Former Saskatoon mayoral candidate charged in North Battleford armed robbery released on bail

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NORTH BATTLEFORD — A former Saskatoon mayoral candidate and self-proclaimed justice advocate is one of three men accused in a bizarre armed robbery at a North Battleford motel last Saturday.

Mark Zielke, 41, appeared by video wearing an orange jail sweater during his bail hearing on Wednesday in North Battleford provincial court.

A standard publication ban that aims to protect an accused person’s trial rights was ordered on the details presented during the hearing, and the judge’s reasons for release.

Judge Kevin Hill released Zielke on conditions that include a no-contact order with the other co-accused men — Tyson Moore, 44, and David Dominguez, 41. He also cannot be in North Battleford unless he has prior permission, must live at an approved address in Saskatoon, and cannot possess any weapons.

His next scheduled court date is April 28.

Moore and Dominguez also appeared by video on Wednesday. Moore is still looking for a lawyer, while defence lawyer James Streeton appeared for Dominguez. Their cases were set over to Thursday. Both men remain in custody.

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RCMP said they received a call about an armed robbery at a business on Highway 16 around 10:40 p.m. on April 5. Employees reported they were threatened with a gun, and that one employee was assaulted during the robbery.

Court documents identify the business as the Hitching Post Motel, a small building located behind the Lone Star hotel on the southern outskirts of North Battleford.

On Wednesday, a handwritten sign on the motel door read: “Closed.”

In a news release, RCMP said the suspects’ vehicle was pulled over near the Borden Bridge, between North Battleford and Saskatoon. Officers found electronics and money that was reported as stolen. There were also ID/financial cards and a loaded handgun, police said.

Zielke, Moore and Dominguez were arrested. They are charged with armed robbery, assault with a weapon, confinement, uttering threats, mischief under $5,000, possessing property obtained by crime and seven firearm-related offences.

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According to court documents, the allegations include using a Glock handgun to rob an employee of cell phones and cash, and assaulting that same employee with a “large ring” while carrying a sword.

The mischief allegation pertains to “CCTV equipment of the (Hitching) Post motel the value of which did not exceed five thousand dollars.”

One of the charges outlines that the men were (allegedly) in a BMW X3 knowing “there was at that time a firearm, to wit a Glock handgun.”

The men are also accused of confining two employees and threatening to cause death to three employees.

Zielke ran for mayor in the 2020 civic election. At the time, his platform included moving the downtown bus mall and The Lighthouse shelter to different locations.

“I’m here to talk basics and not propose grandiose schemes and projects,” he told reporters.

“I want to address our city’s epidemic of poverty, homelessness, addictions and mental health problems.”

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In 2019, a Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench judge ordered Zielke to stop practising law without a licence after he started a business to defend people with their traffic court, small claims court and office of residential tenancies cases.

Saskatchewan’s Legal Profession Act prohibits anyone without a Law Society of Saskatchewan (LSS) license from advising or performing “any work or service for fee or reward, either directly or indirectly, in matters pertaining to the law of Saskatchewan or of any jurisdiction outside Saskatchewan.”

Zielke argued that sections of the Summary Offences Procedure Act and the Small Claims Act permit non-lawyers to act as paid agents. He appealed and in 2021, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal overturned the injunction order.

The appeal judges ruled the provisions of those acts operate as an exception to the prohibition under the Legal Profession Act, and do not specify that the agent cannot be paid.

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Zielke sued the LSS for defamation in 2022. He alleged the LSS knew he had filed a notice of appeal, but failed to reflect it in a blog on its website that notified members of the legal community about his initial injunction.

In his statement of claim, Zielke alleged his entrepreneurial businesses suffered because of the defamatory and/or negligent actions, citing an income loss of more than $4,000 per month.

The suit sought $1 million in punitive or exemplary damages for “breach of the duty of good faith,” $150,000 in general damages, $112,000 in special or consequential damages and $100,000 in aggravated damages for “mental distress, loss of reputation and inability to secure alternative employment.”

Zielke, who is active on social media, last posted on April 5 — the day of the robbery — “A wonderful morning of clients and good breakfast with great people! Now to get into an afternoon of all the good things!”

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