Senator’s wife pleads guilty to causing flight disturbance
12-month suspended sentence handed down, counselling ordered
SASKATOON— A Manitoba senator and his wife walked out of a courthouse together Thursday after she pleaded guilty to causing a disturbance on an Air Canada flight. Maygan Sensenberger, who is married to Senator Rod Zimmer, had appeared in Saskatoon court to deal with charges stemming from a ruckus on a flight from Ottawa to Saskatoon at the end of August.
“She realizes that a lot of people on the plane were disturbed by her behaviour,” defence lawyer Leslie Sullivan told the court. Sensenberger, 23, was given a 12month suspended sentence with probation. She’ll also have to attend counselling as directed by her probation officer. The court said that could include anger management or alcohol treatment classes. A charge of uttering threats against her husband was withdrawn. One witness on the plane said Sensenberger became upset when Zimmer, 69, started feeling tightness in his chest. The couple began arguing over how seriously Zimmer, a throat cancer survivor, was taking his health. Sullivan said the couple were arguing about his health in the airport before they left Ottawa and continued to fight on the plane. Sensenberger believed Zimmer had a heart attack during the flight, said Sullivan. Police alleged the two were arguing before any health issues surfaced and the argument escalated as the flight got closer to Saskatoon. The Crown told court that one witness said Sensenberger could be overheard saying she would cut Zimmer’s throat. Prosecutor Matt Miazga said Zimmer told police in a statement that the conversation was about going to the hospital for treatment of recent hornet bites or “it might kill him.”