Summerside councillor Barb Gallant appears in court without a lawyer to face theft charge

A Summerside city councillor charged with taking money from a veterans' organization made her first appearance in court Wednesday.

Coun. Barb Gallant faces one count of theft over $5,000 after being charged by Summerside Police Services in April.

Gallant appeared in Summerside provincial court without a lawyer, asking the judge to adjourn her case for six weeks to give her time to find one.

"Six weeks is a bit long for that," said Judge Krista MacKay. "We'll bring you back on June 19 and see how you're doing on that morning."

Outside the courthouse, Gallant responded with "no comment" to questions asked by a CBC journalist.

Gallant is the former executive director of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee. The group describes itself on Facebook as "a non-profit organization committed to serving P.E.I. veterans."

A charge sheet filed with the court 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."

The charge against Gallant has not been tested in court.

The current president of the Lest We Forget committee said Gallant's position was unpaid and that she was dismissed immediately after funds were discovered to be missing.

Summerside Police Services said last month that the allegations against Gallant are in no way related to her role as a city councillor, and "strictly in relation to activities with the committee."

Gallant is still on Summerside's payroll, a city spokesperson told CBC News on Wednesday. Her councillor's position pays more than $30,000 a year.

The spokesperson said action cannot be taken to remove a councillor unless they are "charged and sentenced," or miss three consecutive public council meetings. Gallant has missed two so far.

'I want justice for vets'

Marle Gaudet, a veteran and former Lest We Forget Committee member, was part of a small group of protesters outside the courthouse Wednesday. She said she was shocked to learn of the charges against Gallant.

"I want justice for vets, absolutely," Gaudet told CBC News, while acknowledging that Gallant must be considered innocent until proven guilty.

"That's why I'm here — to find out more. And so that our community can start healing again from the painful experience."

George Dalton, also a veteran and founding member of the Lest We Forget Veterans Committee, said Gallant caused issues within the organization before the charge was laid.

"We've got work to do, we've got money to collect — all of that has been put on hold for almost two years because of her leadership," said Dalton. "She wouldn't have meetings, she wouldn't talk to us."

When Gallant is back in court June 19, the veterans say they will also return to watch what happens — and they'll continue to do so for every court appearance until the matter is dealt with.