The date of the arrest of Normandeau has been moved up to the day of the budget

File PHOTO, DIDIER DEBUSSCHÈRE
Nathalie Normandeau

Jean-Luc Lavallée

Friday, 26 January, 2018 13:20

UPDATE
Friday 26 January 2018 14:15

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An investigator from the UPAC responsible for planning the arrests of Nathalie Normandeau, and the company has had to make haste at the request of his “masters”, in order for the transaction to occur on march 17, 2016, the day the provincial budget.

“I never knew from where came the order to do this so quickly and why this date”, says the investigator assigned to the draft Yoke, in a statement entered into evidence Friday in the trial of Nathalie Normandeau, Marc-Yvan Côté, Bruno Lortie, France Michaud, Mario Martel and François Roussy.

The declaration heavily vetted, filed by the defence, from the report of the investigator of the SQ Michel Comeau on the leaks in the media. The ex-mayor of Gaspé François Roussy, who is single, has reading at its argument in the context of the query, stop procedures, type Jordan.

Obviously bitter, the investigator reveals that “on march 12 about”, that is, five days before the arrests, ultra high profile, it had made him understand that he was “still 1 month to prepare for the arrests.” And then, suddenly, the operation was accelerated without him, explains the object of this haste.

“Monday morning, I know from my bosses that the arrests must be made the Friday 18. Then, to learn that this is for Thursday the 17”, it read. In its statement dated July 26, 2017, the police officer said to have “taken it hard”, lamenting the media’s treatment that followed.

“I think I was naive in thinking that they would not be judged on the public square. I even said to (someone whose name has been caviardé) who called me to congratulate me that these people don’t deserve it. It came looking for me at the level of my personal values. I am an emotional person. I have now understood that they are public figures and that it came with”.

A “show media” says Roussy

“It was a show in the media. We did a show,” said court Mr. Roussy. “Someone decided to go faster, but we don’t know for what purpose. How is it that we made some arrests if it was not ready in the folders? It raises huge questions that has no answer.”

“It is clear, mr. judge, that if one wants to be a shock to the media, a show by the media, that this date has an impact. It has so marked the imagination of Quebecers. All the world remembers that it was the day of the budget,” she said the one that makes face to face, as the other co-defendants, on counts of conspiracy, fraud, abuse of confidence and corruption.

The grand patron of the UPAC, Robert Lafreniere had already stated in public that the arrest of Nathalie Normandeau, the same day as the tabling of the budget, was a matter of chance. “You know, the spring, usually, this is where it all happens for large operations. It is the agenda of the investigations, it is fell that day,” he said at the time.

Parliamentary privilege

Moreover, the debate on the parliamentary privilege, which was to take place Friday at the palace of justice of Quebec on the sidelines of the trial of Nathalie Normandeau, has not taken place. The Crown agreed with the lawyer of the National Assembly on the content to remove in the documents of the case of Guy Ouellette.

The debate may be resumed possibly in the judicial district of Granby, where the documents related to the arrest of the deputy are currently under seal.