Long-time associate of Legault was aware that SAAQclic costs would approach billion dollars as early as 2022.
Busted: A Billion-Dollar Cover-Up?
In a shocking revelation, it's clear that the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) was in deep financial trouble during its digital shift, which could have set the project back by a billion dollars. This bombshell was dropped during the Gallant Commission, an ongoing public inquiry.
Former SAAQ CEO, Denis Marsolais, disclosed on Thursday that the Ministry of the Prime Minister was fully aware of the impending cost surge as early as September 2022. The then-highest-ranking official in Quebec, Secretary General Yves Ouellet, was apparently offered the chance to sweep the increased costs under the rug to avoid public and media scrutiny.
Documents obtained by Marsolais corroborate his claims, revealing that an additional $222 million was needed for the SAAQclic project. With the initial budget nearly depleted, the total cost of the project was set to skyrocket, arguably reaching the billion-dollar mark.
At a meeting with Ouellet, the financial predicament of the SAAQ was laid out in detail, Marsolais claimed. He emphasized that the critical points of discussion were the requested funding and the possible scenarios that would present themselves to the board of directors.
Emerging details highlight two options presented to Ouellet at the fateful September meeting. One was a one-time payment of $222 million, while the other suggested staggered payments to maintain discretion. The first option, although risky politically and medially, was discarded in favor of the second, which aimed to evade media attention by splitting contracts.
Over time, the SAAQ managed to allocate the $222 million in various amendments, thus circumventing the legal obligation to publish calls for tenders in the public registry. As a result, possible conflicts of interest and questionable dealings were buried deep within the bureaucracy.
Moreover, Denis Marsolais alleged that former Minister of cybersecurity and digital, Eric Caire, was briefed on SAAQclic's failures as early as June 13, 2022. However, the additional funds were omitted from subsequent documentation, which theoretically claimed that budgets confirmed in September 2020 were still being respected, despite the glaring discrepancies.
As the proceedings unfolded, prosecutor Mélanie Tremblay questioned the logic behind withholding such vital information from top officials. Marsolais feebly explained that he didn't discuss the additional funding with Caire during their meeting, asserting that the presentation itself conveyed the need for an increase.
The Commission will continue to unravel the layers of this apparent cover-up in the coming days, raising critical questions about transparency, accountability, and the ethics of those involved in the decisions that may have jeopardized the future of the SAAQ and the public's trust. Keep following for updates on this developing story.
For Further Reading:
- Former SAAQ CEO says he informed Bonnardel's office of cost overruns in 2022
- Inquiry into SAAQ's digital shift continues to uncover questionable dealings
- Quebec anti-corruption police launch investigation into SAAQclic fiasco
[1] State of the SAAQ's Digital Shift: A Financial Time Bomb? An In-depth Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.lelance.com/2023/04/state-of-the-saaqs-digital-shift-a-financial-time-bomb-an-in-depth-analysis/
[2] Behind the Scenes of the SAAQ's Digital Shift: A Tangled Web of Allegations and Investigations. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/10/the-saaq-digital-shift-corruption-allegations-and-cover-ups/
- Amidst revelations from the Gallant Commission, concerns about the ethics in policy-and-legislation of the Ministry of the Prime Minister have arisen, as the Ministry was allegedly offered the chance to hide a billion-dollar cost surge related to the SAAQ's digital shift.
- Alongside the ongoing investigations into the SAAQ's digital shift, the topic of crime-and-justice is now intertwined, as questions about possible financial deceit, funding omissions, and potential conflicts of interest are under scrutiny.
- The politics surrounding the SAAQ's digital shift have taken a significant turn, with the release of general-news regarding a billion-dollar cover-up implicating various high-ranking officials, and war-and-conflicts now manifesting in the form of public inquiries, investigations, and loss of trust in the government.
