Conservation Officers: What is their authority to conduct searches?

[Bustercluck]

8. Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.

Right out of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms. This is a basic right for every Canadian and shouldn't be taken lightly. This isn't Afghanistan or some other sh$tty third world country. Denying a search doesn't give them reasonable grounds either.

[finngun]

owning a registered fire arm giv them reason to check how you gun is stored if they want to...but in case cops are checking that and gun[s] are in the safety,,do you have to open it for them??or just show gun safety for cops?

[RyoTHC]

8. Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.

Right out of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms. This is a basic right for every Canadian and shouldn't be taken lightly. This isn't Afghanistan or some other sh$tty third world country. Denying a search doesn't give them reasonable grounds either.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

I have nothing to hide, I will still refuse entry into my house, and all my personal space every single time i'm asked. if there is no choice in the matter, then I'd be TOLD not ASKED. If I feel they conduct themselves unprofessionally I will take their information and be in touch with whatever regulating body I need to be.

The same as I refuse to answer questions at those stupid DUI roadblocks, I roll down the window and hand them my license/insurance and look forward, not once have I ever been made to answer any of their questions, even if I'd been drinking and especially not "where are you heading"... that's a big FK off in my book.

[digger dogger]

If you said you were/are hunting, he can search.
If you say you haven't been hunting, he cannot search.

But don't lie, #1 charge for C.O's, is lying!

[Bustercluck]

If you said you were/are hunting, he can search.
If you say you haven't been hunting, he cannot search.

But don't lie, #1 charge for C.O's, is lying!

Hunting isn't an illegal activity. Neither is having a legally obtained and stored/transported firearm in your possession.

[Jelvis]

C.O. might think your drinking or impaired, or have a loaded rifle in your vee hic cal! High on Mary Jane? Eyes are red, and spacey looking whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
---- thinks your hiding something? Acting shifty going side to side on thee ol dirt road whaa?
Jel -- any reason he or she thinks is good enuff for a turn on - red blue flashing lights -- Para Noya sets in, like lookin in your mirror and seein a poh leeece kah!
------------------> Almost cut my hair -- crosby stills nash and young -- gittin kinda long, I cooo dah said it got in my Vaaay butt I dint - and I wonder why?
---- I'm letting my freak flag fly! I feel like I owe it - to some onnnnnnnnne -- whoa -- Donny Brooks

[igojuone]

Really ? SEARCHED for what ? under what Probable grounds ? RJ

Exactly, what reasonable grounds were there? And being dressed in camo or on a gravel road is not reasonable grounds for a search.

[igojuone]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

I have nothing to hide, I will still refuse entry into my house, and all my personal space every single time i'm asked. if there is no choice in the matter, then I'd be TOLD not ASKED. If I feel they conduct themselves unprofessionally I will take their information and be in touch with whatever regulating body I need to be.

The same as I refuse to answer questions at those stupid DUI roadblocks, I roll down the window and hand them my license/insurance and look forward, not once have I ever been made to answer any of their questions, even if I'd been drinking and especially not "where are you heading"... that's a big FK off in my book.

And the changes coming up in the fall of this year are BS. Even the refusal to give a breath sample without probable grounds is going to find you on the shit end of the stick.

Mandatory alcohol screening

The proposed mandatory alcohol screening provisions would authorize law enforcement officers who have an “approved screening device” at hand to demand breath samples of any drivers they lawfully stop, without first requiring that they have a suspicion that the driver has alcohol in their body.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-cana...ivinglaws.html

[Jelvis]

Lookin for people who are getting away from it all, Hahaha their bedder half Hahahaha, their job etc, by getting out in zee country.
Jelly Tree -- but maybe doing something foolish ? -- while doing that? -- that's why we have law enforcement -- they FORCE it on you --

[Rupert Retired]

No you can't be searched if you are randomly driving down the gravel road, as long as you haven't been or are not going to be hunting or fishing. However, if the CO sees any evidence of hunting or fishing, such as a fishing rod or rifle etc, then he has reasonable grounds to inspect your licences and question you further, and he can search your vehicle if he had grounds to believe an offense has been committed. But inspection and search are two different things. For instance, if you have a rifle and say to him that you have it along because you are going to sight it in, he can inspect the rifle and your licence, ask where you intend to do it, etc. but he would not have any grounds to go and look under your back seat, for instance, that is a search. And in addition, if you have a camper or other area that is your living quarters, then he will need a search warrant unless he has grounds to believe that you have something in there that is illegal. Basically, they have broad latitude when it comes to vehicles that you are using for hunting or fishing, but living space is off-limits unless you allow him in (he might ask to inspect your camper, if you say yes that that will be allowed of course). If he wants to look inside your camper (or tent etc), just say, you would prefer he didn't. He can't unless you let him, he has a warrant, or he has reasonable and probably grounds to do so. Judges hold this concept in high regard, if he goes ahead and searches anyway, he could get slapped down pretty hard.