Hospital lawyer tells former CEO’s fraud trial flight passes improperly purchased

HALIFAX — The head lawyer of a Halifax children's hospital told a fraud trial today she raised questions early on about the hospital CEO's use of flight passes for personal flights.

Jennifer Feron testified at the trial of Tracy Kitch, who has been charged with breach of trust and fraud over $5,000 in relation to her expense claims between 2014 and 2017.

Feron, general counsel of the IWK Health Centre, said that in May 2015 she observed Kitch's executive assistant dealing with flights Kitch had taken in February for personal reasons but that she still hadn't reimbursed.

The lawyer said it was her view that flight passes bought at hospital expense shouldn't be used for personal flights and she had suggested that invoices be created requiring Kitch to repay the flight costs.

The Crown said in its opening statement Monday it will focus on 68 transactions by Kitch between 2014 and 2017, including flights between Toronto and Halifax.

However, defence lawyer Jacqueline King has said in court that while Kitch, who stepped down in 2017, did use her corporate credit card for personal expenses, she flagged them for future reimbursement.

King has also stated during cross-examination of a witness that “all of Ms. Kitch’s expense reports were signed off by the (IWK) board chairmen.”

The Crown says it expects to call 25 to 30 witnesses during the trial, which is expected to last at least four weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021.

The Canadian Press