodge to gather evidence.
Petrar would not say if the investigation cost more than the $30, 000 fine. "It was a costly investigation. We had officers hunt with him for two years. There was a fair amount of money spent," he said.
Environment Canada will be working with the federal justice department, to determine if they have grounds for an appeal.
"The federal Department of Justice makes the final decision on that," said Petrar.
Since being charged in 2003 and pleading guilty in 2005, Carriere has continued to operate Mistik Lodge.
All hunting and fishing outfitters in Saskatchewan must be issued a license and Rick Douslin, resource manager for the Nipawin office of Sask Environment, said now that Carriere has been sentenced they would apply to Environment Minister David Forbes asking him to revoke Carriere's outfitters license.
"We're starting the process to see about the revocation of his license," Douslin said, adding that licenses are revoked for one to five years.
"This is the largest over limit of waterfowl we've heard of in a number of years. Outfitters with similar circumstances have lost their license."
The Journal called Mr. Carriere, requesting an interview to discuss his sentence, but did not receive a call back by press time.