A Summerside woman with a history of filing false EI claims has been sentenced to jail time for doing more of the same. Photo by File /Journal PioneerArticle contentSUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – A Summerside woman with a history of filing false employment insurance (EI) claims has been sentenced to jail time for doing more of the same.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentMary Stewart, 59, of Summerside, pleaded guilty in June to six counts of making a false claim under the Employment Insurance Act. She was sentenced in provincial court in Summerside on July 25.Article contentArticle contentStewart was ordered to serve 90 days in jail, which she received permission to serve intermittently on weekends; though she also received special leave to attend two significant upcoming family events outside that timeframe. She will remain on probation until her sentence has been served in full.Article contentArticle contentShe was also ordered to pay a fine of a little more than $10,000.Article contentExtent of fraudArticle contentIn total, Stewart made 36 false EI claims between 2020 and 2024, where she attested that she had not been working when in fact she was.Article contentWhen the charges were laid, there was an outstanding balance from these false claims of $38,242. That has since declined somewhat due to repayment contributions from Stewart.Article contentThe court heard that Stewart has been flagged for misrepresenting some EI claims going back to 2010. There was a further incident in 2001, but it was so minor the Crown surmised this was possibly an honest mistake.Article contentPre-sentence reportArticle contentAccording to the pre-sentence report of the case, Stewart had a difficult upbringing marred by abuses and left home at a young age. She has struggled with her mental health and addiction issues throughout her life, though she has been sober for nearly a year and has taken notable steps to make improvements and repair relationships.Article contentArticle contentJudge Krista MacKay stated before passing sentence that, in her mind, the most aggravating factor in this case was that Stewart was working for the Canada Revenue Agency in Summerside when the false claims were made.Article contentCourt remarksArticle content“She works for the federal government, at the same time, essentially defrauding the federal government of money. The CRA has a lot of rules about what you can and cannot do,” said MacKay.Article content“I worked there myself for a period of time, and the first thing they tell you is that if they find out you’re defrauding the government, even border services or anything like that, you’ll lose your employment. So, it’s not something that should have been a surprise to you; they don’t tolerate that kind of activity.Article contentMacKay also noted the number of false claims as being significant.Article contentAs for the pre-sentence report on Stewart’s difficult background, MacKay called it “the underlying reasons, but not, by any means, an excuse,” for her actions.Article contentJoint recommendationArticle contentThe jail time and fine were a joint recommendation from the Crown and the defence. MacKay agreed it was appropriate, given the circumstances, even though someone like Stewart, who lacks a prior criminal record, would normally have avoided jail time for similar charges.Article contentArticle contentColin MacLean is the lead editor at the Journal Pioneer in Summerside. He can be reached at cmaclean@postmedia.com.Article content
Summerside woman jailed for EI fraud while working at CRA
