Former Lt.-Gov. Lise Thibault has never admitted any wrongdoing in her spending while in office.Former Lt.-Gov. Lise Thibault has never admitted any wrongdoing in her spending while in office. (Canadian Press)

Quebec is suing former Lt.-Gov. Lise Thibault for $92,000, in a bid to recoup public funds she spent without justification during her decade-long term.

Quebec is suing Thibault for:

  • $57,000 salary paid to a former employee of Thibault who spent the majority of time working for the ex-lieutenant-governor's private foundation.
  • $7,000 paid to a private ski instructor.
  • $3,000 spent at a butcher shop.
  • $21,000 in expenses claimed for Thibault's bodyguard, Guy Hamelin (including a golf trip to Florida).

The government filed its lawsuit on Monday, nearly three years after a scathing auditor general's report revealed Thibault's lavish spending habits while she served as a representative of the Queen in la belle province.

"After examining the facts, and where the money was spent, we obviously came to the conclusion that these amounts of money were owed to the government of Quebec," Premier Jean Charest told reporters on Tuesday.

Trips, dinners and skiing lessons

The $92,000 lawsuit is equivalent to Quebec's share of some $700,000 that Thibault spent inappropriately while in office from 1997 to 2007.

The 2007 report found Thibault submitted expenses for private trips and dinners, skiing lessons, and presents for friends and family, without providing receipts.

The lawsuit was welcomed by opposition politicians at the Quebec national assembly on Tuesday.

Parti Québécois MNA Agnès Maltais said she believes this is the first time in the Commonwealth that the Crown has sued the Crown.

"It is a very, very strong symbol," said Maltais. "No one can act with impunity in Quebec."

Thibault has defended her expenses, telling a provincial commission in 2008 that she did nothing wrong by spending the money to uphold the image of the lieutenant governor's office.

Thibault already faces six criminal charges related to the expenses, including fraud and breach of trust, submitting a false document and counterfeit. Thibault is expected to appear in court Oct. 27 to face those charges.

Federal government will also seek restitution

The federal government said it also intends to recoup its share of the money.

"It's our view that if money was abused, and spent improperly by Madame Thibault, that this money should be returned to Canadian taxpayers," said Heritage Minister James Moore.

However, Moore said the government will hold off on a lawsuit until next fall.

The move could avoid any diplomatic discomfort ahead of this summer's visit by Queen Elizabeth, her first trip to Canada in five years.