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When the matter went to trial earlier this month, Gullion testified that “stuff like this shouldn’t happen” and “what are we teaching our children?”

The legal answer to that question, according to the judge, is that sometimes people make poorly considered jokes, and we do not overturn elections or send them to jail for it.

In retrospect, the wording was clearly inadvisable, leading to these proceedings

“In retrospect, the wording was clearly inadvisable, leading to these proceedings,” wrote Justice James T. Nielson of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.

“However, Gottfried testified, and I accept, that he made the post without the intention to induce anyone to vote or not vote in the election. He meant it as a joke, nothing more. There was no dry meat given to any elector.”

Photo by Ryan Jackson/Edmonton Journal

Election day was Oct. 16, 2017. Polls opened at 8:30 a.m. Gottfried had not slept well the night before. He did not normally drink, but he was with his cousin Glen Gullion, and they had a few scotches, and got to joking about the moose meat they had dried the day before.

It was just past 8 a.m. when Gottfried posted the fateful message to his 400 followers: “Cant wait for this day to be over so i know the fate of my future. Hoping for the best for our community and people get in for the right reasons,” he wrote. “On a funny note Glen Gullion said a bag of dry meat for everyone who votes for me today lol have a good day everyone!”

He meant it as a joke, nothing more. There was no dry meat given to any elector

One tricky aspect of the judge’s decision was that dried wild game meat has no commercial value because its sale is illegal. And the way the bribery law is written, whatever is offered has to be valuable. Dry meat does, however, have a cultural value, and is traditionally ground and mixed with fat to make pemmican. Gottfried’s lawyer conceded this point.

In the end, the decision came down to Gottfried’s intention and, because it was not serious, the judge decided he did not have the required “guilty mind.” As a result, he can collect costs of $500.

Joseph Redman, lawyer for Gullion, declined to comment. Gottfried did not immediately respond to an invitation to comment.