Five Manitobans Admit They Violated COVID-19 Collection Restrictions – Winnipeg

Five Manitobans have been convicted of repeatedly violating COVID-19 public health regulations.

Patrick Allard, Tobias Tissen, Todd McDougall, Sharon Vickner and Gerald Bohemier have admitted exceeding the limits for outdoor public gatherings in 2020 and 2021.

County Judge Victoria Cornick convicted the five on Wednesday based on a statement of fact approved by their lawyers.

The Crown is demanding fines of between $18,000 and $42,000 each, depending on each person’s number of violations, plus court costs and surcharges.

The Crown says the five have not only repeatedly broken health regulations, but have organized events encouraging others to do the same.

Allard and McDougall have said they plan to appeal to a higher court, where they hope to challenge public health regulations under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Attorney Alex Steigerwald, who represents four of the five, said the fines proposed by the Crown would be unnecessarily harsh and crushing.

He asked the judge to issue a reprimand, which would not entail fines. If there are fines, they should not be high, he said.

“They didn’t break any windows. They didn’t riot in the streets,” Steigerwald told the court.

“My clients stood up and protested for something they believed in.”