SAAQclic: Commissioner Gallant promises transparency

Judge Denis Gallant promised transparency during the opening statement of the commission charged with investigating the setbacks of the digital shift at the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) on Thursday morning in Montreal.

“Nothing will stop us from pursuing this mission. We will find out the truth, no matter who the parties involved are,” declared Commissioner Gallant on the first day of the “Commission of Inquiry into the Management of the Modernization of the Computer Systems of the Société de l’assurance automobile.”

Over the coming months, Gallant will attempt to shed light on the SAAQclic fiasco.

According to the Auditor General, the SAAQ’s unsuccessful digital shift led to long queues in front of branches in 2023 and cost $500 million more than expected, for a total that will exceed $1.1 billion in 2027.

The commission’s mandate is to investigate “the causes and circumstances of the problems encountered in managing and implementing the CASA program,” which includes the introduction of the SAAQclic platform.

It must also investigate “the level of knowledge of those in authority within the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec, as well as the departments concerned, of the management problems identified by the Auditor General of Quebec,” said Guylaine Leclerc.

Apparent conflict of interest

Since Justice Gallant’s appointment, the three opposition parties represented in the National Assembly have cast doubt on his impartiality because of his ties to the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel.

“Some people have expressed concern about the fact that I was a colleague of the current chair of the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, some 11 years ago, during the Charbonneau commission,” so “I felt it was imperative to reassure the public about our ties and the way we manage them,” said Gallant.

He has undertaken to limit his exchanges with witnesses he knows, such as the President of the Treasury Board.

Galant explained on Thursday that he had “ordered all members of the commission to declare without delay any past or present ties” with witnesses.

If the commissioner deems that there is a conflict of interest, then “the person will have to fill out a conflict of interest declaration, which will be entered in a register” and “the commission member in conflict of interest will not be able to take part in any meeting with the person or persons referred to in his declaration, and he will not be able to receive any information about that person, take cognisance of any evidence relating to that person or be present during any discussions concerning that person,” explained Gallant.

“And if I am the one in a conflict of interest, real, apparent or potential, the same logic will apply,” he added.

He also explained that “all persons, including myself, who worked with Minister LeBel at the Charbonneau Commission, had to complete the declaration of conflict of interest without delay.”

It will therefore be “investigators, prosecutors and lawyers who did not work on the Charbonneau commission and who have no connection with her, who will have to take over if she is called upon to meet or testify at this commission,” said Gallant, referring to his former colleague.

“Our commission will be guided by the principles of transparency and integrity,” said Justice Gallant, promising to “turn over every stone” to enable the public to discover the truth.

Simon Tremblay, who was Deputy Chief Prosecutor for the Charbonneau Commission, will act as Chief Prosecutor for the Gallant Commission.

The commission’s investigative team is made up of some fifteen experts, as is the legal team.

Some of these experts also took part in the Charbonneau commission.

Intervention by the Autorité des marchés publics

On April 10, the Autorité des marchés publics (AMP) ordered the SAAQ to suspend all contracts relating to the SAAQclic project for 30 days.

Since the Auditor General revealed a $500 million cost overrun in February, the SAAQ has not put in place “any mitigation measures” to curb its spending of public funds, the AMP said in a press release.

Report expected Sept. 30

The commission is expected to submit the conclusions of its investigation on September 30.

The fiasco at the SAAQ has dominated discussions in the National Assembly since the tabling of the Auditor General’s explosive report, which revealed cost overruns of at least $500 million.

The Legault government defended itself, saying it had been fooled.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews