Latest news with #Evely
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Man walks into Nova Scotia forest, walks out with $28K fine: 'I want to challenge this order in court'
A Nova Scotia man who intentionally violated the province's ban on entering the woods says he plans to fight his $28,000 fine. Jeffrey Evely, a veteran and former candidate for the People's Party of Canada, recorded a video over the weekend of him first going to the Department of Natural Resources in Coxheath, N.S., and informing officers he was going into the woods to protest the ban. 'I want to challenge this order in court, and the only way to do that is to get the fine,' Jeffrey Evely says in the video. 'So, I'm not trying to make trouble for you guys, I just want a piece of (Premier) Tim Houston and I want to be as accommodating and nice as I can be.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. One of the officers asked him not to enter the woods, but he followed through with his plan. When he left the forest, he was handed a fine of $28,872.50, according to an image of the document. The new policy came into effect on Aug. 5, and will remain until Oct. 15. It bans people from hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles like ATVs in the woods due to the elevated wildfire risk. People are not even allowed to enter the woods. The fine for violating the ban is $25,000. Evely's fine includes taxes, fees, and surcharges. 'I know it's the height of summer vacation and people want to do all the activities that we enjoy,' Houston said when the ban was announced. 'But we have to stay out of the woods. It's a small price to pay to avoid the devastation that we saw from wildfires in 2023.' The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) announced that they will be representing Evely in his legal fight against the 'Orwellian' ban. Evely said it punishes ordinary people instead of focusing on restricting the activities that actually spark fires, according to a JCCF press release. 'This law views people as the problem – not dangerous activities. This law is anti-human, and should someone find themselves on the wrong end of a charge – a massive charge, $25,000 dollar fine, for going into the woods, you can expect a constitutional challenge and a judicial review of this order,' said Marty Moore, a constitutional lawyer with JCCF. 'Premier Houston would be wise to immediately review his overly broad order to avoid further legal action.' Evely will argue that 'banning citizens from enjoying nature on the assumption they could start a fire is unconstitutional,' JCCF said. Evely is not the only one asking for the ban to be reconsidered. The Ecology Action Centre, Dal Legal Aid and the Canadian Constitution Foundation have also said the ban should be overturned. The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has fined six people since the ban was put into effect, Global News reported. Nova Scotia just handed me a fine for $28,872.50 for walking into the woods. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Global News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
N.S. man gets ticket on purpose for walking in woods to fight fire-safety ban
A week has passed since the Nova Scotia-wide ban on entering the woods came into effect — and some citizens are already testing its limits. A Cape Breton man's videos went viral over the weekend after he went to the Department of Natural Resources office in Coxheath and announced he was going to go into the woods in protest. 'I want to challenge this order in court, and the only way to do that is to get the fine,' Jeffrey Evely said in the video. 'So I'm not trying to make trouble for you guys, I just want a piece of Tim Houston and I want to be as accommodating and nice as I can be.' One of the officers replies: 'Okay, so I'm ordering you to not.' 'Okay, roger that,' Evely replied in the video. Story continues below advertisement Evely, who stood as a political candidate for the People's Party of Canada, received thousands of comments on his videos. Some called his actions a cry for attention, and others were outraged on his behalf. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'If I defy their orders to go into the woods, then I will be fined,' he explained in his video. 'So I'm gonna walk down here… And go into these woods.' Wayne McKay, a professor at Dalhousie University's Schulich School of Law, said the way Evely had gone about making the video could harm his defence. 'It's very clear and explicit both on the video and to the officers that he knows full well that this is a violation and in fact wants to be involved in a violation as a way of making a point,' he told Global News. 'So he certainly removed some of his defences.' The video follows a push from several groups, including the Ecology Action Centre and Dal Legal Aid, to have the ban overturned. The Canadian Constitution Foundation has threatened legal action to have the ban removed. When Evely exited the woods, he said he was handed a ticket for $28,872.50. The government confirmed a fine had been issued A spokesperson for Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources said a man from the eastern region was given a ticket, but did not address the question of his identity. Story continues below advertisement 'Since the wildfire prevention measures were put in place, the Department of Natural Resources has issued six fines to folks violating those measures,' the government said. McKay suggested it could be hard to make those fines stick. 'My personal feeling is that the government would be able to uphold the law,' he said. 'So it's both a risk to him — on a financial level — and a risk to the general public for that kind of conduct to be widespread.'
NDTV
10-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Watch: Canadian Man Fined Rs 18 Lakh For Venturing Into Forest
A retired Canadian armed forces officer has revealed that he was heavily fined for walking in the woods. Jeff Evely, the veteran, took to social media to share a video, where he said he was walking on a mountain road in Coxheath, Nova Scotia, near the Department of Natural Resources, when a fine of $28,872.50 (Rs 18.3 lakh) was imposed on him. "Nova Scotia just handed me a fine for $28,872.50 for walking into the woods," Mr Evely captioned the video on X (formerly Twitter). At the start of the clip, Mr Evely can be seen standing on Mountain Road. He points to one side of the road, saying, "Hey everybody, Jess Evely here out in Nova Scotia on Mountain Road in Coxheath. And as you can see behind me, this is the woods." "But over here, this is not the woods. This is the Department of Natural Resources where conservation officers work, who issued $25,000 fine for going into the woods," he added. Afterwards, he approaches one of the officers and politely asks: "I understand that you guys issue $25,000 fines right now to anybody who goes in. I am going to go into the woods over here. I don't want to make any trouble for you guys, okay?" The Air Force veteran, who retired as a Master Warrant Officer after 20 years of service, then ventured into the forest before returning to the officers who instantly imposed a fine on him. Watch the viral video here: Nova Scotia just handed me a fine for $28,872.50 for walking into the woods. — Jeff Evely (@JeffEvely) August 9, 2025 The Nova Scotia government has banned hiking, camping, fishing and use of vehicles such as ATVs in the woods due to an elevated wildfire risk. The ban came into effect earlier this week, but the decision has divided the citizens who have complained that it curtails their freedom. As the video went viral, social media users questioned the government's diktat and sided with Mr Evely for his quiet defiance. "Hats off to the sargeant major, He's going to win his case and will set a precedent," said one user while another said: "Let me get this straight- in Canada you can't walk in the woods? Wtf is that? Huuuuuuuh? I'm confused." A third commented: "The government will continue to abuse us as long as we let them. It's all a part of the 15 city/climate lockdown plan." Notably, the rule banning entry into the woods is in place for provincial Crown land until October 15 or until weather conditions allow them to be lifted.
