OTTAWA: Donald Hardinger was afraid his guns would be confiscated if he declared them at the Coutts border crossing when he arrived in Canada a year ago, so he decided not to say anything.
When asked by officers if he had any firearms, he said no. His vehicle was searched, guns were found, and Hardinger’s fears were justified. Not only were his guns seized, he was fined $17,500 Wednesday in Lethbridge provincial court where he pleaded guilty to smuggling goods under Canada’s Customs Act.
When suspicious border officers searched Hardinger’s travel trailer July 14, 2014, they found a restricted and loaded .45-calibre handgun and a restricted AR-15 assault rifle, as well as a non-restricted 12-gauge shotgun, 20-gauge shotgun, .22-calibre semi-automatic rifle and two .270-calibre rifles.
The amount of guns found could have warranted a jail sentence, Crown prosecutor Alex Bernard told court, but both he and defence lawyer Tyson Dahlem agreed to a hefty fine, instead. Hardinger is also prohibited from possessing firearms in Canada for 10 years.
Dahlem said his 50-year-old client was on his way to Alaska to live and work when he was searched at the border. He’s been unemployed since May because of the slowdown in the oil industry.
Another U.S. citizen was fined Wednesday for contravening the Customs Act when he was caught trying to bring a gun across the border.
Donald Edward Lee, a trucker from Kansas City, Mo., also failed to declare any weapons when he arrived at the Coutts port of entry in February driving a commercial vehicle. Border officers noted Lee looked nervous when he responded to questions about firearms, so they referred him for a secondary search. During the examination of his vehicle, he knocked on an official’s door and said he might have a gun in a brown shopping bag.
He did – a .45-calibre handgun – and he was charged.
Wednesday Lee pleaded guilty and was fined $5,000. His gun and ammunition were forfeited to the Crown, and he is also prohibited from possessing firearms in Canada for 10 years.
Dahlem explained Lee is normally a law-abiding citizen but admittedly he did something foolish and out of character.
