By Cam Fortems, Kamloops This Week
A Little Shuswap Indian Band member who uses the courts for “abusive and vexatious purposes” has been forbidden from entering band facilities and restrained from contacting a long list of members.
The band brought a lawsuit again Peter Allan August-Sjodin, asking the B.C. Supreme Court to issue a ban forbidding him from attending places including band offices, Quaaout Resort & Conference Centre, the band’s day care, golf course and gas station.
The band argued it needed to protect its goodwill from harassment and intimidation by August-Sjodin.
“Mr. August-Sjodin uses the courts for the purpose of harassment and intimidation, giving no thought to its cost to his fellow band members or the time taken away from their duties and chief and council, band employees and others to attend court actions,” the band argued.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Hope Hyslop called August-Sjodin’s conduct in the lawsuit “scandalous and outrageous.”
In his filings, August-Sjodin used phrasing similar to Freemen-on-the-Land, a loose group of adherents brought together through the Internet who argue Canadian laws do not pertain to them.
“Mr. August-Sjodin’s response and amended response is incoherent and confusing,” Hyslop wrote.
Hyslop banned August-Sjodin from entering six band facilities and from contacting 14 named members and all employees or contractors.
He can only address written correspondence to the band’s administrator.