Quebec Prosecutor Admits Affair with Defence Lawyer in Court

A prosecutor in a high-profile cannabis trafficking case has admitted to an affair with a defence lawyer involved in the same proceedings. During testimony on June 23, 2023, at the Montreal courthouse, Paul Mercier, deputy chief of the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP), revealed that Alice Bourbonnais-Rougeau confessed to having intimate relations with Mathieu Rondeau-Poissant.

The admission came during a discussion regarding an ongoing case involving multiple defendants arrested in late 2023. Mercier testified that Bourbonnais-Rougeau initially denied the allegations but later acknowledged the affair while she was preparing an affidavit to address claims of impropriety. According to Mercier, she described their encounters as occurring during lunch hours.

Bourbonnais-Rougeau had previously asserted to her superiors that her relationship with Rondeau-Poissant was strictly platonic. However, her confession raises questions about potential conflicts of interest in the case. Rondeau-Poissant had made an official request to withdraw from the case weeks prior, prompting speculation about the motivations behind his decision.

Bruno Desmarais, one of the accused in the cannabis trafficking investigation, has filed a motion seeking a stay of proceedings, citing concerns over the relationship between the prosecutor and defence counsel. His lawyer, Marc Labelle, argued that Bourbonnais-Rougeau’s role as the prosecuting attorney may have compromised the integrity of the defence strategy.

Mercier explained that he had previously advised Bourbonnais-Rougeau to avoid communication with Rondeau-Poissant while the withdrawal request was under consideration. He stated, “It would be prudent” not to engage with Rondeau-Poissant during that time, highlighting the importance of maintaining ethical boundaries.

Despite the personal relationship, Bourbonnais-Rougeau maintained that no confidential information related to the case was shared between them. She claimed that a “Chinese wall” was established to ensure the separation of their professional duties.

As the case progresses, questions regarding the implications of the affair on the proceedings remain unresolved. The situation has drawn significant attention, both for its ethical considerations and the ramifications it may have on the ongoing cannabis trafficking investigation.