When Liberal MNA Guy Ouellette was arrested suddenly last October it sent shock waves through the National Assembly. Now we're finding out that sudden arrest wasn't so sudden after all.
Newly unsealed warrants show the representative from Chomedy was under police surveillance, suspected of being involved in the leaking of confidential information linked to a UPAC investigation into political financing activities by former premier Jean Charest and ex-Liberal Party organizer Marc Bibeau.
Despite being unsealed there is still a fair amount of information in the warrants that remains blacked out, including the name of another individual targeted by police.
The unnamed person was already under surveillance when they were seen with Ouellette, ultimately leading to the MNA being tailed as well.
Investigators were also keeping tabs on former UPAC officer Richard Despaties and provincial police officer Stéphane Bonhomme.
Six days prior to Ouellette's arrest officers obtained warrants to search the homes of Bonhomme and Despaties, seize Despaties' cell phone and lure Ouellette.
On October 25, Despaties' home was raided and his phone seized and an undisclosed message was sent to Ouellette.
Just before 1:00 P.M. an officer left a bag containing blank sheets of white paper behind an electric vehicle charging station in a Tim Horton's Parking lot on the South Shore of Quebec City.
About 45 minutes later the MNA arrived in his car, which officers already had a search warrant for, and took the bag.
He was arrested one minute later.
Ouellette was questioned and later released. He has not been charged.