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The first date of sentencing proceedings for the Coutts Three took place Monday at the Lethbridge courthouse. 

Marco Van Huigenbos was found guilty in April by a jury, alongside Alex Van Herk and George Janzen, who make up the Coutts Three. They were involved in the controversial Coutts border blockade in February 2022.

Van Huigenbos is one of men convicted of mischief over $5,000 for his role in the Coutts border blockade. He did not have a pre-sentence report (PSR) prepared, given his refusal to be interviewed by a probation officer. The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada describes PSRs as tools used by judges to determine sentencing for persons convicted of felonies.

Guilty verdicts for all Coutts Three defendants - Marco Van Huigenbos, George Janzen, and Alex Van Herk - on the charge of mischief over $5,000. This stort still isn't over, though. https://t.co/mIhJKvGq4E pic.twitter.com/LKMcHbmZOs

— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) April 17, 2024

Van Huigenbos told Rebel News he learned from Van Herk and George Janzen they were asked about their religious and political views by probation officers. He determined those questions violated his privacy rights.

Judges presiding over serious criminal cases, with a guilty verdict, often request a PSR. It assists the court in making a sentencing decision. What constitutes a PSR is defined in the Criminal Code of Canada. Application is left to the provinces and territories.

Preparing PSRs requires probation officers to interview offenders, family members, employers and other relevant persons. Officers also review police and correctional files to help the courts ascertain if the offender is willing to change. Thousands of PSRs are written each month; yet, little is known of their value and use by the courts.

Questions asked of @alexvanherk and George Janzen included inquiries about politics, philosophy, and religion. @marco_huigenbos explained to me why he abstained from doing this interview, describing it as an invasion of his privacy and personal beliefs. https://t.co/qBE9BF0DPF

— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) July 22, 2024

Van Huigenbos told the publication he expects coercive pressure from the government to comply with the interview to create a PSR for Justice Keith Yamauchi’s consideration.

The three men are scheduled for their next sentencing hearing on August 26, with a final sentence expected to be issued in late September. The maximum sentence for mischief over $5,000 is ten year imprisonment.