QUEBEC – A long-serving member of the Quebec legislature who was also in the provincial police force for about three decades was arrested Wednesday by the province’s anti-corruption unit, according to a government source.
The source told The Canadian Press that Guy Ouellette, 65, was arrested in connection with an investigation by Quebec’s anti-corruption unit, known as UPAC, into an important information leak to the media last April.
Ouellette’s arrest is allegedly linked to a UPAC probe called Machurer, which looked into suspected illegal financing within the Liberal party under former leader Jean Charest.
READ MORE: Former Quebec premier Jean Charest, Marc Bibeau investigated by UPAC: report
UPAC has been investigating leaks from within the organization.
The April leak revealed UPAC had been investigating the comings and goings of the former premier Jean Charest and Liberal fundraiser Marc Bibeau up until 2016.
A news organization had published emails dating from 2011 between Bibeau; Jean-Louis Dufresne, the former chief of staff to Premier Philippe Couillard; and Hugo d’Amour, a spokesperson for Charest and in which they discussed a contract to repair a Montreal-area bridge.
Ouellette came out publicly in April to denounce the major information leak that was given to a Montreal news organization and which proved embarrassing to the Liberals.
READ MORE: Charbonneau whistleblower alleges UPAC didn’t investigate Quebec Liberals
He said at the time he was “disgusted by the situation, disgusted by all these leaks, disgusted by all these conflicts of interest.”
Ouellette, who has represented the Montreal-area riding of Chomedey since 2007, was head of the legislature committee that recently held hearings into the leaks.
He worked in Quebec’s provincial police force for roughly three decades, including as a sergeant in charge of teams of narcotics investigators.
Ouellette also acted as an adviser in the police force for investigations into biker gangs and other organized crime.
He co-wrote a book published in 2005 called Mom, about a former leader of the Hells Angels in Quebec, Maurice “Mom” Boucher, who is serving a life sentence for murder.