Judge expects movement in ex-Summerside councillor's case on Aug. 21 'one way or another'

The fraud case against a former Summerside city councillor has been adjourned to Aug. 21, with Judge Krista MacKay warning the Crown and defence that she's in no mood to adjourn it again.

Barb Gallant was expected to enter a plea in Summerside provincial court Wednesday on charges of theft over $5,000 and theft under $5,000, in connection with her work as executive director of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee.

Defence lawyer Peter Ghiz and Crown attorney Chad McQuaid said they were working on a resolution and needed more time. MacKay reluctantly granted the adjournment.

"This matter has been dragging on now for quite some time, so on Aug. 21, I expect this matter to move forward one way or another," she told the court.

Gallant was charged in April with theft over $5,000. She is accused of stealing money from the group of veterans between Feb. 13, 2022, and Nov. 27, 2023.

Her case has been adjourned three times already — on May 29, on June 19 and again on July 3, when the charge of theft under $5,000 was added.

In the meantime, she was voted off Summerside council on June 18 on the grounds that she had missed three consecutive council meetings.

Dressed all in black, Gallant walked in and out of the court by herself on Wednesday, a handful of veterans shouting "shame on you" as she passed.

Marlee Gaudet, who represents the support group Veterans Corner P.E.I., said she was disappointed with the adjournment but relieved the judge "put her foot down" about the slowness of the case.

"Hopefully on the 21st… we'll be able to have an act of solidarity and to make sure it does move forward."

Gaudet said they are in the process of working on victim impact statements related to the missing money.

"People are outraged. They can't believe this has happened," she said. "It's really broken the trust of our veterans."