Liberal MNA Guy Ouellette arrested, questioned by UPAC

Quebec Liberal MNA Guy Ouellette has been arrested.

The MNA for Chomedey was apprehended Wednesday — on the same day that the province's anti-corruption unit, UPAC, carried out raids in connection with leaked confidential documents.

Ouellette, 65, has not been charged with any crime. According to Radio-Canada sources, he is currently considered a suspect in the investigation into leaks to the media.

"MNAs are expressing their surprise," said Angelica Montgomery, CBC reporter at Quebec's National Assembly. "They were caught completely unaware of this news."

Parti Québécois leader Jean-François Lisée said he was shocked.

"It's very serious that a parliamentarian is arrested," he said.

François Legault, leader of Coalition Avenir Quebec, said he's waiting for answers from the Liberal government.

"It's enormous, it's huge for the integrity of the Liberal Party."

Ouellette is the president of the legislature committee that recently held hearings into confidential leaks of UPAC documents. 

In April, media reported that UPAC's Operation Mâchurer had investigated former premier Jean Charest and former Quebec Liberal party fundraiser Marc Bibeau in relation to links between election financing and public contracts.  

Last spring, UPAC Commissioner Robert Lafrenière testified before the committee that he would go all the way to shed light on leaks.

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Ouellette was first elected to the National Assembly in March 2007 to represent the Laval riding of Chomedey.

Before entering political life, he was a provincial police officer for about 30 years. He worked as a Sûreté du Québec investigator in the Wolverine anti-biker gang squad.

Ouellette's arrest comes on the day that UPAC executed warrants and raided at the homes of two police officers on Montreal's South Shore.