REGINA – The province’s highest court rejected Terrence Arnold Daigneault’s appeal of his 11-year prison sentence. He was convicted of firing at RCMP officers in La Ronge.
Daigneault, who also goes by the name of Terrance Kenny, had opened fire with a 9mm handgun on two officers on June 19, 2022. He was sentenced in Prince Albert Court of King’s Bench last year to 11 years in prison on three weapons offences.
“I can see no basis to conclude that the sentence imposed on Mr. Daigneault is demonstrably unfit,” said Justice Jeffery Kalmakoff, in concurrence with Justices Caldwell and McCreary in the Feb. 19 written decision.
“The offences he committed were extremely grave, as they involved the discharge of multiple shots from a handgun, at close range, directed toward police officers who were engaged in the lawful execution of their duties. His actions put the officers, the other occupants of the car in which he was riding, the surrounding residents, and the community at large at significant risk of harm.”
At Daigneault’s trial in Prince Albert Court of King’s Bench, the Crown told the court that one of the officers had since been transferred out of the La Ronge detachment due to this incident, and the other, while still with the RCMP in La Ronge, was working in another department.
At Daigneault’s sentencing hearing last year, the Crown had filed RCMP victim impact statements to the court.
Sgt. Dean Bridle, the La Ronge RCMP detachment commander, described how the RCMP responded to an armed individual at large, prioritizing community safety by stopping a large children’s event and closing local businesses.
Chief Superintendent of Criminal Operations Centre in Saskatchewan, Teddy Munro, said the shooting impacted the community as well as the officers involved.
“The incident has left an indelible mark on the communities of La Ronge, Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge First Nation, instilling fear and uncertainty among residents who witnessed the brazen attack on those sworn to protect and serve. The sense of safety the community once took for granted has been shattered, replaced by heightened vigilance and a lingering unease.
“The impact on the officers involved is immeasurable," added C/Supt. Munro. "The dedication to public safety has placed them in harm’s way, causing physical and emotional trauma that extends beyond the immediate incident. The constant threat to their lives and the toll on their mental well-being must not be underestimated.”
In handing Daigneault a global prison sentence of 11 years, the sentencing judge had recognized the profound impact of the violence on the officers, the community, and the detachment.
Daigneault appeals sentence
A defence lawyer for Daigneault argued at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal last month that the prison sentence was too long and should be reduced.
Defence said the sentence was unfit, there were errors in the sentencing judge's analysis of aggravating and mitigating factors, the parity principle, and the application of Gladue factors (considerations for Indigenous offenders).
The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, however, found no errors in the sentencing judge’s reasoning. The judge had appropriately considered Daigneault’s criminal history, including violent offences and high re-offence risk, as well as his Métis background.
Although the judge acknowledged Daigneault’s remorse and guilty plea, these weren’t sufficient to reduce the sentence due to the gravity of the offences, including firing at police officers and putting others at risk during a standoff, said the court.
Daigneault’s prior convictions, use of a lethal weapon, and the impact on the community were considered aggravating factors.
The court rejected defence’s claim of an unfit sentence, noting the seriousness of the crimes and Daigneault's high degree of moral culpability, which was not significantly affected by his Indigenous background. When Gladue factors are present, a sentencing judge must inquire into those factors to determine whether, or how, they affect the offender’s moral culpability.
The Saskatchewan Appeal Court said the sentencing judge did take Gladue factors into consideration, adding, that Gladue factors don’t mean that there is an automatic reduction of the sentence “simply because the offender is Indigenous. Nor does it mean that an Indigenous offender will necessarily receive a different sentence than a non-Indigenous offender.”
The court said that a “sentencing judge should not simply stack up all of the Gladue-type considerations at play in a case and, if the list is long or severe, automatically proceed on the assumption such factors have had a substantial limiting effect on the offender’s culpability.”
The shooting
Court heard the shooting happened after La Ronge RCMP officers attempted to stop a speeding vehicle on Far Reserve Road on June 19, 2022. The vehicle, driven by Allan Sanderson, pulled into a driveway and stopped, but Sanderson fled on foot.
Daigneault, one of the four passengers in the car, fired five rounds at the officers, hitting the police vehicle's radiator, bumper and windshield. He then aimed the firearm again at officers through the sunroof before fleeing. The entire incident – which was a total length of one minute and 17 seconds – was captured by the RCMP “WatchGuard” video (including sound).
Three bullets hit the police vehicle’s radiator, bumper, and front windshield. Photo courtesy of Saskatchewan RCMP photo
A large police response from several detachments followed, with RCMP issuing a shelter in place advisory urging the public to stay indoors. A community gathering previously planned was cancelled and stores were shut down.
Three days later, Daigneault was located in a Saskatoon motel and there was a standoff with police, which included the use of a crisis negotiator. Daigneault surrendered to police, but before he surrendered he was threatening to shoot.
