Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 01/01) - A Yellowknife security company was fined $500 in territorial court Tuesday for hiring an American man who was not eligible to work in Canada.

David Beckwith, the owner of Centurion Security, pleaded guilty to breaching the Canadian Immigration Act by employing Daniel Lou Carlson as a security guard from May 4 to July 3.

Carlson came to Yellowknife from Montana with his Canadian wife and four children in April.

The court heard that Beckwith hired Carlson and his wife, who were family friends, as a favour because the couple were short of money after their move to Yellowknife.

Carlson was in Canada on a visitor visa that did not allow him to work.

Centurion Security was attempting to get his immigrant working papers filled out when Carlson was caught in late June.

Carlson was also in court Tuesday to face a charge of remaining in Canada after his visitor visa expired.

Centurion could have been fined up to $5,000.

However, judge Brian Bruser accepted Beckwith's argument that he made an honest mistake in attempts to help a friend.