This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Quebec’s former lieutenant governor, 75-year-old Lise Thibault, has confessed to have defrauded taxpayers of $700,000 and agreed to reimburse some of that money. Thibault officially entered a guilty plea on Monday morning, confessing to six of the eight counts including fraud and breach of trust. Thibault’s sudden confession has brought an unexpected end to her ongoing trial as the judge stayed the remaining charges of making and using bogus documents.
Thibault has agreed to pay back $310,000, whereas the Crown is asking her to reimburse taxpayers up to $430,000 as the negotiations continue. Thibault might be facing up to a maximum of 14 years in prison but it isn’t really clear if the Crown would seek prison time in light of her plea. Thibault’s lawyer, Marc Labelle, spoke to reporters at Quebec City courthouse and said that “(even) if you don’t think you have committed an offense but meanwhile you see the court proceedings, you see … your own attorney’s questions, at one point can you say: ‘Maybe there were things that I did that are not legally acceptable.'”
Thibault faced sheer criticism and accusations by federal and provincial auditor generals’ for double-billing and lavish spending from 1997 to 2007, when she was the Queen’s viceroy in Quebec. It was pointed out that she used expense accounts to buy personal items, including meals and lodging for friends. Receipts included $59,000 for garden party, $30,000 for a Christmas party and bills for three simultaneous meals at three different restaurants.
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