Ex-SAAQ Internal Audit Director Criticizes Karl Malenfant for Excessive Power Holding
The former director of internal verification at the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) has leveled allegations against Karl Malenfant during his testimony before the Gallant Commission, accusing him of wielding excessive power. In the role of Vice-President of Information Technology (IT), Malenfant's multi-faceted responsibilities are believed to have contributed to a loss of control over the digital transformation of the Crown corporation.
Daniel Pelletier, who held the internal verification and program evaluation position from 2016 to 2024, observed that Malenfant was the head of the CASA project, a role that already carried significant weight. In 2020, Malenfant was tasked with overseeing human resources, in addition to his digital responsibilities and project management duties. Pelletier expressed his concern, calling it "too much responsibility for one person."
During his three-day appearance before the Commission, Pelletier offered potential solutions to Commissioner Denis Gallant aimed at avoiding another debacle of SAAQ's scale. He proposed that the Internal Verification and Program Evaluation division should no longer fall under the President and CEO but instead report to the legal sector. Also this week, Pelletier disclosed interference from former CEO Nathalie Tremblay regarding the elements to be included in his reports to the audit committee, which includes board members. He declared that the line between acceptable and unacceptable interaction had been crossed.
Pelletier advocated for changes in the process for appointing the board of directors. He expressed his disappointment that his team's concerns had not been given more serious consideration by the board members and questioned why they were not listened to more effectively. Pelletier emphasized the need for stricter criteria for new appointments and highlighted his team's role as essential watchdogs. "History has proven us right," he shared sorrowfully.
The testimony of Vincent Poirier, an IT specialist and member of SAAQ's internal verification team, revealed the tense atmosphere in the months leading up to the launch of the SAAQclic platform. According to Poirier, tests conducted during the summer of 2022 yielded 100 critical anomalies per day. In the fall, there were rumors suggesting that the platform's launch would go forward despite the uncorrected anomalies. The most striking instance, Poirier recalled, was when they started announcing the shift to production, prompting two testers to break down in tears, expressing concerns about the impending failure of the system.
Tests teams were reassigned to the live deployment of the system just as 1,200 anomalies remained unresolved. When asked about his perception of the situation, Poirier recounted his conversation with Daniel Pelletier, comparing it to the Loto-Quebec Fireworks, stating that it would go wrong everywhere. "All indications pointed to the system's failure. I couldn't predict the extent of it... but nothing else could have happened," Poirier said.
In separate news, Quebec appealed a ruling that allows a child to have more than two parents, while the cost estimates for the "Golden Dome" are deemed insufficient by Mike Pompeo. Alain Roy revealed lesser-known aspects of Donald Trump's personality in his latest book.
- The political fallout from the SAAQ debacle continues as Daniel Pelletier, former director of internal verification, advocates for policy-and-legislation changes in the appointment process of the board of directors, emphasizing the need for stricter criteria to ensure essential watchdogs are listened to more effectively.
- In the realm of crime-and-justice, Quebec has launched an appeal against a ruling that allows a child to have more than two parents, raising questions about general-news implications for family structures.
- In a surprising twist, the war-and-conflicts of politics are brewing between Donald Trump and Alain Roy, as Roy discloses lesser-known aspects of Trump's personality in his latest book, potentially further fueling existing political debates.
