SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A Yellowknife judge called for harsher sentences for drug traffickers in the city, but said a crackdown shouldn't necessarily mean longer sentences for all offenders.

Thirty-three-year-old Aimee Shermet was sentenced to eight months in jail and 18 months probation by Judge Brian Bruser on Friday.

The first-time offender was arrested in August 2015 for selling $80 worth of marijuana and $100 worth of cocaine to undercover police. She was one of eight people facing drug related charges after the RCMP carried out three separate search warrants at homes across the city.

"The time has come to increase severity in sentencing ... where serious drugs are concerned," said Bruser at the sentencing, saying that 'softer drugs' could be left to one side for now. He said a repeated theme heard in Yellowknife courts is that when one trafficker is removed, another steps in to fill the vacuum.

"The word has to get out," said Bruser. "They should not go to jail for such short periods. They regard imprisonment as an inconvenience to their criminal activity."

However, that does not mean, he said, each conviction should be treated the same. Initially, the crown argued for a full year of jail time, consistent with similar cases. But Bruser argued that mitigating factors, like Shermet's early guilty plea, her expressed remorse, her difficult upbringing and her commitment to seeking help should be taken into account.

"I've long had problems with similarity ... the reality of life is no two offenders are identical," he said, adding that in fact it can be an "affront" to an offender to have their own background and circumstances held up as similar to another case. "Parity in my view is addressed in an eight-month period of imprisonment."

Shermet sold one gram of cocaine and seven grams of marijuana to police while working as a server at a downtown restaurant.

Shermet's lawyer Caroline Wazonek argued that she got involved for 'social purposes' which Bruser rejected, saying that greed was a factor in this case. Bruser said Shermet was well versed in the language and activities of the drug trade, including living with who she described as "a dealer." Bruser explained Shermet was well aware of how to get the drugs she sold the undercover officers. In fact, although police only asked for one gram of cocaine, she offered to sell them three grams, describing it as "good stuff" and "not stepped on."

"The accused indicated she had an 'expensive habit' and she could 'hook them up' ... that tells me 'expensive habits' go hand in glove with greed," said Bruser, adding that this conveys a "comfort zone in which she operated within the drug trade."

When officers later contacted her to buy more drugs, Bruser said Shermet replied they were "out" of cocaine.

However, Bruser concluded it was "highly unlikely" she would re-offend, and in fact a longer period of incarceration could prove harmful to Shermet's self esteem and what Bruser described as her "serious and pressing mental health needs." He advised that she has already had problems with self-harm, and indicated that she was to be monitored while in custody.

Shermet was sentenced to eight months in jail followed by 18-months probation, which includes supervision by a probation officer, and a victim surcharge of $200. Bruser added a recommendation that she neither associate or live with anyone known to possess or traffic in illegal drugs.

"Her life is in a disarray but she is making progress. I take this into consideration as a mitigating factor as well as what I perceive as sincere remorse," said Bruser, recommending she be fast-tracked to a treatment facility in British Columbia after her release.

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