Guy Ouellette expelled from Liberal caucus

Guy Ouellette, a longstanding Liberal MNA, has been booted from the Liberal caucus, the party announced on Friday.

Interim Leader Pierre Arcandconfirmed Ouellettewill sit as an independent, bringing the number of Liberal seats at the National Assembly downto 31.

"The trust has been broken," Arcand said.

During the campaign, Coalition Avenir QubecLeaderFranoisLegaultconfirmed Guy Ouelletteleaked information to his partyin 2016regardingthe nomination of Liberal Party member to a senior position.

Ouellettedenied he was the source of the leak, suggestingmembers of Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC) sent the information after confiscating his personal documents.

The outgoing Liberal leader PhilippeCouillardstood by Ouellette, even days before the election, promising a place for him in the caucus.

ButOuellettewas absent from the party's first post-election meeting on Thursday, and didn't show up for the caucus meeting on Friday morning, whereArcand was named the interim leader.

"Mr.Ouellettehad the opportunity to come here today to explain himself," saidLiberal caucus presidentFilomenaRotiroti.

Instead, he chose to have a letter delivered to his former colleagues. It was read out to them, butthe contents will not be released to the public at least not by the Liberal Party, Rotiroti said.

Ouellette has representedthe Chomedey riding in Laval since 2007.

UPACcontroversy

This was not Ouellette's first controversy within the party.

Ouellette temporarily resigned from the caucus in October 2017after being arrestedby UPACofficers.

The unit was trying to put an end to a series ofleaks to the media and several fingerspointedat Ouellette, suggesting he was the source of those leaks.

Ouellettereturned to the caucus in November 2017, while the police investigation was still ongoing.

He testified under oath in February that "he played no role" in the leaked documents, during the trial againstformer party members NathalieNormandeauandMarc-YvanCt.

Last week,Ouelletteannounced on his Facebook page thatQuebec's Crown prosecutor's office had confirmedthe search warrants issued against him in 2017 were invalid.