Lise Thibault, former Lt.-Gov. of Quebec, goes to trial

The trial of Quebecs former Lt.-Gov. Lise Thibault on charges of fraud and breach of trust gets underway in earnest Wednesday, seven years after allegations against her first surfaced.

Thibault, 75, served as Quebecs representative to the Queenfor 10 years between 1997 and 2007.

Allegations that Thibault spent $700,000 of taxpayers money on parties and trips unrelated to her officialduties aslieutenant-governorfirst came to lightin 2007.

Thibault denied the allegations, but an auditor generals report later supported them.

An inquiry by Quebecs National Assembly then followed, as did charges of fraud, breach of trustand forgery by police investigators.

The path to trial was delayed numerous times as Thibault appealed the charges.

Thibault claimed immunity to prosecution because she was a representative of the Queen at the time, an argument the Supreme Court of Canada ruled against last year.

On Tuesday, the Crown began calling the first of an estimated 40 witnesses.