Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard is urging the province’s anti-corruption unit to publicly release as many details as possible about Guy Ouellette‘s arrest.
READ MORE: Ex-Liberal member Guy Ouellette alleges muzzling by anti-corruption unit
Couillard says there are currently more questions than answers about his arrest last week.
“The questions I have are the same as the public: How come a parliamentarian was arrested and we have no more details about that?” he said Tuesday.
READ MORE: Quebec MNA Guy Ouellette withdraws from Liberal caucus after UPAC arrest
The premier told reporters in Quebec City Tuesday the arrest of a member of the National Assembly for reasons that remain unclear is a serious and exceptional situation.
READ MORE: Guy Ouellette, Quebec MNA, arrested over alleged media leak
Ouellette, 65, was detained last Wednesday in connection with an investigation by the unit, known as UPAC, into an important information leak to the media last April.
He said he’s being intimidated and muzzled by UPAC in an attempt to keep him quiet.
READ MORE: UPAC boss faces politicians in face of corruption allegations
In a brief, but emotional address to the National Assembly, he warned his colleagues to be vigilant and not allow themselves to be intimidated by UPAC.
“I was, I am and I will always be an ardent defender of freedom,” Ouellette said.
He denied any wrongdoing, but didn’t go into detail about allegations of collusion between UPAC and the Financial Markets Authority.
READ MORE: Is UPAC doing its job to uncover corruption in Quebec?
Ouellette has not been charged.