The SQ is launching an investigation into allegations about two Liberal MNAs.
The request came from Quebec's chief prosecutor following claims by the head of the Montreal police union that an earlier investigation was blocked because of political interference.
Annick Murphy, the chief Crown prosecutor, has changed her mind after facing repeated questions this week during meetings of the provincial justice committee following Francoeur's allegations.
The head of the Montreal police brotherhood Yves Francoeur said two MNAs, including one who still has a seat, were targeted by a police investigation in 2012 under suspicion of fraud and influence peddling -- but that the case was dropped because Liberal politicians were involved.
Since the allegations were made last week Murphy has repeatedly denied she or her staff had any knowledge of this file.
On Monday the Parti Quebecois's justice critic, Veronique Hivon, asked Murphy if she had investigated the files.
Murphy said she had not, saying she felt her independence was being called into question, and that searching through the files would be a fishing expedition.
Now Murphy has changed her mind and issued a statement to that effect.
The statement says the allegations brought up by Francoeur are serious, and yet he has let five days go by without contacting anyone in the justice department or the province's anti-corruption squad.
As a result she wants permission to take the investigation to him, and bring him in for questioning.
And in yet another twist, Francoeur has confirmed he was asked by the Liberal Party to be a candidate in the riding held by now former cabinet minister Robert Poeti.
Francoeur said the party asked him to run, but that he "unequivocally" rejected the offer.
The Liberals deny any officials tried to recruit Francoeur.
The leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec, Francois Legault, was happy to learn of the change in direction.
"I'm happy of her new answer this morning, because she's saying that she wants the police to investigate everything that happened at the DPCP, so, of course, if there are some notes about what happened, the police will find it, so it'll be done by somebody independent," said Legault.
Justice Minister Stephanie Vallée said she believed it was the right thing to do.
"I believe the actions are appropriate and we will let the investigators do their work," said Vallée.
Meanwhile PQ leader Jean-Francois Lisée said his party effectively shamed the prosecution's office into doing its due diligence.
“We basically shamed the DPCP into saying, ‘Well, we must act.’ And that's what they did today,” he said.
