One of the four young young men, and lawyers for two others, charged in the high-profile case of cattle abuse at Canada’s largest dairy farm in Chilliwack were in provincial court Monday for a pre-trial conference.
A 12-day trial for Lloyd Blackwell, Brad Genereux, Cody Larson and Jonathan Talbot is scheduled to run from May 19 to June 15. Blackwell faces two charges and Genereux and Larson each four charges of causing an animal to continue to be in distress under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Talbot faces two such charges in addition to one charge under the Wildlife Act for allegedly injuring a pigeon.
The incidents that led to the charges date back to 2014 when undercover videos were filmed by a Chilliwack Cattle Sales (CCS) employee who worked for the animal welfare group Mercy For Animals. The footage that resulted during the period between April 30 and June 1, 2014 was called “egregious abuse” and “absolutely horrific” by Ontario-based vice-president of Mercy For Animals, Krista Hiddema. ”[It was] some of the most horrific animal abuse that I have ever seen,” Hiddema said in December before CCS owners pleaded guilty.
It was Dec. 16, 2016 when CCS President Kenneth Kooyman pleaded guilty to three charges of animal cruelty on behalf of the farm itself and his brother Wesley, a CCS director, pleaded guilty to one charge personally.
They were assessed fines totalling $300,000 in addition to $45,000 in victim fine surcharges. Both men addressed the court after the sentences were handed down in December.
“We deeply regret what has happened and we promise this will never happen again,” Kenneth said.
“On behalf of all the directors, I am sorry,” Wesley added.
At the pre-trial conference in court April 3, Crown counsel Jim MacAulay said the video along with expert testimony constituted the main case against the four employees. Lawyers for Talbot and Larson were in court Monday. The court heard a lawyer for Blackwell was not in court as her vehicle had broken down. Genereux was the only accused present and is unrepresented by a lawyer, but is looking to get one before the trial begins May 19. Speaking for the law firm representing Larson, lawyer Elizabeth France said they were in contact with the Crown and there was a possibility of a resolution, which usually refers to a guilty plea. As for the three other men charged, Travis Keefer, Chris Vandyke and Jamie Visser, they are scheduled to plead guilty on April 13.
paul.henderson@theprogress.com
@PeeJayAitch
