Steve Norn was fined nearly $1,400 for violating his Covid-19 isolation period in April, March 2.
The former MLA for Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh was charged with two counts of failing to isolate from other persons in contradiction of the Public Health Act after returning from a trip to Alberta in the spring. He changed his initial plea of not guilty to guilty in Yellowknife court Wednesday morning.
Judge Lloyd Strang considered several mitigating factors, including both Norn’s role and influence as an elected official and the fallout from the ensuing scandal that affected both Norn and his family.
Norn’s violation of the Public Health Act was not in contention: He had previously admitted to the CBC that he had entered the Legislative Assembly on April 17 of last year after returning from a trip to Grande Prairie, before his mandatory 14-day Covid isolation period had ended. Norn later tested positive for Covid-19, and a guard at the Assembly had to self-isolate after coming into contact with him.
The revelation of Norn’s violation of a public health order and ensuing enquiry eventually led to Norn being removed from his seat as the MLA for Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh in November.
Given his role as an MLA, Strang argued Norn “ought to have known the importance of complying” with public health orders. He also recognized that “the public can be influenced by the words and actions of its leaders.”
However, he acknowledged that Norn’s role as an elected official led to a level of public scrutiny and harassment that “wouldn’t have been felt by other individuals.”
The charge could have carried a fine of up to $10,000 or six months in jail; Crown prosecutor John Cliffe argued for a fine of $1,500, plus a $250 victim surcharge, saying the prosecution was “not asking for the maximum penalty” but was instead only interested in “general deterrance.”
He said Norn’s self-isolation plan, which had been approved by health authorities prior to his trip, was “unambiguous,” and that Norn must have known he was violating his isolation. “This was not a slip of one’s mind, or forgetting, or anything like that,” he said.
He said there were not many other cases to look to for appropriate fines, since most accused pay the fine without going to trial.
Norn’s counsel, Jay Bran, argued the fine should be reduced to $100 and the victim surcharge waived due both to Norn’s unemployment and the fallout of the scandal.
“He has already suffered immensely,” he said.
However, Strang said a $100 fine was “simply not sufficient” to deter other members of the public from violating health orders in the future.
Speaking on his own behalf, Norn said he had been unable to find work since being removed as an MLA. He said both he and his children had been the subjects of harassment and name-calling since the scandal broke out.
In particular, he said the team responsible for ensuring compliance with Covid rules were “very, very vicious towards and me and family.”
“I just want to move on, cauterize this, and accept whatever judgement you hand out,” he said.
Norn will have until February 2023 to pay the fine.