News18
09-08-2025
- General
- News18
Army Veteran Fined Rs 18 Lakh For Walking Into Woods In Canada: ‘Absolute Madness'
The government has announced a ban on hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles such as ATVs in wooded areas because of an elevated wildfire risk. A retired Canadian Armed Forces veteran, Jeff Evely, has shared a video online showing the moment he was fined after stepping into a wooded area in Coxheath, Nova Scotia. The footage has since gained widespread attention and sparked a wave of strong reactions from viewers. In the clip, Evely is seen standing on Mountain Road. He points to one side of the road, saying, 'Hey everybody, Jess Evely here out in Nova Scotia on Mountain Road in Coxheath. And as you can see behind me, this is the woods." Panning the camera to the other side, he adds, 'But over here, this is not the woods. This is the Department of Natural Resources where conservation officers work, who issued $25,000 fine for going into the woods." Speaking To Officers Before Entering Evely then approaches one of the officers and politely says he plans to enter the wooded area. 'I understand that you guys issue $25,000 fines right now to anybody who goes in. I am going to go into the woods over here. I don't want to make any trouble for you guys, okay?" He explains that he has tried to challenge the order in court before but was told he had 'no standing" because he had not been fined. 'So, I want to challenge this order in court. And only way to do that is to get the fine. So, I'm not trying to make any trouble for you guys, okay? I want to be as accommodating and nice as I can be. I'm just going to," he said. The officer responds by clarifying that Evely must actually be in the woods to be in violation. Evely assures them he will film the entire process but will avoid filming anyone who does not wish to be shown. 'But I think that's in the interests of justice that we provide a fulsome record for the court," he said He also informs viewers that the fine could go as high as $50,000 for such a violation. Crossing Into The Woods And Receiving The Fine The video shows Evely entering the wooded area. He later returns and is handed the fine. The fine issued to him is $28,872.50 in Canadian dollars which is about $20,986.73 USD (approximately Rs 18.3 lakh). Sharing the footage online, he captions it, 'Nova Scotia just handed me a fine for $28,872.50 for walking into the woods." Nova Scotia just handed me a fine for $28,872.50 for walking into the woods. — Jeff Evely (@JeffEvely) August 9, 2025 Strong Public Reaction Online The post gathered significant attention online with many expressing shock and frustration. One user commented, 'Time to take it through the court system." Another said, 'WTF is going on in Canada? I mean, I knew it was bad, but had no idea it was this f***** bad." 'Wow. This guy is challenging Canada's draconian woods rule," someone else remarked. One viewer called it 'absolute madness" and added, 'Governments are completely out of control. Citizens, it is your duty to push back against these tyrants; otherwise, the future will be unbearable for your kids." 'Just fined a veteran for walking into the woods. These governments are going to find out they govern, not rule," read another comment. New Ban On Activities In The Woods The Nova Scotia government has recently announced a ban on hiking, camping, fishing and the use of vehicles such as ATVs in wooded areas because of an elevated wildfire risk. Camping is still allowed in designated campgrounds, but all trail systems passing through the woods are now off-limits under the new rules. These restrictions apply to provincial Crown land until October 15 or until weather conditions improve enough for the ban to be lifted. About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at bring you stories on what's creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Unicoi Co. Commission passes budget with near-$500K deficit
ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Unicoi County Commission passed a budget this week with a nearly half-million-dollar deficit, and county leaders said it's largely due to the effects of Hurricane Helene. Unicoi County leaders said much of the deficit comes from the washout of the Industrial Park Drive area and the local hospital. The county has not had any income coming from those businesses since September, when Helene struck. The budget passed Monday with an over $450,000 deficit. However, the county expects to get some funding from the State of Tennessee. Mayor Garland 'Bubba' Evely told News Channel 11 on Wednesday that he is hopeful that six or seven of the businesses washed away from the Industrial Park will return and again bring income to the county. 'We worked on trying to cut expenses as much as we could,' he said. 'We got that down to under $500,000. And, the State of Tennessee has agreed to, in 2025-26, allocate funds to the most affected counties. And we're going to receive that funding in July, which the shortfall will be taken from the additional revenues the state's going to provide.' Evely said another big expense hurting the budget is the county's EMS service, which now must transport all patients into Johnson City since the Unicoi County hospital's closure after Helene. 'The shortfall is strictly due to [the] Helene disaster that we suffered and lost revenue from property values, homes that were destroyed, our industrial park being destroyed–to the tune of almost $570,000 in revenue that the county would normally receive in a regular year.' Evely noted that the county's budget is a little over $10 million and that the school system budget and highway department budget are separate from the county's. 'Helene has certainly created a lot of budget challenges, not just for the county and the two towns, but also for those like ambulance service, police department, sheriff's department, you know, it's created a lot more on the expense side, in addition to the lost revenue that we got.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
