Summerside councillor Barb Gallant charged with taking money from 'Lest We Forget' veterans group
City says alleged offence not connected to Barb Gallant's work as a councillor
A charge of theft over $5,000 has been laid against Summerside Coun. Barbara Ann Gallant, according to documents filed in court.
The municipal councillor has not yet appeared in front of a judge in the matter, CBC News has learned.
The charge sheet says that between Feb. 13, 2022, and Nov. 27, 2023, police believe Gallant "did steal money, the property of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee, of a value exceeding $5,000, contrary to sections 322 and 334 (A) (i) of the Criminal Code."
Gallant is now under a legal undertaking to stay away from four specific people.
"The allegations are not in relation to Ms. Gallant's position on council in any way, shape or form, so [they're] strictly in relation to activities with the committee," said Jason Blacquiere, deputy chief with Summerside Police Services.
Blacquiere said the organization came forward to police to say money was missing, filing a complaint in February. He said the investigation has now concluded, and Gallant will appear in provincial court in Summerside on May 29.
The Lest We Forget Veterans Committee describes itself on Facebook as "a non-profit organization committed to serving P.E.I. veterans."
In early 2022, it received $400,000 in federal funding "to improve the economic security of women and LGBTQ veterans on P.E.I. [and] develop a Veteran Success Centre to support veterans through entrepreneurship and employability programs, employment support services, translation services, career counselling and mentoring services."
Group says funds 'completely depleted'
Nancy Beth Guptill, the current president of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee, told CBC News that Gallant's position was unpaid and she was dismissed immediately after the funds were discovered to be missing.
"At board meetings, we would be requesting financial statements that weren't coming forward," Guptill said. "So I had to meet with the bank and go through the bank account and discovered many withdrawals that didn't make sense."
Guptill said she wasn't at liberty to disclose the exact amount involved, but says the group's funds were "completely depleted," leaving it in with a deficit.
The money came from a combination of donations, private sponsorships and government funding.
"It was a huge, devastating blow. I fell into a depression, actually, over it, and [am] still struggling emotionally with it," she said.
Will remain a councillor
A news release from the City of Summerside on Tuesday morning said any action under its Code of Conduct bylaw would be deferred until the criminal matter against Gallant has concluded, and that it would not be commenting further on the case.
A city official told CBC News that Gallant will remain a councillor — that won't change unless she is found guilty.
Gallant is new to council, elected to office for the first time in November 2022.
A certified esthetician by profession, she has also been very active with veterans' groups over the years. From 2003-06, she was president of the Summerside Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
As well, her Facebook page and a city website say she is executive director of the P.E.I. Veterans' Success Centre and the Lest We Forget Committee.
However, an official from the East Prince Women's Information Centre, which is a partner of the Veterans' Success Centre, says she was never executive director of the Veterans Success Centre and didn't have access to its funds.
CBC News made multiple attempts but was unable to contact Gallant for an interview.
Veterans Affairs Canada says it will not comment on the issue while it's still an active criminal matter.
with files from Wayne Thibodeau