Sask. man who took daughter to prevent COVID vaccine appeals, calling abduction conviction 'unreasonable'

A 55-year-old Carievale, Sask., man who was found guilty of abducting his daughter has filed a notice of appeal with Saskatchewan's highest court.

Michael Gordon Jackson failed to return his then-seven-year-old daughter to her mother after a visit and took the girl on the run in November 2021 in an attempt to prevent her from being vaccinated for COVID-19.

He disappeared with the child for more than 100 days.

Police located and arrested Jackson in Vernon, B.C., in late February 2022. His daughter was with him and was reunited with her mother later that day.

In April 2024, Jackson was found guilty of contravention of a custody order after two weeks of court proceedings.

The Crown was seeking a two-year prison sentence with credit for time served on remand, plus three years of probation and 200 hours of community service.

On Dec. 6, Justice MacMillan-Brown gave Jackson a one-year jail sentence — which he had already more than served while his case was before the courts — two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.

Jackson spent 541 days in remand, meaning he didn't need to serve any more jail time.

His conditions included no contact with his daughter and her mother, who is also his ex-wife.

Now he is appealing both his conviction and sentence. He filed the notice the evening of his sentencing date.

"The verdict was unreasonable and cannot be supported by the evidence; there was a miscarriage of justice," Jackson wrote in the notice. "The sentence imposed is demonstrably unfit in the circumstances."

Jackson has indicated he wishes to be tried by judge and jury if a new trial is directed. Notably, he also stated that he would arrange for legal representation going forward. Jackson has represented himself in court until now.