Fiasco Saaqclic: Saaq has long passed over in silence the real costs of the project

Two ministries, two different amounts. The Quebec Automobile Insurance Company (SAAQ) did not disclose the same figures for its digital transformation project, depending on its interlocutor in the Quebec government.

This is what emerges from the testimony, dense and full of figures and dates, of Alain Généreux, political advisor responsible for the files related to Saaq For Minister François Bonnardel while he was Minister of Transport.

In 2021, while the project CASA entered a critical phase, his ministry was entitled to a figure which included both the amount of the contract ($ 458 million), as well as that of the internal investments of the Saaq ($ 224 million). The Treasury Board was only informed of the first figure.

The Commission of Public Administration, where elected officials of the National Assembly sit, was also entitled only to a part of the table. An exchange of emails between the Saaq And Mr. Généreux, in which the Crown corporation explicitly requests to retain a document, confirms this.

Mr. Généreux explained to Commissioner Denis Gallant that he himself believed himself that the amount of the contract represented the total cost of the project. It has always been, in my head, a project of $ 458 millionhe repeatedly repeated in his testimony.

However, it was during a call in February 2021 with its vis-à-vis the SaaqDave Leclerc, whom he learns for the first time that this amount does not take into account the sums that the Crown corporation must itself invest in its computer transformation. The real cost of the project is then estimated at $ 682 million. It has always been thatwould have said Dave Leclerc.

He then realizes, he said, that the Saaq Different information sharing to two government representatives. It is that the Treasury Board, it did not have access to this information, said Mr. Généreux.

I am afraid that we do not have the right and precise information in this file and that surprises await us.

A meeting is then organized between Minister Bonnardel, the senior management of the Saaq And representatives of the Treasury Board, so that everyone is on the same wavelength.

No meeting alone with Marsolais, says generous

The testimony of Mr. Generous to the Commission was eagerly awaited. Is that the old CEO of the SaaqDenis Marsolais, said under oath during his own testimony that he had advised the political advisor to overcoming costs to come.

In June, Mr. Marsolais told the course of a meeting between Alain Généreux and the high officers of the Saaqincluding the project manager CASAKarl Malenfant. A document presented during this meeting claimed that the budgets of the project would be respected, despite the fact that, behind the scenes, the computer firms claimed $ 222 million from the Saaq.

The old CEO acknowledged that the content of the document was not not quite true. Isn’t that quite true? That’s wrong. We’re going to call a cat a cathad launched Commissioner Denis Gallant, judging that the facts told by M. Marsolais fai[saient] dur.

L’ex-CEO However, swore having retained Alain Généreux after the meeting to inform him of future costs.

However, this discussion between the two men would not have taken place, at least according to M. Généreux. I have no memory of thathe said before the commission.

It is certain that if I had had information to the effect that there was an overtaking of cost, an amendment or other, firstly I would have asked: “Why was I submitted a document [qui disait autre chose]?”replied the political advisor.