Ex-Quebec official enters innocent plea

QUEBEC CITY, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- An innocent plea was entered Tuesday in Quebec City on behalf of a former lieutenant-governor accused of misspending $700,000 while in office.

Lise Thibault served as Queen Elizabeth's representative for the province between 1997 and 2007 and her public spending came under the scrutiny of provincial and federal auditors, the Canwest News Service reported.

As a result, she was charged with two counts of using fraudulent means to defraud the federal and provincial governments of more than $5,000, two counts of breach of trust towards the governments, one count of fabricating a false document for travel expenses and one count of using that document, the report said.

The wheelchair-bound Thibault, 70, has publicly denied the charges and alleged she is the victim of a smear campaign, Canwest said.

She opted for a trial before judge and jury and will appear in court Dec. 1 to allow her lawyer time to read through boxes of evidence, the report said.

Thibault was Canada's first disabled lieutenant governor and Quebec's first female in that office.