Gallant Commission | Guilbault’s cabinet informed of adding to the Saaqclic contract just after the crisis

In the months following the failed launch of Saaqclic, Geneviève Guilbault’s cabinet was informed of the addition of extras to finalize the project, but the political advisor responsible for the file does not remember having read it.

Friday morning. For example, the Gallant Commission heard in videoconferencing the political advisor Dave Gravel, who inherited the SAAQ file in the cabinet of the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, in 2022.

From Cambodia. For example, where he is, Dave Gravel hammered not to have any excess costs gallant commission | guilbault’s cabinet surrounding the digital turn of the SAAQ (CASA), until last February.

It was then that the auditor general of Quebec unveiled the explosion of the project budget, which it estimates at 1.1 billion, 500 million more than expected.

“There is never anyone who told me about the contractual strategy. However, ” said Dave Gravel, in response to the prosecutor’s questions Vincent Ranger.

However. the “contractual strategy” surrounding Casa, whose amount of different “endorsements”, additions to contracts, was detailed in documents which had been sent to it in the summer of 2023 and which were presented to the Commission. One of these documents is even entitled “Casa.pdf contractual strategy”.

They were sent to him by the CEO of the Saaq. Éric Ducharme, following a meeting attended by Geneviève Guilbault and Dave gallant commission | guilbault’s cabinet Gravel, but of which the latter said under oath to have no memory.

Dave Gravel finally admitted to having had these documents in his possession. but maintains that no one ” [lui] explained what the contractual strategy was and what the endorsements are at the level of the SAAQ ”.

“It would be just normal that we plan a meeting. ” he said, insisting that such a cost surpassing was not trivial and that the email had “drowned” among hundreds of others.

Gallant commission | guilbault&#039. s cabinet – Gallant commission | guilbault's cabinet

Not a “cost surpassing”

Just after him, the former Cabinet of Geneviève Guilbault, Geneviève Cantin, admitted for his part to have been aware of these documents mentioning a “contractual strategy” and the addition of “amendments” in June 2023.

But gallant commission | guilbault’s cabinet an “amendment” is not necessarily an “cost-effective”, she tried to justify Commissioner Gallant, who seemed skeptical.

A cost surpassing is formally promised, she hammered. “We have to call a cat a cat: a cost surpassing, it must go up with an official letter. »»

Especially since the new CEO of the Saaq. at the time, Éric Ducharme, was “a summacy” according to Geneviève Cantin, who does not imagine him capable of concealing information after mandates as secretary of the Treasury Board and CEO of the Quebec Revenue Agency.

“I have no reason to think that we are not telling us the truth,” she said.

Geneviève Guilbault must testify this afternoon.