Woman in B.C. must go through probation, community service, counselling, says judge
A worker in British Columbia who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs won’t be seeing any time in jail, according to a recent court ruling.
The Provincial Court of British Columbia sentenced Andrea Marie Blanchard, a 49-year-old mother and former treasurer of the South Rutland Elementary Parents Advisory Council (PAC) in Kelowna, after pleading guilty to theft of more than $5,000 from the organization.
The theft – which took place over almost three years from 2016 to 2018 – involved the misappropriation of PAC funds intended for student programs and services. Blanchard received a suspended sentence with probation for three years, along with 100 hours of community service and a ban from South Rutland Elementary.
Previously, an employee theft that cost London Drugs as much as $2 million over five years landed one of its workers in jail.
Severe financial distress leads to theft
Blanchard’s stealing activities began shortly after Blanchard’s family faced severe financial distress, including her spouse’s job loss and household expenses that became unmanageable on her income alone.
According to court documents, Blanchard explained that she began taking PAC funds in January 2016, believing she could return the money before her actions were discovered. To cover her tracks, she created false financial statements, forged signatures, and arranged for the PAC’s bank statements to be mailed to her home.
The full extent of the theft – amounting to $14,295 – was uncovered in December 2018 when the PAC president accessed the bank records. At that point, Blanchard had managed to repay $5,000, leaving more than $9,000 unaccounted for. Following the discovery, the PAC incurred additional costs for an accounting investigation and legal action, leading to a civil settlement in 2019. Back then, Blanchard agreed to pay a total of $26,728, including all investigative costs. By 2022, she had repaid the entire amount.
The PAC submitted two victim impact statements, outlining how Blanchard’s actions negatively affected the school community. Toni Koryakuss, a member of the PAC executive, stated that the theft was "overwhelmingly hard on all students, parents, and families in the school for many years." The statement explained that the theft discouraged community support for the PAC and deterred volunteers from staying involved, creating stress and impeding the PAC’s ability to provide essential items and services for students.
Why is there no jail time for employee who committed theft?
The court considered several mitigating factors, including Blanchard's guilty plea, her status as a first-time offender, her full repayment of the stolen funds and related expenses, and her Indigenous background.
Blanchard, of Métis descent, cooperated fully with law enforcement and expressed remorse for her actions. She reportedly experienced significant anxiety following the crime’s discovery and sought counseling earlier this year. The court noted that Blanchard’s employer, the Government of Canada, had suspended her pending sentencing and that she faced a possible job termination.
In sentencing, Judge C. Burnett emphasized that PAC organizations are integral to public education and community trust, often raising funds to provide services where school budgets fall short.
"Mrs. Blanchard’s decision to steal from the PAC and to continue doing so for a number of years was an egregious breach of the trust that her fellow volunteers and members of the school community placed in her," the judge stated. Blanchard's actions, the judge continued, deprived the PAC of funds for school supplies, books, equipment, and student field trips, and halted programs such as breakfast and lunch services for underprivileged children.
The court weighed the significant impact on the PAC’s operations and the resulting reputational damage. Koryakuss shared that parents blamed the executive members for the theft, which left her feeling "unvalued and small" and eroded her long-standing commitment to volunteering. Rebuilding the PAC’s financial stability required extensive time, further straining the organization.
The sentencing considerations included denunciation and deterrence, given Blanchard’s calculated efforts to hide the theft, which involved falsifying financial records and changing the mailing address of the PAC's bank statements. However, the Crown acknowledged her remorse and repayment efforts, stating that "a suspended sentence in the circumstances is sufficient to address denunciation and deterrence."
Defense counsel argued for a conditional discharge, citing Blanchard’s cooperation, remorse, and the potential loss of her government job, but the judge found this measure inadequate given the prolonged breach of trust and impact on the community.
In addition to the probation and community service, Blanchard is required to undergo counseling and participate in a restorative justice program to address the crime’s impact on the victims. However, the judge declined to order a DNA sample, stating it was not in the best interest of justice given the circumstances.
Recently, two employees of a Toronto car dealership are facing a total of 176 charges related to an alleged $2.18-million vehicle scam, police revealed.