Slave Lake Court
August 21, 2024
Justice G. Auger
presiding
Sierra Marie Chalifoux, from Driftpile Cree Nation, appeared via CCTV from Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre.
On December 11, 2023, Chalifoux was sentenced to six months probation, said Alex Granley, Crown prosecutor.
Between April 10 and May 30, 2024, she didn’t report to High Prairie probation, which was one of the conditions.
Chalifoux’s criminal record is short.
Granley and Olubankole Kaffo, Chalifoux’s lawyer, recommended a 30-day sentence.
“Why such a big sentence?” asked Justice G. Auger.
The proposed sentence was because of recent related breaches, said the Crown, and she has already spend 43 days in jail.
With credit for time and a half per day in custody, she had pre-sentence credit of 65 days.
“That seems uncalled for,” said Justice Auger. She then turned to Chalifoux. “You don’t deserve to be in jail this long,” and added that while she should stay out of trouble, if she ended up in custody this long for a minor offense, “you speak up. You demand the court to be heard.”
Chalifoux told Justice Auger that she planned to move to the city and focus on addictions treatment and learning better life skills.
“I know the city can be very tempting for a lot of things,” Justice Auger told Chalifoux.
Chalifoux was sentenced to 15 days, which equalled time served.
“Don’t get in trouble again,” Justice Auger told Chalifoux.
Editor’s note: Justice G. Auger normally sits in Lethbridge Court of Justice. She switched with a northern justice to sit in Red Earth Creek, Slave Lake, and Wabasca.